WE DID IT (ALMOST) — NO LAYOFFS! BUT STAY TUNED…

Thanks to your collective action, it looks like we’ve done the impossible — beat back City Hall’s proposed layoffs. While the City hasn’t finalized the budget yet, the latest update from City Manager Jennifer Maguire suggests that very few, if any, layoffs are expected — and that even those affected are likely to be placed into vacant positions.

Let’s take a moment to celebrate this. Your emails, your rally signs, your creative budget-saving ideas, your solidarity — it all worked. This was our campaign, and your voice made the difference. You showed up, and it mattered.

But let’s also be clear: this fight isn’t over.

The City is already sounding the alarm about next year’s budget. While the current shortfall was reduced from $46 million to $35 million thanks to some “surprise” revenues (like PG&E franchise fees and ERAF funds), next year’s deficit is expected to be even worse — possibly exceeding $50 million — and without the financial “lifelines” that saved us this time.

Even in the good news, there were warnings:

"We expect very minimal overall impacts to the workforce... very few, if any, layoffs for those who have rights to other positions."
— Jennifer Maguire, City Manager

We’re proud that our pressure campaign helped protect jobs this year. But let’s not forget — they still made departments draft $50 million in potential cuts, and the worst may be yet to come. We’ll need to keep the pressure on all year long to make sure frontline workers and public services are protected.

What’s next:

• The Proposed Budget drops in early May

• Public hearings and lobbying in May and June

• Contract bargaining begins again next year

We’ll keep you informed every step of the way, and we may all need to mobilize again soon. But for now, give yourself a moment to breathe — you earned it.

In solidarity,
Your Union