After several rounds of settlement discussion between the union and SJPL, we are happy to report that the Union has won a settlement that will last us through this year’s contract negotiations – when we will secure a more permanent resolution and compensation for staff working Sunday hours.
It’s finally here! Our 2023 MEF-AFSCME Member Negotiations Survey. Your input in this survey is what your Union bargaining team uses when negotiating with the City for wages, benefits, and working conditions. The data collected from you serve as our guiding document when making proposals, counterproposals, and on which proposals to stand firm on. We invite all MEF members to let your bargaining team know your priorities by filling out the linked survey. Your input and feedback are central to determining the Union's priorities
The time to hear from you, the members of MEF-AFSCME, is now. To that end, we will be holding two kick off meetings to hear from you directly about what you want to see in our next contract. The meetings will both be held on Tuesday, January 24th at the Methodist church across from City Hall from 12:00 - 1:00 and a repeat meeting from 4:00 - 5:00. Food will be provided so please RSVP HERE so that we can order enough for everyone! (See more info below.)
A PRNS Youth Outreach Worker with over 20 years of service with the City of San Jose was improperly terminated from City service on September of 2022. The department indicated the employee had voluntarily resigned from City service for failure to report to work. The union member immediately reached out to their union steward for help in making things right. MEF stewards found that the employee was out with Covid and had informed their supervisors — who failed to notify the department. Fortunately the employee had well documented correspondence during their time off and as a result MEF filed a Step II Grievance for wrongful termination, additionally requesting full back pay and reinstatement of benefits. On October 3rd the employee’s termination was rescinded and they returned to work.
Ballots have begun hitting mailboxes and for us San Jose employees, it may be the biggest local election in a generation. For the last ~20 years, “business friendly” politicians have ran the City and made a mess of what it means to be a City of San Jose employee who provides public services. We’ve all seen it. We’ve all lived it. We're all sick of it.
The choice and the differences of the candidates before us could not be clearer. On the Labor side, we have Cindy Chavez, who is the most worker friendly candidate this City has ever seen. Along with her, are candidates for City Council like Omar Torres, Peter Ortiz and Maya Esparza, who - if all elected - would be game changers for City workers and public services in San Jose. Check out our AFSCME Local 101 Endorsements here. On the other side of the aisle are candidates who are happy with the status quo and won't do anything to fix wages, vacancies, and the other issues that face City employees and residents alike.
The City violated the law when they proceeded to open library branches on Sundays without first negotiating the effects with the Union. As a result, the Union has filed an Unfair Practice Charge or Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) against the City with the California Public Employees Relations Board which oversees public employers in our state. Our demands our simple - get back to the bargaining table and negotiate in good faith the effects of opening on Sundays has on hundreds of library workers and our families.
