Politics & Government

City Worker Contract Goes to Council

Following protests by city workers earlier this year, the El Cerrito City Council will consider a new contract that includes increased pension costs for employees and another year of no pay increase followed by 3.25 pay boost the following year.

Up for action on the El Cerrito City Council tonight, Tuesday, is a proposed two-year contract for city workers that contains several concessions projected to save the city $79,000 in the current fiscal year.

The tentative pact, called a Memorandum of Understanding, was approved Aug. 15 by Local 1021 of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which represents regular city employees outside of police, fire and management.

Faced with a projected budget deficit, exacerbated by rising employee pension and health insurance costs, the city has been seeking ways to cut spending without laying off employees or axing services. It asked all employees for cost-cutting sacrifices.

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Those who earn more – including police, fire and management employees –agreed to concessions before the current fiscal year began on July 1, but members of SEIU objected, saying they were already underpaid and shouldering an unfair burden. Union members spoke out, route: {:controller=>"articles", :action=>"show", :id=>"take-from-the-top-says-city-worker-union-city-budget-under-fire"} --> at and staged a

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