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With no contract, LA city workers authorize strike
Ten thousand L.A. city employees, including garbage workers and parking enforcement officers, voted late Friday to grant union negotiators the power to call a walkout or even a strike.
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Photo by Jes/mugley via Flickr Creative Commons
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Ten thousand city workers who drive garbage trucks, run water treatment plants, sweep city streets and issue parking tickets voted late Friday to grant union negotiators the power to call a walkout or even a strike if they can't reach a contract deal with the City of Los Angeles over raises and benefits.
An overwhelming 86 percent of workers represented by Service Employees International Union Local 721 voted to authorize a work stoppage, though no such action has been called, according to a union press release :
"Nine months ago we began a journey determined to Fix LA by protecting and growing the good jobs that keep our city running, and tonight our overwhelming vote authorizing a strike demonstrates the determination of thousands of hardworking men and women to improve the communities we live in and serve."
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In a
uploaded to the union's YouTube account showing the vote count Friday, Jacob Miller, a worker with the Department of Animal Services, said members of the Coalition of L.A. City Unions that includes Local 721 were "getting a bum deal from the city, and it's time to take it to where it needs to go."
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
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