Hourly workers achieve unionization Hourly workers achieve unionization (November 12, 2004)

With city facing $4-$5 million deficit, its questionable as to how much the new union with benefit from the move

by Bill D'Agostino

The City of Palo Alto's temporary workers achieved union recognition this week, after a two-and-a-half month struggle with the city.

But just how much unionization will actually benefit them is an open question, especially since the city is facing a $4 to $5 million deficit next year, which will mean cuts to services and possibly even layoffs.

"There's no money so whatever we give to them is going to have to come from someplace else," Assistant City Manager Emily Harrison said.

The temporary employees perform numerous day-to-day functions in the city, from stacking library books to teaching classes at the junior museum, without getting benefits like health care or paid sick leave.

Although the workers will not automatically receive such benefits through unionization, they will now have a unified voice in negotiations with city management.

"They're ecstatic and feel a tremendous sense of victory after their campaign," said Seth Newton, an organizer with the Service Employees International Union, Local 715, which also represents around 600 of the city's full-time workers.

The struggle with the city centered on exactly who would be included in the union. Initially the city proposed counting employees who work at least 750 hours annually. Union officials alleged that would have excluded many of the 200-plus workers who signed a petition in August.

The new agreement will allow temps who work at least 416 hours a year into the unit, meaning approximately 200 of the 300 temps will be included. Of course, with the higher number of employees in the unit, the chance for benefits decreases even further.

"There's a whole lot of work to do even though there's agreement," Harrison said. The union recognition followed numerous public demonstrations, including on Monday night when numerous temps wrapped yellow tape around City Hall's Civic Plaza and the Raging Grannies chanted pro-union songs.

Staff Writer Bill D'Agostino can be e-mailed at bdagostino@paweekly.com.

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