South San Francisco, CA October 8, 2022 AFSCME 829 Press Release
People in South City rely on city workers every day, whether they realize it or not.
When residents call 911 in an emergency or visit a library or a park, they are counting on city workers. When families depend on city preschools to care for and educate their children while they work, they are counting on city workers. City workers ensure our buildings and construction zones are safe, and provide a myriad of other essential city services. City workers make South City a good place to live and work.
I love my job, I love my coworkers, and I love the city I work for. But many of us can’t afford to live in or near the city where we work. We face long commutes with high gas prices on top of high cost for housing and everything else in the Bay Area. We’ve also been making 12% less than our counterparts in other communities across the region.
But this week, we are celebrating a new agreement with city managers. By raising our voices, we got the City to invest in workers. As a result, city workers will see an increase in their paychecks. Beyond leveling the playing field, and helping workers make ends meet, more competitive wages will help us attract and keep the essential workforce our community depends on.
Collective bargaining through our union, AFSCME 829, helped us win this fight for what’s right. We are grateful that South City’s Mayor Mark Nagales, Councilmember Eddie Flores, and Councilmember James Coleman stepped up to support the essential workers who make South City a great community.
We also thank our South City community for your support. We’re all better off when essential workers get the dignity and respect we deserve.
[…] Guaranteed Income Pilot program, the first in our County. Along with other members, Flores helped to negotiate a tentative union agreement for City employees to be signed by the City at the upcoming Council […]