Save San Jose Collective Bargaining

On May 13, three of my fellow San Jose Council Members and the Mayor proposed a fiscal and public safety emergency that would strip city workers of their benefits and take away their collective bargaining rights. This bill is substantially similar to the attacks on workers rights that were recently rammed through Wisconsin’s legislature by its rabidly anti-worker governor, Scott Walker.

But then, there was a huge backlash. As part of that backlash, thousands of San Jose residents—and thousands more across the country—signed a petition I started to Mayor Reed and the San Jose City Council, urging them to resolve our city’s fiscal situation in cooperation with our workers. Because of our efforts, the bill has been postponed to August 2! Now, I need help to keep my petition growing. If I can get a total of 10,000 signatures by August 2, it will send a really powerful message that attacks on collective bargaining won't be tolerated in San Jose.

I will do everything within my power to convince the Mayor and my fellow council members to work with our city’s workers to solve our San Jose’s budget challenges, rather than attacking them. So far, this has been a tough fight. But with the votes postponed, we're winning.

On Aug. 2, the city is scheduled up the "fiscal and public safety emergency" proposal, as well as proposals to retroactively reduce pension benefits that our workers have already earned and are contractually entitled to. Measures like these historically have been held to be illegal, and will no doubt lead to lengthy and expensive lawsuits. Instead of using these extreme tactics, we should work with our employees, who have shown their willingness to do their part to achieve fiscal reform.

By myself, I am one City Council member. But together, we are powerful. I need your help to make sure our Mayor and City Council know that attacks on workers won’t be tolerated.