Thousands of San José city workers on Monday moved one step closer to a historic work stoppage by authorizing a strike that could put librarians, parks workers and other municipal employees on the picket line.
Members of two unions, IFPTE Local 21 and MEF-AFSCME Local 101, overwhelmingly approved a strike authorization vote giving union leaders the power to order a work stoppage of up to three days. The move comes after months of gridlock between city leaders who argue San José is strapped for cash and workers who are demanding better pay.
“The biggest thing is wages,” said Hannah Ornellas, an environmental services specialist who manages trash and recycling in the city.
During her four-year tenure, Ornellas said she’s seen massive attrition as coworkers leave for better-paying jurisdictions…