Thousands of San Jose city workers have voted to authorize their bargaining representatives to call a strike, ratcheting up the pressure on City Hall amid a protracted contract dispute.
After a week of voting, support for the authorization came in at 97%, according to a Monday announcement from IFPTE Local 21 and MEF-AFSCME Local 101. While the outcome does not immediately trigger a work stoppage for the two unions — which together represent more than half of the city’s nearly 8,000-strong workforce — it does empower their bargaining team to call for a three-day strike should they determine contract negotiations have reached an impasse.
Workers and the city are at odds over wages, as well as other economic benefits. Workers are also pressing for firmer protections against displacement risks posed by San Jose’s rapid embrace of artificial intelligence tools…