Milpitas employees are preparing for a potential strike after months of failed contract negotiations with the city.
Two of the city’s employee unions — Pro-Tech and the Milpitas Employees Association (MEA), representing about 146 workers across multiple departments — have been negotiating a new contract since last April. The previous contract expired on July 1, 2023. Union representatives said their biggest asks are for a cost of living adjustment to keep up with inflation, as well as efforts to increase retention by giving pay bumps to employees who reach certain years on the job and when they earn specific certifications.
Ryan Heron, a labor relations representative with LiUNA Local 792, said these benefits would help the city recruit and retain high quality workers. Pro-Tech and MEA are housed within LiUNA Local 792, which represents municipal employees across the state.
“It’s not a particularly long list,” Heron told San José Spotlight. “We were able to get tentative agreements on most of the items, except the last few. We haven’t been able to get the city to what we feel is a fair and reasonable deal.”