Inglewood’s city workers have been without a contract for over a year. In the past eight years they’ve seen the cost of living outpace their wages by over 30%.
Now hundreds have signed a petition calling for City officials to continue negotiating for a fair contract that recognizes the sacrifices they've made to help the City through hard times. They will present the petition to the Inglewood City Council tonight at 5:30 p.m. Last month the city refused to continue negotiating with its workers despite their sacrifices to keep services running.
"Employees are having difficulties just getting to work, putting food on the table and keeping the lights on," said Police Dispatcher Beverly Lockhart.
The workers represented by SEIU Local 721 have received only a 2% increase in wages in the last eight years, while the cost of living has risen over 35%. In 2001 they returned 1% of their wages to help the City through tough times. In 2003-2004 they were asked to take "voluntary furloughs" - unpaid time off - of up to 12 days, amounting to a 4.6% pay cut for those who took the full time off. After Measure IT passed in November 2006 workers received 3%, one percent of which was to pay back their 2001 sacrifice.
On Nov. 4, Inglewood workers helped to pass Measure UUT to ensure funding for emergency and after-school services by walking precincts and manning phone banks - but that provides no incentives to retain or promote dedicated city workers.
"Our members really supported Measure UUT to help out our city budget. We have nothing to give anymore," said Talai Smith, senior administrative aide with the General Services Administration and a 28-year city employee.
Inglewood city workers have escalated their actions to drive home their need to City Council, with informational picketing last week at City Hall and phone calls by employees as well as city residents who support them to the Mayor and City Council seeking a cost of living increase that allows them to continue to support their families while providing vital services to Inglewood residents.
About SEIU Inglewood City Workers: More than 325 Inglewood city workers represented by SEIU 721 sweep the streets, trim the trees, clean the parks and run recreation programs for youth, as well as dispatch police and keep city vehicles running. Visit www.seiu721.org for more information.