The Garden Grove Employees League, representing nearly 90 public works staffers, and city negotiators have reached an impasse in negotiations for a new contract, turning to a mediator to help with a breakthrough.
The union members, part of the Orange County Employees Association, say the city has stonewalled worker requests for recognition pay, shift differential enhancements and affordable healthcare.
After seven bargaining sessions, contract negotiations are expected to head into mediation Friday, Aug. 15, a rare move for contract disputes, OCEA said. The process of mediation will bring a neutral third-party from the state into the collective bargaining process.
“Respect the crew that works for you,” chanted union members who rallied on Tuesday, Aug. 12, around City Hall ahead of the City Council meeting.
Workers say their contributions maintaining critical city infrastructure, including streets, trees, and public buildings, are often hidden, but vital to the community, as they also clear homeless encampments, clean up needles found in parks and respond to urgent after-hour calls, sometimes waking up at 2 or 3 a.m.
City officials said they wanted to keep pay “equitable” among employees.
“The city of Garden Grove is committed to providing equitable compensation and benefits for all our employees, consistent with agreements established for all of our other represented employee groups, while being mindful of the city’s long-term financial health,” city spokesperson Johnathan Garcia said.
Union leaders say the city has denied requests for recognition pay around chemical application and heavy equipment operation, and Garden Grove is the only city that doesn’t offer shift differential pay for 24-hour operations.
“The city has repeatedly stonewalled workers, offering flimsy and contradictory excuses for shutting down even the most basic demands for fair improvements. Instead of engaging with genuine solutions, officials hide behind vague budget claims or dismiss GGEL proposals outright, showing blatant disregard for worker needs,” OCEA Assistant General Manager Tim Steed said.
Workers from UFCW 324, United Domestic Workers, and IATSE 504 joined GGEL staffers at Tuesday’s rally as they walked around the civic center.
Three Garden Grove councilmembers, Arianna Arestegui, Yesenia Muneton and Phillip Nguyen, also dropped by before the council meeting.
The last contract with employees expired on June 30.