One of Los Angeles’ largest employee unions is taking shots at the attention – or lack there of – that Mayor Villaraigosa is paying to his city. They say he is spending too much time on the road, and not enough on solving the city’s problems.
Villaraigosa has traveled out of the area 11 times so far this year, many times focusing on duties extraneous to his responsibilities as mayor. He is the chair for the upcoming Democratic National Convention and is the President of the US Conference of Mayors.
Meanwhile, says the union, he pushes an agenda that would layoff the employees at city hall who don’t travel but show up and work to deliver services to Angelenos.
The increase of hostile rhetoric between the unions and the mayor comes as a surprise after the city and unions hashed out significant labor agreements last year. However, the city is short on money and is not going to pay promised raises. Villaraigosa has gone a step further recently in proposing an increase of 12 years on the retirement age and suggesting he’d like large layoffs.
From the LA Times:
One of Los Angeles’ largest public employee unions is lashing out at Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, claiming he has been “flying all over the country, managing his image and trying to secure his next job” while city workers struggle to serve Angelenos.
Service Employees International Union Local 721 emailed City Hall members over the weekend, criticizing Villaraigosa for pushing City Hall layoffs and a hike in the retirement age for newly hired city workers.
Read the full article here.