Salary deal struck by Bass would give L.A. city workers seven raises by July 2028

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass presents her first city budget in April. “The feedback I’ve gotten from our members is that they’re enthusiastically going to vote yes on this, because it is the best deal that city workers have ever gotten,” said David Green, president of Service Employees International Union Local 721, one of the coalition’s six unions. Asked if the budget can absorb the proposed increases, Szabo said the city would take “all necessary measures” to ensure the budget is balanced and “resilient to recession.” Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, who heads the council’s powerful budget committee, said he expects that city leaders will need to eliminate some vacant city positions to help cover the cost of the coalition deal. “But the magnitude of all that, we’ll figure that out.” Blumenfield said he expects the upcoming contract will force city leaders to refocus on the city’s “core responsibilities.” The coalition contract is being finalized amid a major labor shortage at City Hall, with 1 out of every 6 positions vacant last fall, according to a city controller’s analysis. And he dismissed the idea that the proposed salary agreement would create budget problems, saying “the city can afford it.” The city’s budget experts have already voiced support for the contract terms, Green said.