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Councilmember Garcetti introduces resolution to negotiate with rec assistants after public pleas for hours and benefits
Summary
Councilmember Eric Garcetti introduced a resolution asking city departments to resume negotiations with AFSCME on the status, hours and benefits of more than 2,000 recreation assistants after multiple public comments and labor speakers urged action.
Councilmember Eric Garcetti introduced a resolution Wednesday asking the Department of Recreation and Parks, the Department of Cultural Affairs and the City Administrative Officer to renew efforts to negotiate with AFSCME on the classification, hours and benefits of recreation assistants.
The introduction followed an extended public-comment block in which recreation assistants and union representatives described long-term part-time work, caps on hours, denied benefits and verbal abuse at city work sites. John Barton of AFSCME told the council the assistants voted for union representation by a 95% margin and urged the council to "expeditiously enter into serious negotiations" to end the 1,000-hour cap and secure pay and benefits. "We have a saying in the labor movement, 'justice delayed is justice denied,'" Barton said.
Julian Munoz, who identified herself as a recreation assistant at Eagle Rock Recreation Center, described regular, multi-year work and said the intermittent classification denied health insurance and job security. "I am not an intermittent employee. I go to work regularly for the city," Munoz said. Several other speakers including Reverend Joseph Oliver and Jason Elias of SEIU Local 347 voiced support for a contract that would provide more stable hours, promotions and benefits.
Garcetti said the resolution — which he said was seconded by Council President Zine Padilla and by Councilmember Ridley-Thomas — would instruct the departments and CAO to "move with deliberate speed to negotiate with AFSCME." Garcetti said the item would be heard again by the full council at a later date; no final vote on the resolution was recorded at Wednesday's meeting.
Council members on the dais expressed support during discussion. Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas and others praised the rec assistants as a public-safety and youth-service investment, and asked staff to proceed with negotiations. The resolution was introduced for future consideration; the council did not adopt a final motion or vote on substantive contract terms at this meeting.
The public comments and the resolution introduction together make clear the issue will return to the council for formal action and potential bargaining directives to city departments.
