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Montclair city workers, union and residents press council for higher pay and improved benefits
Summary
At a Montclair City Council meeting, multiple city employees and a Teamsters representative urged the council to raise wages and improve health benefits to stop turnover they said is undermining city services; council acknowledged ongoing labor talks but took no vote.
Dozens of Montclair city employees and a Teamsters representative used the public-comment period at the council meeting to press elected officials for higher pay and better health benefits, warning that chronic turnover has left essential services understaffed.
"Losing a dispatcher who went through all that training and made it and then leaves to another agency that offers more pay and better benefits is a huge loss to the city," said Laura Rico, who identified herself as a senior police dispatcher speaking in a personal capacity. Rico said the city spends thousands on months-long training and that losing trained dispatchers will eventually affect 911 response times.
Several other public-works employees made similar complaints. "Right now one of the biggest concerns we face is our morale and stability of our workforce," said Alex Perez, lead worker for the sewers division. Perez described Montclair as a "training ground" where newly trained staff leave for neighboring cities that offer higher pay.
Carlos Gonzalez, business agent for Teamsters Local 1932, told the council that many municipal employees lack medical insurance for their families and urged the city to provide "decent medical care" to retain workers in police, fire and public-works roles. He cited union membership and retired Teamsters who live in Montclair as part of the local constituency calling for change.
Other speakers offered on-the-job examples: Philip Mendes, a street lead in public works, said the city recently lost a welder and had to contract work out; Richard Herrera, a parks lead worker, said parks functions have been contracted because of staffing loss; and Andrew Venegas, a motor-sweeper operator, said he has "capped out" pay steps and cannot match private-sector wages.
Residents and union members also linked staffing to service quality. "If you invest in paying your employees and your dispatchers ... you're making an investment into the prosperity of Montclair for everybody," Perez said. Andrea Gvan, a nearby resident, urged the council to consider regional impacts as projects such as the Gold Line advance.
Council members responded by thanking speakers and noting that labor negotiations are underway. Mayor Pro Tem Johnson said, "we'll see how labor negotiations progress as we're currently in [meetings]," and the meeting record shows no formal council action or vote on compensation during this session.
Why it matters: Council and staff must balance budgets and labor costs, but speakers warned that continued turnover could raise costs long term through contracted services and diminished emergency response capacity. Several commenters urged the council to prioritize employee retention by improving wages and benefits.
The council did not take formal action on pay or benefits during the meeting; speakers indicated they expect the city to address the concerns in ongoing negotiations or through future agenda items.
