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Workers tell council lactation spaces are inadequate; ask Berkeley to adopt ordinance
Summary
Employees described being forced to pump in a converted closet at city offices and urged the council to adopt a lactation ordinance similar to San Francisco's as part of contract and ordinance action.
Multiple speakers described inadequate lactation accommodations in city facilities and urged the council to adopt a formal lactation ordinance.
"I was stuck in a closet lactating for, with 3 other women at the same time in a closet that was converted into a lactation space in 2180 Milvia," Amanda Montes, AFSCME Local 1 vice president, said. She urged the council to pursue an ordinance like San Francisco’s and to ensure retrofitting does not come out of worker COLA funds.
Another commenter, Jocelyn, tied the issue to council proclamations recognizing breastfeeding month and said the council should be held accountable to make the policy substantive. Union speakers said they withdrew parental-leave and lactation proposals from bargaining to demonstrate good faith, asking the council to adopt those protections by ordinance or otherwise support them in negotiations.
Council members heard the testimony during the special union comment period; no ordinance vote occurred at the meeting.
