The City Council adopted the salary ordinance in an 8-0 vote this afternoon, despite the protests of the blue-collar union, which is seeking to restart labor talks and has asked council members to delay the adoption.
Stuart Swett of the City Attorney’s Office told council members that the charter required the council to adopt the ordinance today.
The ordinance codifies the labor contracts agreed to or imposed on the five city unions, as well as cuts to the compensation of unrepresented employees and newly approved positions.
Attorneys said the decision doesn’t prohibit a settlement of the labor complaint that the blue-collar union filed against the city, but the union had pushed hard for a delay, holding a vigil at City Hall to convince council members to postpone the vote.
Council President Ben Hueso said the city’s dire financial situation required the council to pass the ordinance, noting that the state is likely to raid city coffers if its ballot measures don’t pass May 19.