Carlos Rivera, the spokesman for the SEIU Local 1021 -- which represents about half the workers in this city -- also said his colleagues would likely prefer furloughs to a reduced work-week, though union-circulated surveys are still trickling in.
The most important thing to Rivera, however, is that whatever happens come about as a result of negotiations -- or lawsuits will follow.
"The mayor has a contract with [the unions]. He can't pick out 15,000 [workers], fire them, change the provisions of the hours they work, and then dump them back in their existing contract," said Rivera. "That's considered breach of contract."
Actually, the mayor contends he can do this. Reading the papers, the mayor of Las Vegas decided to see if he could do it, too. (it would be funny -- not funny ha-ha -- if Newsom's fire-a-thon is one of the truly few methods of San Francisco governance that catches on elsewhere and serves as a national model).
Rivera confirmed that if the unions and mayor reach an impasse and Newsom decides to proceed as planned with the reduced-hour plan, they'll "absolutely" see him in court.
Looks like no one's bothered to furlough the lawyers.
Photo | Zazzle
