Today, we commemorate Juneteenth—the day in 1865 when the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas learned of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth is a celebration of Black liberation and a sobering reminder that justice delayed is justice denied.

For labor, Juneteenth calls us to reflect on our shared struggle. The labor movement and the civil rights movement are deeply

On Wednesday, April 17th—the union officially filed a grievance against the City of San José in response to its plan to force hybrid employees back into the office four days a week starting June 2, 2025, without negotiating with us.

🔗 Click here to read the full grievance we filed.

Let’s be clear: this is a political move, not a policy based on what's good for workers—or even the City's operations.

What’s Really Going On?

This push isn’t about productivity. It’s about appeasing downtown business interests.

Mayor Matt Mahan, under pressure from the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, wants the City of San José to set an example for private employers by forcing employees back into the office. Their goal? Boost foot traffic downtown so restaurants and service businesses get more lunchtime customers.

But sacrificing your flexibility, well-being, and work-life balance to try and save the sandwich shops on Santa Clara Street? That’s a ridiculous strategy.

The City's Own Policy Says Otherwise

Let’s not forget what the City’s own Flexible Workplace Policy—originally adopted in 2015 and last updated in November 2023—was created for

Thanks to your collective action, it looks like we’ve done the impossible — beat back City Hall’s proposed layoffs. While the City hasn’t finalized the budget yet, the latest update from City Manager Jennifer Maguire suggests that very few, if any, layoffs are expected — and that even those affected are likely to be placed into vacant positions.

Let’s take a moment to celebrate this. Your emails, your rally signs, your creative budget-saving ideas, your solidarity — it all worked. This was our campaign, and your voice made the difference. You showed up, and it mattered.

But let’s also be clear: this fight isn’t over.

The City is already sounding the alarm about next year’s budget. While the current shortfall was…

We are in a critical fight to protect jobs and public services in San Jose. The City’s $60 million budget shortfall threatens not only vacant positions but active employees and the vital services our community relies on. We have only weeks to ensure this budget does not include layoffs or additional cuts to City services.

What MEF-AFSCME Local 101 Is Doing to Fight Back

We are working in coalition with IFPTE Local 21 and Firefighters Union Local 230, which has been actively working to prevent layoffs and find responsible budget solutions:

✅ Regular Meetings with the Mayor’s Office – We’ve established direct discussions with the Mayor and his budget team to push for alternatives to layoffs.
✅ Exposing Flawed Cost-Saving Measures – The City administration has unilaterally and, in violation of our MOA, cut hours for some employees in a rushed attempt to save money. We are fighting back using the grievance and arbitration procedures and filing charges with the State Public Employees Relations Board (PERB).
✅ Identifying Real Savings – We have already identified millions in potential savings the City could use, including:

• $10 million in savings from hiring freezes and expenditure cuts (which came at the cost of our members being forced to do more with less).

• Millions in encumbrances within City contracts that could be freed up if properly accounted for.

✅ Pushing for Smarter Budget Choices – We are calling on the City to:

• Tap into the $61M Budget Stabilization Reserve

• Use the $14M Salaries and Benefits Reserve

• Increase the assumed vacancy rate from 2% to 5% – This simple adjustment would fully resolve the City’s budget crisis and put San Jose in a stronger position to hire and retain staff.

Here is What We Need From You…

The City of San Jose is facing a critical budget shortfall, and layoffs of active staff are on the table. You may have seen City Manager Jennifer Maguire’s January 30th email confirming that the City is implementing cost control measures to address an alleged $60 million General Fund shortfall. This includes exploring the possibility of cutting occupied positions, not just vacant ones.

As public service workers, we know firsthand that when staffing levels are reduced, our community suffers. Poor staffing leads to longer wait times, delayed services, and reduced support for the families who rely on us every day. That’s why, as a first step, we’re calling on you to sign the pledge to protect public services and fight against layoffs.

➡️ [Sign the Pledge Here] https://tinyurl.com/sanjose4us

By signing the pledge, you commit to:

We want to share an important update with you regarding the City of San Jose’s 2025-2026 budget planning process. Based on the City's own analysis, the coming fiscal year presents significant financial challenges, and we understand the Mayor and City Council are exploring various measures to address a budget shortfall.

Unfortunately, we’ve received direct confirmation from the Mayor and the City Manager’s Office that layoffs of existing staff are being considered—not just unfilled vacancies. These layoffs would affect real people with real families who depend on their jobs to make ends meet.

This is unacceptable, and we want to assure you that MEF is drawing a line in the sand on layoffs of active staff. We are committed to doing everything in our power to prevent these devastating cuts and Defend San Jose from more cuts to City services.

While the City claims to be out of options, we strongly believe there are significant savings that should be utilized before even considering layoffs, including:

• Vacancy Savings: The City is already sitting on tens of millions of dollars in unspent funds due to unfilled positions.

• Salaries and Benefits Reserve Savings: Over $14 million remains in these reserves.

• Special Pet Projects: Council-approved projects that are non-essential and could be deferred or eliminated.

• Inflated Executive Salaries: Positions in Unit 99 and Executive Leadership receive disproportionately high salaries, which could be adjusted to ease budget pressures.

Layoffs of active staff are a choice, not a necessity. MEF will stand firmly against any decision that threatens the livelihood of our members while leaving other cost-saving measures untouched.

We need your support in the coming weeks as we fight to protect your jobs and push the City to explore more responsible and equitable solutions. Please stay tuned for updates and opportunities to get involved in our efforts to push back on these harmful proposals. Our Union isn’t backing down