After months of negotiations, the City of Milpitas has struck a new labor agreement with over 150 City employees, including administrative and maintenance workers.
The Milpitas Employee Association (MEA) and the Milpitas Professional and Technical Group (ProTech) are the two labor groups representing the workers. Gains were made in terms of compensation, namely:
- 4% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in the first year
- 4% COLA in the second year
- Updated/added longevity pay for years of service (10 years: 1% on top of base pay; 15 years: 2% on top of base pay; and 20 years: 3% on top of base pay)
At the close of the negotiations, City Manager Ned Thomas said in a statement, “I am pleased with the successful outcome of our negotiations under the direction of our City Council. I commend the dedicated efforts of our negotiation teams for their hard work in finding common ground. This agreement reflects our shared commitment to fostering a positive working environment and upholding the values of fairness and equity within our City organization.”
ProTech President and Associate Planner Avery Stark stated, “This achievement reaffirms our belief in the power of collective bargaining to create positive change.”
About 35 percent of the City’s workforce will benefit from the new agreement.
According to the previous article, the contracts expired on June 30, 2023. https://milpitasbeat.com/milpitas-city-employees-consider-going-on-strike-during-contract-negotiation-deadlock/
That was over 8 months ago! And there was bargaining going on for months before then. Since this article makes no reference to the length of the new contract, it seems to be only 2 years long. Perhaps the City Council should start negotiations now for the next contract so they are ready before this one ends, and not drag things out as they did this time.
What is the status of the contract negotiation between the City and Milpitas Police union (MPOA)? Were there any claw-backs? Any police reforms and more transparencies after several officers of Milpitas Police Department’s torture, denial of medical attention while illegally detaining a young, law abiding, Milpitas resident, minority woman several years ago? And also the accusation of several police officers particularly Mattison Harlan Madnick, Vivian Nguyen, and Maung Thiha Zaw, Melissa Pizzo Medeiros, Max Fontes of: provocation to get new arrests reasons; frame up attempts; corruption and cover up; violation of civil rights; falsification of official documents; false arrest, and other police misconducts.