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

We’re excited to share that AFSCME-endorsed candidate Gabby Chavez-Lopez has emerged as the top vote-getter in the San Jose District 3 special election with over 2700 hundred votes, 700 more than her second place of the vote, Gabby has secured a commanding first-place finish and is advancing to the June 24th runoff election for this crucial city council seat.

Gabby’s campaign — powered by grassroots energy and community connection — beat back over $800,000 in political spending from PACs and special interests, many backing her opponents. Despite the flood of outside money, her message of equity, affordable housing, and accountable government resonated deeply with voters.

Her closest competitor? That’s still undecided. Just a few votes separate Mayor Mahan’s handpicked candidate Matthew Quevedo from Planning Commission Chair Anthony Tordillos — a razor-thin margin that may trigger a recount.

The stakes couldn’t be higher for city workers. The Dist….

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…

The City of San Jose has released its latest budget forecast, and while the projected shortfall has dropped from $60 million to $45.7 million, the threat of layoffs and service cuts is still very real.

Mayor Matt Mahan is pushing a false choice—he wants to permanently shift Measure E affordable housing dollars to fund his tiny home project, leaving essential services at risk. This is not the only option, and we must continue to apply pressure to stop cuts to jobs and city services.

What’s in the Five-Year Budget Forecast?

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…