A Message From Your President

Dear Mighty 3090, 

I want to take a moment to personally thank each and every one of you who called, emailed, and met with City Council members and engaged with the Budget and Finance Committee during this critical budget season. 

Due to your efforts, we’ve already achieved something significant: together, we’ve helped save 1,000 city jobs from being cut in this year’s proposed budget. That’s a powerful testament to what solidarity and collective action can do. 

But let me be clear—our work is far from over. One job lost is one too many. 

Where we are… 

Yesterday, the City Council voted to support the Budget and Finance Committee’s recommended changes to the Mayor’s proposed 2025/2026 budget. It was through our members’ work with the Committee that we were able to save 1,000 city jobs from being cut. However, the current budget, which will go back to the Mayor for review and consideration, still reflects the elimination of approximately 600 jobs. We’ve made it clear to City leadership that this is not acceptable, and throughout the rest of the budget process and the months to follow we will continue to push for real solutions that protect all our jobs. 

One important item to note is as the City was looking at options to offset the deficit, its initial request was for all workers to forego their COLAs. We said NO!. We’ve held the line on protecting the hard fought and well deserved cost-of-living adjustments in our contract and will continue to do so. That means you will receive your next 4% COLA increase on June 30, as negotiated. 

What’s next… 

While the budget must be finalized by June 30, it’s important to understand that that does not mark the end to our fight. Any proposed layoffs outlined in the final budget would need to be discussed with us and would not take effect until the fall. That gives us a critical window to keep advocating, keep organizing, and keep fighting to protect every job. As the budget process continues, we’ll be working with the City Council, Mayor Bass, and the CLA’s office to ensure no new cuts are introduced and that solutions to protect all jobs are explored. 

Stay engaged… 

As new details emerge we will continue to keep you informed. A virtual meeting will be scheduled soon to walk through the final budget and discuss next steps. Please stay tuned. 

This fight is not just about numbers on a spreadsheet. This is about our members – the people who keep Los Angeles running. It’s about dignity, fairness, and standing up for each other. 

Together, we’ve already made an impact. Now let’s make sure every job is protected. 

In Solidarity, 

Larry Gates
President 
AFSCME Local 3090