Oakland city union warns of a strike if city council does not approve pay raises, other demands

Oakland Recap provides summaries of public meeting proceedings that catch our attention. In this installment, we review the comments made by members of city union International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Local 21 at this morning’s city council special budget meeting.

‘I stood in a photo with you before I knocked doors for Measure E.’

City Council special budget meeting, June 1, 2026.

This morning, representatives from Oakland public employee union IFPTE Local 21 demanded that the city deliver promised pay raises, abandon proposed benefit changes, fill vacant positions (around 25 percent of IFPTE-represented positions are vacant), and extend work-from-home policies.

The union members also demanded that the city convert sworn police positions to ‘civilianized’ roles that would be filled by IFPTE union members.

Over a series of comments, IFPTE union members reminded the city council of their union’s support for Measure E.

IFPTE has donated over $120,000 to the Yes on E campaign, and its members have assisted with campaign rallies and door-to-door canvassing efforts.

“Mayor Lee, council member Wang, council member Ramachandran, I stood in a photo with you before I knocked doors for Measure E on Saturday. Will you stand in actual solidarity with us now, with your workforce?

“To the other council members who have received support, endorsement from the city's unions, will you stand in solidarity with us? Your actions are what matter now.”

— Elliot Goodrich, city transportation engineer and IFPTE Local 21 member, June 1, 2026

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“Labor organizations have worked really hard to help elect many of the people sitting around in this room.”