Hayward Workers Could Strike Next Week

City workers in Hayward could go out on strike next week.

If a contract deal is not reached this weekend, the workers could call a strike as early as Tuesday.

The city declared an impasse at the bargaining table last month.

Hayward's assistant city manager Kelly McAdoo said the current contingency plan if a strike is called will keep essential services open, including the library.

SEIU Local No. 2021 represents 280 full time workers and about 100 part-time workers. People in the union hold jobs at the library and the water treatment plant. They also do street maintenance and are members of the city hall administration staff.

"We’ve been going back and forth since February. We’ve been without a contract since April now," library assistant Amber Bell said.

"They want us to give up another 5 percent and they’re just not willing to negotiate on that and it’s incredibly frustrating," library assistant Linda Masuko added.

"Throughout the process the city has been willing to sit down and talk with SEIU and entertain any proposal that is reasonable and meets the city’s financial needs. We have an ongoing structural deficit that we are trying to close," McAdoo said.

The two sides had a meeting last Wednesday, but didn't get anywhere. Each side told NBC Bay Area that they are willing to get back to the table, but it doesn't appear likely.

Contact Us