Oakland city employees to strike for 2nd day over pay, labor practices

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Wednesday, December 6, 2017
This undated image shows SEIU workers striking.
This undated image shows SEIU workers striking.
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OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Several city buildings were closed and some city programs canceled Tuesday after at least 3,000 Oakland workers went on strike over pay and labor practices.

Officials said this strike did not impact emergency services.

The SEIU union says it hopes this strike will help the city realize how important these employees are to Oakland's daily life.

Tuesday's strike affected multiple city services.

Most city facilities were closed, along with Headstart, after school programs and recreation centers on Tuesday.

The city has cancelled all City Council Committee meetings for December 5.

Police and fire and 911 dispatchers will all be at work.

Programs and facilities that will be closed include:

Head Start and Early Head Start sites

Senior Centers

Public libraries

Recreation centers and programs, including after school programs

Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP): No case management services for frail seniors except for scheduled home visits

No brown bag food distribution

Civic Center buildings: City Hall, 150 and 250 Frank Ogawa Plaza:

Parking Citation Assistance Center closed

Housing Assistance Center closed

No sale of paratransit taxi/bus vouchers

No fire inspections

No Fire Department plan checking and permits

No building inspections

Business Tax License closed

Business Assistance Center closed

Planning & Building Permit Counter closed

Other services that will be unavailable include:

No parking enforcement

No street sweeping

No public restrooms at City facilities

No routine maintenance work

No abandoned auto detail

No crime or traffic reports

For towed vehicles, OPD will provide a vehicle release form at the Police Administration Building, 455 7th Street, 1st floor, Records window.

Oakland's animal shelter will provide limited services during the strike: The Oakland Animal Shelter (OAS) will be open during regular hours for owners looking to reclaim their lost animals and for members of the public who must bring in stray or surrendered animals.

Routine services such as adoptions and licensing will not occur.

Partner agencies will transfer animals from OAS' care so that they may be adopted through alternate channels.

Volunteers will assist management to care for the animals in the shelter.

Calls for emergency response on animal-related matters should be directed to OPD.

Calls for routine services including dead animal pickup, strays, and other non-emergency calls will be delayed for the duration of the strike.

Some services will remain available, including:

Pay a parking citation

Report and track non-emergency problems, such as graffiti, illegal dumping or potholes

Report non-emergency crimes

Renew a residential parking permit

Pay a delinquent garbage bill

Download agenda reports and legislative actions of the City Council

Register for a City of Oakland dog license

Register for Parks and Recreation activities and classes

Review the library's Online Catalog and web-based services