05/28/2026
Tuesday’s vote resulted in the city moving forward with changes that impact workers’ collective bargaining rights.
In administrative comments following Tuesday’s vote, the mayor questioned why supporters from outside the city spoke out, and throughout this conversation, certain council members have criticized city workers for not turning out in larger numbers themselves.
But participation is not measured by who can make it to a microphone on a Tuesday night.
Public meetings are not equally accessible to everyone. Workers have jobs, families, caregiving responsibilities, transportation barriers, and legitimate fears about speaking publicly against their employer. Showing up takes courage. Not showing up does not mean someone does not care deeply about their rights, their livelihood, or their coworkers.
And when workers and supporters do come out in large numbers, they are often dismissed as repetitive or disruptive simply for standing together and delivering a united message.
The truth is this: people should not have to prove they deserve rights by performing participation in exactly the way elected officials prefer.
Collective bargaining rights matter whether one person speaks or one hundred do.
Solidarity means supporting workers even when they cannot be in the room themselves. It means friends, family, neighbors, union members, and community allies standing beside them and using their voices too. That support is real, meaningful, and powerful.
No one would be mobilizing like this if workers’ rights were not under attack in the first place.
This fight is not over. Look out for the upcoming petition and stay engaged as workers and supporters continue organizing for accountability and collective bargaining rights.
