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Long Beach
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Labor negotiations with city employee unions

Long Beach

Summary

The city is negotiating contracts with nearly all of its employee bargaining groups, from SEIU Local 721 to engineers and city attorneys. Any deal on pay and benefits will eventually come back to the council — and affect the city budget — in public.

At a glance

Total mentions
13
Last 30 days
3

Rising — discussed at 4 meetings since Sep 9, 2026, up from 2 in the two months before.

Impact analysis

💰Financial impact

Labor agreements resulting from these talks will shape future city payroll and benefit costs.

✅Who benefits

City employees covered by the negotiated agreements.

⚠️Who could be affected

Underpaid city engineers and other workers face retention pressure; services suffer from vacancies.

Mentions & discussions (13)

MeetingOct 20, 2026

City Council Special Meeting - Closed Session - Oct 20, 2026

The city is bargaining with several employee unions, including SEIU Local 721 and IBEW Local 47. The outcomes affect pay, benefits, and city services.

MeetingOct 20, 2026

City Council - Oct 20, 2026

Refuse operators say their contract expired September 30 after ten months of bargaining, and engineering employees cite a 21% vacancy rate and pay 87% below market. Both asked the council to push for fair offers.

MeetingOct 6, 2026approved

City Council - Oct 6, 2026

The council adopted a three-year labor deal with the electrical workers union covering 2026-2029.

MeetingSep 22, 2026

City Council Special Meeting - Closed Session - Sep 22, 2026

The council met privately to discuss contract negotiations with the city's employee unions, including SEIU Local 721, IBEW Local 47, and several smaller associations. These talks shape employee pay, benefits, and the city's ongoing personnel costs. Any deal reached would come back for a public vote later.

MeetingSep 9, 2026

Civil Service Employee Rights and Appeals Commission - Special Meeting - Sep 9, 2026

The IAM union argued it can't bargain meaningfully without the names of impacted employees, which HR will only release after the layoff order is approved. Union reps said the process has caused chaos and panic among members.

MeetingAug 4, 2026

City Council Special Meeting - Closed Session - Aug 4, 2026

The council is negotiating contracts with nearly all of the city's employee unions, including police and fire. These deals drive a big chunk of the city budget — salaries, benefits, and staffing levels — and any agreement will come back for a public vote later.

MeetingJul 21, 2026

City Council Special Meeting - Closed Session - Jul 21, 2026

The Council met privately to discuss contract negotiations with the city's major employee unions, including SEIU Local 721 and IBEW 47. These deals shape city payroll, staffing, and services residents rely on.

MeetingJun 16, 2026

City Council - Jun 16, 2026

The city's vacancy rate improved from 22% to 16.5%, but engineering employees are 21% vacant with 87% of classifications below market, and unions pressed the council on compensation ahead of budget negotiations.

MeetingMar 19, 2026

Utilities Commission - Finance Committee - Mar 19, 2026

The department is running about 16% vacancies — roughly 80 of 500 positions — and bargaining season has begun with the IAM unit. New state laws (AB 2561, AB 339) add reporting and notice requirements, and the cost of new labor contracts won't be known before the budget is finalized.

MeetingMar 3, 2026

City Council Special Meeting - Closed Session - Mar 3, 2026

The city is negotiating contracts with nearly all of its employee bargaining groups, from SEIU Local 721 to engineers and city attorneys. Any deal on pay and benefits will eventually come back to the council — and affect the city budget — in public.

MeetingMar 3, 2026

City Council - Mar 3, 2026

Union representatives representing 3,700 city workers — dispatchers, nurses, librarians, detention officers — urged fair bargaining as negotiations began the next day, pushing back against placing an $80 million deficit on workers' backs.

MeetingJan 20, 2026

City Council Special Meeting - Closed Session - Jan 20, 2026

The council discussed ongoing contract negotiations with the city's employee bargaining units, from SEIU Local 721 to engineers and city attorneys. What gets agreed affects pay, benefits, and ultimately the city budget.

MeetingJan 6, 2026

City Council Special Meeting - Closed Session - Jan 6, 2026

The council met privately to discuss contract negotiations with the union representing city workers. What's agreed here could shape employee pay, benefits, and the city's budget down the line.

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