City Unions Slam Mayor Lurie's Budget: "This is the budget Airbnb wants."
The Californer/10315431

SAN FRANCISCO, May 30, 2025 ~ San Francisco, CA- City unions are speaking out against Mayor Lurie's budget proposal, which includes significant layoffs of city workers. In a joint statement, IFPTE Local 21, SEIU Local 1021, and the SF Building Trades denounced the cuts and called for a budget that prioritizes protecting public jobs and essential services.

According to Rudy Gonzalez, Secretary-Treasurer of the San Francisco Building & Construction Trades Council, these layoffs are completely unnecessary. He believes that there are alternative ways to find funds and save jobs while upholding the values of San Francisco.

In response to the proposed cuts, San Francisco city workers gathered outside City Hall in a rally to protect public services. Theresa Rutherford, President of SEIU 1021 and an employee at Laguna Honda Hospital for over 20 years, expressed disappointment in the mayor's decision to cut crucial services instead of working with city workers on a mutually beneficial solution.

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Union leaders are pointing to big tech tax avoidance as the root cause of the budget deficit. They argue that corporations like Airbnb are actively avoiding paying their fair share in taxes and that this is ultimately impacting public services. In fact, Airbnb is currently suing the city for tax breaks totaling $415 million, which is more than half of the projected deficit.

Sarah Perez, Vice President for IFPTE Local 21 and a San Francisco city employee herself, believes that this budget is exactly what Airbnb wants. She argues that none of these job cuts should even be on the table but that the mayor has prioritized tax breaks for corporations over public services.

Furthermore, union leaders are concerned about the potential consequences of cutting public jobs. They believe that this could lead to important work being handed over to for-profit companies at an increased cost and with potential corruption.

IFPTE Local 21, SEIU Local 1021, and SF Building Trades represent tens of thousands of city workers across all departments. In the coming weeks, these unions and their community allies plan to mobilize and demand that the proposed layoffs be reversed. They are determined to protect public jobs and essential services for the benefit of all San Franciscans.

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