CITY GOVERNMENT ENGINEERS WARN OF ROLLING STRIKES.

Byline: RICK ORLOV Staff Writer

Tension mounted Wednesday between Los Angeles city officials and a key municipal union, which threatened rotating targeted strikes if its contract demands aren't met.

The Engineers and Architects Association is seeking parity with Department of Water and Power workers, whose five-year contract gives them pay raises of 3.25 percent and escalator clauses to cover inflation.

However, the city's offer to EAA's 8,400 workers has been lower, and a fact-finding report by Frank Silver, an appointed arbitrator, upheld the lower offer, noting that wage parity is a long-standing issue for the EAA and other city unions.

The pay disparity arises because the Department of Water and Power bases its pay scale on those of private utilities.

``The city has recognized the pay-equity problems, but sees it as insolvable due to the costs of the DWP salary and benefits package,'' Silver said.

While Silver said he also could not find a solution to the problem, his report drew tough talk from the union.

``The city has wanted to play hardball. Well, they better be ready to catch some heat as well as throw it,'' EAA Business Manager Robert Aquino said. ``And, when this happens, the taxpayers will have the city to blame for refusing to negotiate with us.''

Aquino said he believes his members, in voting that will conclude Tuesday, will reject what city officials' negotiators have called a best, last and final offer.

The offer includes some language covering work rules but keeps pay raises at zero for the first year, 2 percent the second year and 2.25 percent the third year.

``From what I'm hearing, about 80 percent of our members are voting against the contract,'' Aquino said.

The EAA had broken with other units that accepted the original contract negotiated in 2001, when city and state governments were facing severe financial problems.

Aquino said his members have already authorized a strike and he is developing plans for one that would hit targeted city departments.

``We will strike Building and Safety for a couple of days, then at the airport, and then at the police stations,'' Aquino said. ``We want to show that our members are doing the same important work as other city employees, and we should be treated with the same respect.''

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com

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