EAA UNION OPPOSES EXTENDED TERMS FOR CITY COUNCIL.

Byline: KERRY CAVANAUGH Staff Writer

Adding money and manpower to opposition efforts, a city labor union pledged Thursday to help defeat a measure on the November ballot that would give City Council members an extra term in office.

The vote this week by the board of the Engineers and Architects Association comes as the union representing 7,400 municipal employees battles the City Council and mayor for higher wages.

``This proposition and the secretive process that brought it about are the best examples of the lack of transparency in city government,'' EAA Executive Director Robert G. Aquino said in a statement.

``And all unions should be wary of supporting these issues for the restrictions it will place on their ability to represent their members' interests before City Council.''

The ethics reform portion of Proposition R could require union representatives to register as lobbyists.

But the EAA may be the only city union to oppose Proposition R. So far, three of the city's most influential unions have indicated that they support the term limit/ethics reform measure. The Police Protective League contributed $25,000 and the United Firefighters Local 112 contributed $7,500 to the Yes on Prop. R campaign.

The Service Employees International Union Local 347, which represents more than 10,000 city workers, endorsed Proposition R last week.

SEIU Local 347 Business Manager Julie Butcher said union leaders felt the lack of consistency on the City Council -- with two, four-year terms -- doesn't promote good government. The EAA, however, has had a more contentious relationship with the City Council in recent months. Workers went on a two-day strike in August to protest a salary package.

Prior to the walkout, the City Council voted to end the stalemate with EAA and impose a four-year contract that had no raise the first year and raises totaling 6.25 percent over the next three years. That's less than Department of Water and Power workers received last year, but comparable to contracts finalized by other civilian unions.

Organizers of the Not PropR campaign committee said they are happy to have EAA support.

kerry.cavanaugh(at)dailynews.com

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