Oakland unions protest pending budget cuts to police, fire services

OAKLAND, Calif. - City workers in Oakland on Monday will hold a protest against proposed budget cuts, especially to police, fire and public safety departments. 

A coalition of unions—including IAFF Local 55, IFPTE Local 21, SEIU Local 1021, and IBEW Local 1245—are demanding "immediate action" to protect essential city services in the wake of a $93-million shortfall projected in the city's latest revenue and expenditures report. 

For example, the unions point out that a $34-million cut is being proposed from fire services.

Meanwhile, Sam Singer, who is representing the Oakland police union, sent out an early morning email showing that an earlier version of a financial report indicated Oakland was facing bankruptcy, but the latest version was wiped clean of this language. 

"The City of Oakland is being dishonest," Huy Nguyen, president of the Oakland Police Officers Association, said in a statement. "The city first publishes that it’s heading toward bankruptcy and may have to declare a fiscal emergency, but then alters and removes that very language online to sanitize the true state of Oakland’s fiscal mismanagement. There should be an investigation into how and who made these changes."

 The police union has been demanding the city hire a financial expert since early 2024, and according to the union, has been "rebuffed."

KTVU reached out to the city and the mayor's office for comment, but did not immediately hear back on Monday. 

The City Council will meet on Tuesday to review its finances.