City Council Morning Session, OCT. 6, 2026

San Jose City Council morning session, October 6, 2026: The council heard public comment from city employees represented by multiple unions during ongoing labor negotiations. Speakers described rising housing and fuel costs, pay they said was not competitive with nearby employers, staffing losses, and concerns about service quality and institutional knowledge. Several said members had voted to authorize a strike and asked the council to support a fair contract. One speaker cited an average public works employee salary of $128,000, compared with a county low-income threshold of $111,700 and a stated $158,000 benchmark for a comfortable living in San Jose; other speakers cited a 7.5% rent increase and gas prices above $6 per gallon.

The mayor acknowledged employees’ role in delivering city services and said the city sought a fair contract while avoiding future layoffs or service cuts amid rising costs and constrained revenues. The council then adjourned to closed session to continue the discussion. No vote, contract settlement, or procurement action is recorded in the transcript; no procurement activity was identified.