Parking has become a very difficult subject at negotiations. SHN has never provided any benefit for parking. Our San Jose employers who present at CPA have provided parking. Our employers at the War Memorial Opera House – San Francisco Opera and Ballet – have provided parking in the past, but city policies and redevelopment are seriously limiting the ability of these employers to provide it. While San Jose is a very car-oriented city, much like Los Angeles, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors has set policies to discourage driving by limiting the availability of parking and is considering closing sections of Market Street to car traffic in an effort to increase use of public transit. The Supervisors have also limited the number of parking spaces in newly constructed buildings in the Hayes Valley neighborhood. City employees no longer have access to the parking they used in the past either.

We have had access to city controlled parking lots in the neighborhood of the Opera House, but one of those lots is scheduled to begin development this fall. As a result, the Opera will not have access to enough parking spaces for the staff and crew; in fact they have already stopped subsidizing parking fees for staff. The Ballet situation is similar as the parking spaces they have provided in the past were leased from the Opera. Both the Union and Employers realize that public transit is not always an option and that security is a major concern – particularly for BART riders. We are doing everything we can at negotiations, but parking cannot be the only item on the table. The employers cannot afford to pay for parking at market rates; they’ve also pointed out that very few urban employers ever provide parking – getting to work is the responsibility of the employees.

We have found out that there is a consortium of interested parties addressing the issue with the Board of Supervisors, and Local 784 plans on participating. Look for information in future newsletters and EBlasts to find out how you can help.