Agreement Reached on Comparable-Worth Pay for S.F. Workers

SAN FRANCISCO —  An agreement to establish an $8.8-million comparable-worth pay plan for city employees has been worked out by unions and Mayor Dianne Feinstein.

John Molinari, president of the city Board of Supervisors, said he thinks the board will approve the plan.

If the comparable-worth agreement reached Tuesday is approved by the supervisors, San Francisco will join a small group of California cities that have adopted plans aimed at increasing wages of women and minorities in traditionally low-paying jobs.

In Los Angeles, the City Council last May approved an agreement to bring the salaries of 3,900 women and minorities in lower-paying city jobs up to the level of jobs traditionally held by Anglo men.

The San Francisco plan will give 7,000 of the city’s 26,000 workers about $1,300 more during the fiscal year that begins July 1, labor leaders said.

Future comparable-worth pay would be negotiated through collective bargaining.

Last year, the board adopted a comparable-worth plan that would have given $28 million worth of raises to city workers in jobs traditionally held by women and minorities. But Feinstein vetoed the plan, saying she supported the concept but was worried about a likely budget deficit.

When her veto was overridden, she ordered a ballot proposal on the issue and won the support of the electorate by a 3-1 margin.

Tuesday’s agreement also includes proposed reforms of the city’s Civil Service rules and a collective bargaining provision that makes the mayor the city’s key negotiator on wage and benefits issues.