Members of a coalition of unions that represent more than 20,000 Los Angeles city employees announced Tuesday that they had overwhelmingly voted to back a proposed contract with the city.
Union officials said they had boosted pay, foisted off several key concessions sought by the city and secured a commitment to hire thousands of workers to help restore city services battered during the downturn.
As a result of that hiring, “the services that the residents of this city expect to get will start to be provided at the level that they deserve,” said Bob Schoonover, president of Service Employees International Union Local 721.