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Councilmember Cook Kallio said that one of the things asked of the Council at its last meeting <br /> was to support workers in their quest to return to work. She said that a lockout, particularly when <br /> no strike was eminent, is profound and that workers would like to return to the negotiating table. <br /> Councilmember Sullivan said one can judge a community by the way it treats its least powerful <br /> members. He said this sort of issue does not often arise in Pleasanton and it is an opportunity <br /> for the Council to do the right thing. He said he has met with workers and the union, has walked <br /> their picket line, and can say that all they wish to do is return to work and be able to negotiate in <br /> good faith. He said it warms his heart to see so many come out and speak in support of this <br /> resolution, particularly those not directly affected by the lockout. <br /> Vice -Mayor Thorne voiced disappointment that the other side was not represented in public <br /> comments or in the staff report. <br /> Mayor Hosterman said she met with the Club's general manager and others, making it clear that <br /> the item would be heard at tonight's meeting and inviting them to attend and share their <br /> position. <br /> Councilmember Cook Kallio said she made three calls to the General Manager, none of which <br /> have been returned. She makes no judgment on what the General Manager would say at the <br /> negotiating table but reiterated that the problem cannot be resolved if no one is willing to talk <br /> about it. <br /> Vice -Mayor Thorne said he did not disagree with the need to resume negotiations but that <br /> asking management to end the lockout seems to be taking sides. He said a lockout is a <br /> management strategy like a strike is a labor strategy and questioned if the Council would take <br /> the same sort of action if this were a worker initiated strike. He is not comfortable, as a public <br /> entity, with insisting that the Club end the lockout or with the comments stating that, the matter <br /> has cast Pleasanton in a poor light, which he does not necessarily believe to be true. He <br /> sincerely desires for both parties to resume negotiating in good faith and that, if the two <br /> statements identified were to be removed, he could support the resolution. <br /> Mayor Hosterman said the proposed language is a fair assessment of the current situation and <br /> that it appropriately and strongly encourages management to invite the workers back to the <br /> table and back to work. She requested suggestions from the Council or staff on how to bifurcate <br /> the issue so that Vice -Mayor Thorne may vote in support of the general action but not <br /> necessarily the language of the resolution. <br /> Councilmember Sullivan said he could support eliminating the comments regarding how this <br /> reflects on Pleasanton because while he believed it to be true, it may not be that important. He <br /> said it is crucial to leave the wording requesting an end to the lockout because good faith <br /> negotiations cannot occur in such an imbalanced situation. He is happy to take sides in the <br /> matter and in fact has, but he does not believe that is what this resolution accomplishes. <br /> Vice -Mayor Thorne said he might side with the laborers, both as an individual and a member of <br /> CCOP, but that he is not comfortable doing so as a public entity by demanding that <br /> management take a certain action. <br /> City Council Minutes Page 7 of 22 April 6, 2010 <br />