Port of Oakland
City of Oakland and port leaders are gearing up for a potential legal fight over a city proposal to end the port’s autonomy in establishing personnel rules for employees.
Port officials say the proposed amendment to city law violates Oakland’s charter and would add another layer of costly bureaucracy to port operations by making the port get approval from the city’s Civil Service Board before creating new job classifications.
The port needs flexibility to respond to market conditions to compete with other ports around the country,” Port of Oakland spokesman Isaac Kos-Read said. He wouldn’t speculate whether the port might sue the city if the council approves the amendment at its next meeting in May.
But leaders with SEIU, Local 1021 say the change is needed because the port has used its relative independence to skirt civil service rules written to protect employees and prevent favoritism.