City workers that are members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 47 have voted to strike after reaching an impasse in negotiation with the City of Orange the have been ongoing since the spring of 2025. The workers are employed in the Maintenance & Crafts Division and the Water Divisions. A date for the start of the strike has not yet been announced by the union.
While the City of Orange is experiencing budget shortfalls, many of these workers are paid well below the rates paid by other Orange County cities, and have not received pay increases in years.
The City of Orange put out a press release late Thursday afternoon saying;
“Amidst ongoing budget constraints, the City of Orange has engaged in good-faith labor negotiations with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 47 since Spring 2025 and are currently at an impasse. IBEW Local 47 represents City employees in the Maintenance & Crafts and Water Divisions.
A recent proposal from the City to IBEW Local 47 was rejected, and IBEW Local 47 has announced its intention to strike on a date to be determined. In preparation, our City is making every possible effort to ensure that public services are maintained for the duration of the anticipated strike.
Services that may be impacted:
Should IBEW Local 47 strike, Orange residents and businesses may experience delayed or reduced service levels, including:
- Maintenance and repairs
- Response to time-sensitive issues
- Non-emergency field and administrative services, including parks maintenance
Police, fire, emergency response services, and the safety of the City’s drinking water systems will not be affected.
In anticipation of the intended strike, the City has prepared contingency plans to ensure service impacts, if any, are limited. In-house staffing resources will be deployed in a manner that focuses exclusively on front-line, essential services.
All service requests can continue to be made through the Orange 24/7 application and the City’s 24-hour water emergency repair line at (714) 538-1961.
The City will provide updates on its social media pages and website regarding news about this anticipated labor action and potential impacts to our residents.
“The City of Orange is committed to fair and productive negotiations and ensuring that essential services are maintained for our residents and businesses,” said Mayor Dan Slater. “The door remains open to further discussion and timely resolution. The employees represented by IBEW Local 47 perform critical work for our community, and the City respects our employees’ legal right to engage in protected labor activity.”
As negotiations are ongoing, the City cannot provide further comment on specific bargaining proposals at this time.”
