L.A. Mayor Garcetti Rejects Union's Salary Deal

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Thursday set the stage for a potentially messy confrontation with the City Council, saying he would refuse to sign a proposed salary deal with the politically potent union representing Department of Water and Power workers.

Local 18 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers ran a fierce campaign against Garcetti, whose main argument in the mayoral election in May was that he could be trusted to stand up for DWP ratepayers.

In a written statement, Garcetti said the union-endorsed contract proposal included cost savings that were worth pursuing. But he said he could not approve it "because it limits further DWP reforms, specifically to the department's costly and inefficient work rules."

"The voters of Los Angeles have been clear — they want fundamental DWP reform and so do I," Garcetti said.