San Diego City Attorney Mike Aguirre wants you to see what happens as the city negotiates new contracts with five public employee unions. The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that he'll ask the City Council next week to open the negotiations to public view. KPBS reporter Alan Ray has more. Historically, contract negotiations have been held in private, with negotiators periodically apprising the Council of developments – also in private.
Terms of contracts are usually only made public after a agreement is reached, or a "last best offer" has been made and imposed.
Aguirre wants the negotiations to be carried on the city's public access TV channel on a trial basis.
Mayor Jerry Sanders' office says he opposes making negotiations public. The general manager of the Municipal Employees Union says Aguirre is just looking for another way to discredit unions, with whom he's fighting in court over pensions.
The city has recently begun negotiations with unions for police, firefighters and deputy city attorneys.
Alan Ray, KPBS News.
