ELECTION16 | Starting in 2013, the Hayward City Council waged a war over wages and ultimately imposed a five percent wage cut on more than 300 city employees represented by SEIU Local 1021. Following the council’s decision in February 2014, Chris Daly, the very outspoken former San Francisco supervisor then employed by SEIU, rose from his seat and menacingly, but without a word, pointed at each council member.

When asked later about the histrionics, Daly said, “I wanted to make sure these councilmembers running in the election know they declared an act of war.” He then added, “I will make it my mission that none of them ever receive a labor endorsement, and, ultimately, I want to see each one of them out of office.”

The self-described Heart of the Bay is actually the epicenter of a conflict that might become common place in the East Bay as the region slowly sheds its deep blue political shading. The union’s big chance to follow up on the threat comes next June.

Hayward’s at-large election features four of the council’s seven seats up for grabs. Three of the four incumbents voted for the wage imposition and another candidate, Mark Salinas, voted for the wage cut while serving on the council. He is seeking a return the council after giving up his seat in 2014 to run an ill-fated campaign for mayor.

Incumbents Al Mendall and Greg Jones may be the strongest bets for re-election. A tier below is Elisa Marquez, who was appointed to the now-mayor’s former seat. Meanwhile, Francisco Zermeno has served two terms, but has historically had to dig deep to eek out wins. He will need to fight hard again for re-election next June.

Hayward school trustee John Taylor could be a wildcard as could Rocky Fernandez, who narrowly lost out on one of two council seats in 2014. Fernandez, and another candidate, was the beneficiary of more than $100,000 in independent expenditures from SEIU last year and the outlay clearly spooked the council.

Last month, they approved new campaign finance rules seen as a move to potentially portray the union as an outside forced attempting to influence Hayward politics. The council’s move could also backfire since no other city in the East Bay has a larger number of union households than Hayward.


  1. Barbara Halliday is an embarrassment. They should have sent Fran David to China instead and then left her there. Hayward would be better off without the two of them mucking up things and raising taxes on the working poor.


  2. Welcome to Hayward, Welcome Home ….Punk ass bitches! How about that slogan on irreverent street signs in Hayward. Maybe banners Downtown along The Loop which is the convoluted gateway to our fine City.


  3. Frannie is the ring mistress and current Council are the clowns. Time to give them the boot because they can't think for themselves and they don't seem to care about the community either. They are all talk and some of them are not even good at that. Barbara Halliday is a prime example with her annoying cackles and assorted gutteral noises.


  4. Just watched the city council on TV and that idiot Hayward mayor Halliday. She is retarded.
    Here is the Medicated Hayward

    I just like that medicated in hayward pledge you guys are so hilarious here. Not sure what the hoopla here is about. Why not just fire that Dobbs guy, I do not know of anyone of that responsibility that would use that kind of language in behavior and still keep his job. Maybe is because he is black and that is why the Naacp has come in.
    Does anyone know if somebody has recorded this anywhere?

    Here it is…

    I am Stan Dobbs a Hayward Superintendent and proud to make 250K a year, for what? I don’t know, since I am not qualified, have no education credentials and my resume is all bullshit.

    I pledge to join the 1000's of other ghetto bullies in Hayward on their pathway to keep their job and harass people.

    I will be incompetent, and ignorant, cowardly and unaccountable with plenty of excuses for my behavior.

    I pledge not to become proficient when any work is required no matter how simple it is.

    I will find and use medical doctors to prescribe me simple procedures that I can exaggerate to everyone as life and death.

    I will apply excuses for my bully behavior from doctor’s notes and insincere apology letters written by 4th graders.

    I will follow these corrupt values in my pursuit to keep my job at all costs including lying to the community, NAACP, and churches to help save my job.

    I am a medicated in Hayward superintendent and plan to have my way no matter how incompetent and violent I am.

    hehhehe… this is better than the sunday cartoons


  5. at 10:43 John Taylor? Stan Data Dobbs?
    What?? Why do we we want Dumb and Dumber these two are idiots that can't read budgets and lied on their resume. All they have going is that they like to have their picture taken. Fran is all about $$ not pictures. Fran does not speak ebonics.


  6. Those no good do nothings will get re-elected and continue to do nothing for the city and its residents. Hayward will never get out of the rut that it is in. Dirty politics and lazy politicians who smile and glad hand the populous instead of finding new ways to generate revenue for the city, they raise taxes because its an easy way to make money. Instead of firing a drunk driving overpaid Fire Chief, they spend thousands of dollars to investigate and wind up letting him keep his job. Shame on them for not putting a stop to that. Screw the safety of the public, as long as they all get to keep their precious seats on Council.


  7. Haven't you heard that Hayward City Council supports Labor and unions? Just not certain union factions of City Workers. Good Old Marv was a proud member of SEIU. He even walked a picket line with Josie Camacho so candy workers could get a fair contract. What a mighty good man! Yes, the are all pro union whenever they want to get relected.


  8. John Taylor? Stan Data Dobbs would be a better choice if he lives in Hayward. I'd pay to watch Stan battle Fran every Tuesday night, more revenue for Hayward so they don't go broke. Is Farias going to run again?


  9. What about Firefighters Local 1909 & the HPOA influencing Hayward politics? They donate money to Council incumbent's and have the manpower distribute flyers for their candidates of choice. The same old guard who constantly vote to raise our taxes. Jones is bought and paid for by fire & police. Shame on SEIU for trying to compete with the big union boys. Therefore, I predict that the same lame ducks will get to keep their seats on City Council because no one really seems to care. Salinas will lose because he is all talk and for once, people will see through his bullshit. The cops will get a 100 million dollar eco friendly green police station, great contracts and the taxpayers will empty what is left in their pockets. Bigger raises for Fran David and her cronies too as a reward for keeping Hayward down on the ground.


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