Pasadena

The Board of City Directors has voted to use a state mediator in an attempt to resolve deadlocked contract negotiations between the city and the 250-member Pasadena Assn. of Clerical and Technical Employees. The sides are stymied over how to distribute wage increases recently approved by the board to bring women’s salaries up to those of men doing comparable work.

The union’s members, who are predominantly women, have been working without a contract since July 7. In deciding to use mediation, city directors also called for written confidential reports from the mediator and union representatives at the close of negotiations. If a mediator is unsuccessful in resolving the conflict, the board will hear the matter.