A judge granted the union representing Los Angeles Department of Water and Power employees a temporary restraining order Wednesday that prevents the agency from disclosing the workers' names and salaries.
The ruling followed Tuesday's disclosure of LADWP pay data that had been requested in February by the Los Angeles Times. The released data shows average employee pay, but the DWP's employee union sought the restraining order to keep information regarding individuals' salaries private.
The judge in Wednesday's proceedings allowed the union to ask each worker whether they "object" to a salary disclosure. A list of employees objecting to the disclosure must be presented at the next hearing, which the judge scheduled for May 21.
Public agencies routinely release salary information. Requests to keep such information private are usually associated with police officers for safety reasons.
The data obtained by the Times shows average LADWP employee pay increased 15 percent over the last five years to $101,000. Other city workers received an average raise of 9 percent during the same period, according to the Times' report.
DWP employee pay has become a key issue in the Los Angeles mayoral race between Councilmember Eric Garcetti and Controller Wendy Greuel, whose campaign has received about $1.5 million from the union.
