SAN DIEGO -- About 100 San Diego city employees who are members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union gathered in Mission Bay Park Saturday with a message for San Diego mayor Jerry Sanders. They say the mayor has gone back on a promise to make sure their health care coverage is protected.

In 2006, San Diegans voted to implement a process called managed competition. The city determines which jobs would be appropriate for outsourcing, then opens up a bidding process for the jobs between city employees and private companies. The union said at the time, the mayor promised to make private companies provide health insurance, but now they say he has backtracked. They’re calling on the city council to intervene to protect their health insurance coverage when they meet later this month.

But 10News also talked to a union critic who said the issue is more about union delaying tactics than health care coverage. Lani Lutar of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association said since voters passed the managed competition measure, the unions have been coming up with one excuse after another to delay its implementation. Lutar said it’s time for the city to put an end to the delaying strategy and get on with what voters decided. The city council is expected to take action on the issue at their October 27th meeting.