Early Policy Development for the City of Berkeley
Written documents of the very earliest efforts at lobbying for a domestic partners for the City of Berkeley do not exist. In late 1979 and early 1980, Brougham met with various Berkeley City Council members and labor union representatives.
On February 22, 1980, Brougham contacted by letter the City's Human Rights Commission.
On February 25, 1980, Brougham filled a grievance with the City of Berkeley over their rejection of his application to enroll Warren for health benefits. During this period Brougham had been pressing the issue with some Berkeley City Council members and with his union representatives. His goal then was to get both sides to include the issue in contract negotiation then taking place.
The City rejected the grievance as inappropriate for the grievance process. The suggestion in the City's letter that he contact his union to see if they wished to discuss it during meet and confer sessions was disingenuous -- the City had just quashed the issue in negotiations and the union had not pressed the matter. Brougham's response was that the City's non-discrimination ordinance should limit what the union contract could be and how City staff should interprete it.