Monterey County’s Bridge Maintenance Workers consistently go above and beyond their regular duties to ensure that county residents receive uninterrupted sanitation services. When management decided to stop their special assignment pay for performing extra sanitation work, SEIU 521 Steward Raul Carbajal Jr. knew he would need to file a grievance to protect his rights and the rights of his co-workers.
Raul’s union contract prohibits management from forcing employees to work out-of-class without extra pay. Labor law also prohibits unionized employers from adding new duties to job classifications without negotiating. In other words, management cannot just say sanitation work is now a regular part of a Bridge Maintenance Worker’s job just because they want to.
Being part of our union gives workers the right to be involved in decisions that affect our working conditions, and the right to challenge management when they break the rules.
Raul’s grievance was quickly resolved. Management agreed to retroactively reinstate the special assignment pay for the Bridge Maintenance Workers, and the department head expressed how much he appreciates the important services they provide to our community.
“We’re proud of the work we do for Monterey County, and we appreciate that management respects us enough to make sure we receive what we’re entitled to under our contract.”
– Raul Carbajal Jr., SEIU 521 Steward
Pictured (left to right): Bridge Maintenance Workers Juan Magdeleno and Raul Carbajal Jr. after the grievance meeting with management
