Workers Seek Respect, Equity, and a Voice on the Job to Advocate for Needs of City Residents; Urge City Leadership to Grant Voluntary Representation Recognition
McFarland, Calif. – City of McFarland workers joined the growing mobilization of essential workers across the state and country who see the power of coming together in a union by officially filing their intent to join SEIU Local 521 with the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). On September 21, 2022, PERB formally notified the City of McFarland that the Request for Recognition was sufficient to meet the requirements of PERB Regulation 61216(B). The City is required to respond within 15 calendar days.
The City workers’ newly organized union under SEIU Local 521 consists of nearly 40 workers from Maintenance, Administration, Public Safety, Animal Control, and Water Treatment, among others. The request for recognition filing comes after weeks of organizing efforts from workers to address workplace issues and concerns. Workers point to staff recruitment and retaining challenges and other unstable working conditions, including a lack of organizational transparency, rampant turnover, and consistent growth of managerial positions at the sacrifice of public-facing service positions.
City workers believe deeply in the promise of the City of McFarland to deliver adequate public services to the community. Thus, they are joining to form part of the SEIU Local 521 to ensure an equal voice, strong representation, and a seat at the decision-making table. Their work requires an environment that fosters genuine dialogue, transparency, and inclusivity.
“I’m joining my co-workers and forming a union at the City of McFarland because our community’s needs can be better met,” said Octavio Gonzalez, Waste Water Chief Plan Operator & Supervisor with the City of McFarland and SEIU Local 521 Organizing Committee Member. “We need to address the lack of transparency and employees deserve a voice on the job that impacts our work and the city services our residents depend on us for. We look forward to working with the City of McFarland to provide the best possible services for our community.”
“I’m proud to see workers like City of McFarland employees taking the initiative to improve their working conditions and the services they provide their city residents,” said Alicia Aleman, SEIU 521 Regional Vice President and Social Worker Member with the County of Kern. “Workers across the state and country are realizing that, now more than ever, they have always had the power to improve their working conditions and livelihood, it just takes courage, solidarity, and organizing in the workplace.”
Upon official certification by the California State Public Employment Relations Board (PERB), City of McFarland workers will officially join SEIU Local 521 and hope to begin the official collective bargaining process. With the addition to the union, City of McFarland workers will join other regional agencies represented by SEIU Local 521, such as the County of Kern, Kern County Hospital Authority/Kern Medical Center, the City of Bakersfield, Community Action Partnership – Kern, Kern Regional Center, among others.
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Service Employees International Union, Local 521 represents 53,000+ public- and nonprofit, private-sector workers in California’s Central Valley and the central Bay Area region. Under a Community First vision, we are committed to making sure the needs of our community, and the vital services we provide our community, come first. We believe our communities thrive when residents, leaders and workers recognize that we are all in this together when it comes to our safety, health, and well-being.
