Press Release
Fresno Supervisors will hurt local economy
$50 million in purchasing power at stake as BOS puts ideology over economy
The workers of Fresno County will detail how the Fresno County Board of Supervisors will hurt the local economy by turning away tens of millions of dollars.
The workers will speak at a press conference at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 3, at the SEIU Local 521 office, 5228 E. Pine Ave.
In negotiations, the board is demanding more than $50 million in concessions from its employees. The bulk of that money comes from the state and federal sources, so it won’t save Fresno County taxpayers anything — it will just send the money back to Washington and Sacramento to be spent elsewhere.
The result will be $50 million less spent in our local economy — the equivalent of losing 1,000 good jobs.
And it will cost more, as Fresno County workers become eligible for the same safety net benefits they administer. Hundreds of workers will line up to apply for benefits from their own co-workers.
But while the Board of Supervisors demands workers give up 20 percent of their pay, it won’t even reduce a tax break for agribusiness that would have brought in $3 million a year.
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The Service Employees International Union is an organization of 2.1 million members united by the belief in the dignity and worth of workers and the services they provide. SEIU is dedicated to improving the lives of workers and their families and creating a more just and humane society. For more information, visit www.seiu521.org
