After a record-breaking week-long membership vote, workers hold the Board of Supervisors accountable for the growing staffing crisis and vow to strike over Unfair Labor Practices when necessary.
Bakersfield, Calif – Alicia Aleman, Kern County Social Worker, and SEIU 521 Kern County Chapter President released the following statement:
“The resounding 82% rejection of the County’s Last & Best Offer confirms what frontline workers have expressed through public actions and hearings for months – the Kern County Board of Supervisors is personally responsible for ongoing delays, inadequate services and care, failure to protect vulnerable residents, and the staffing crisis caused by difficulties in recruitment and retention.
The facts are clear: for five years, county revenues have exceeded expenditures by over $1.1 billion, yet vital services remain short-staffed and underfunded. Claims that the County “cannot afford” to invest in workers and public services misrepresent the truth or show ignorance of county finances.
We are preparing to take whatever action is necessary to ensure our Kern County community has the resources to thrive, including going on strike when we determine the time is right.
Our union remains ready to return to the negotiation table to reach an agreement, if and when the County is ready to revise its position.”
No further comment will be provided at this time.
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Service Employees International Union, Local 521 represents more than 10,000 public- and private-sector workers across Kern County. 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.