Workers Point to the County’s Illegal Tactics to Force an Unfair Contract that Would Mean 900+ Essential Workers are Left Earning Less Over the Life of the Contract
Kern County, Calif – On Friday, October 15, SEIU Local 521 Kern County members joined by Civil and Labor Rights Icon, Dolores Huerta and City of Delano Mayor Brian Solorio announced the results of a three week vote on the County’s Last, Best, and Final Offer following nearly 2 years of on going negotiations. SEIU 521 members voted overwhelmingly 91% to reject the County’s final offer and authorized the preparation for an Unfair Labor Practice strike.
Essential county workers have made their voices heard and 91% of members who voted have rejected the county’s final offer and have formally authorized our bargaining team to prepare for an unfair labor practice strike.
The county has committed numerous unfair labor practices in its efforts to force workers to accept a bad contract and today we are sharing the results of our members’ vote on the final offer. Our members knew that accepting this offer would mean closing the door to improve the lives of our workers and community. When you know that you are locked out of raises year after year, you start looking for other opportunities. That’s what has been happening in Kern County. The County’s Last, Best, and Final Offer would make the situation worse.
The offer is unacceptable, dangerous, and reckless on behalf of the Board of Supervisors
Tiffany Sagbohan, Probations Program Specialist and SEIU 521 Kern County Chapter Vice President.
Workers point to the county’s illegal tactics in their effort to force an unfair contract that would mean 900+ essential workers would be left behind while doing little to address the staffing and retention crisis.
Kern County Vacancies (according to data provided by the County):
- In Child Support it’s 3 in 10 positions.
- In Human Services it’s nearly 1 in 5 positions, including nearly 2 in 5 Office Services Assistant and 1 in 5 Human Services Technician III positions are vacant.
- In Behavioral Health it’s 1 in 5 positions.
- At the Public Defender Office, nearly 1 in 4 positions.
- In Animal Services nearly half the positions vacant!
- And in Public Health, they reported 1 in 3 positions are vacant.
According to the County Health Rankings published by the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute, out of all 58 counties in California, Kern County ranks 53rd for overall Health Outcomes.
Despite this, among the 16 largest counties in CA, Kern County ranks 12th for total share of general fund spending on Public Ways and Facilities, Health and Sanitation.
It’s up to the Board of Supervisors to intervene and direct their negotiators to bring forth a proposal that will not leave any one with less – and move every forward. We care deeply about the needs of our community, we showed this time and time again throughout the pandemic. We’ve always been told to do more with less, but the growing needs for care from residents across our county can no longer wait. The band-aid approach to covering up the bleeding of workers leaving
Alicia Aleman, Social Worker III and SEIU 521 Member
Members will officially begin preparation for an unfair labor practice strike starting with a Strike School event on Saturday, October 16.
