County workers picket based on lack of contract

Tulare County’s disgruntled employees gathered today at multiple locations across the county to discuss the importance of public services to the community and to voice their concern over the lack of a contract between the county and its employees.

The contract expired on June 30.

“Tulare County continues to negotiate a contract with its 2,700 employees,” Sam Shaw, communication specialist for Service Employee International Union-Local 521, said. “These employees have been working without a contract for more than a month.”

County spokesman Eric Coyne was not available for comment early tonight. Dist. 5 Supervisor Mike Ennis was also not available for comment later in the evening.

Shaw said the bargaining team continues to work on proposals.

“They’re not really agreeing on anything,” Shaw said. “It takes a long time. One week a proposal is offered, the next week a counter proposal is offered. I can’t say they are any closer than they were a month ago.”

In the meantime, employees from the Visalia Health Center, Dinuba District Office, and the Hyde Complex on Demaree Street in Visalia took part in informational picket during the morning hours.

In Porterville, about 40 employees were counted picketing outside the Porterville Government Plaza on Henderson Avenue this evening. Sue Madaus, an organizer with SEIU, estimated that about 100 people would show up throughout the course of the protest.

“We’re here to show what the county would look like if we weren’t here,” she said. “Tulare County loses good people every year to higher paying counties.”

Terry Anderson, a self-sufficiency counselor with the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency, agreed.

“We’re picketing to show the community the kind of services we provide — we’re here to create awareness,” he said. “We’ve been in negotiations for another contract for over three months. We need better health coverage and wage increases. Some county employees pay high amounts for their family’s health insurance, and they can’t afford it — not with the cost of living right now with gas and food prices going up.”

Affordable health insurance was one of the main concerns among picketers.

“Health care is unaffordable for workers. Some county workers even need government assistance for health care,” Andrea Paul, a legal office assistant for Child Support Services, said. “Our wages are also incomparable with other counties. Turnover is high. People will train here but move to other counties because the pay is better elsewhere.”

While the goal of the protest was to raise awareness, the future for workers and their contracts is still uncertain.

“I’m not sure what the next step will be — that’s up to the employees,” Shaw said. “They’ve been waiting — and working. They will have to take another vote to see what happens next. I think they’re all thinking there’s still some hope and they will come to an agreement.”

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