By Marc Benjamin
The Fresno Bee
FRESNO, Calif. — A raise negotiated by Fresno County supervisors for its largest union was rejected after voting came to a close Thursday afternoon.
The Service Employees International Union, whose six units represent about 4,500 of the county’s 7,100 employees, opposed the plan to raise their salaries by 2% in three weeks and another 3% in August.
The vote was an “overwhelming no,” said Riley Talford, a senior shop steward for SEIU’s supervisory employees. He did not disclose the final results.
He said the vote showed that the county has to do “a better job and show respect to the employees who are serving this county.”
The voting occurred over the past three weeks.
“We will regroup and come together to find the best path forward,” Talford said. “The offer was just unacceptable from the county.”
Talford emphasized that SEIU’s rejection of the contract “was not a vote to strike.”
The vote’s outcome dashed the hopes of Andreas Borgeas, the board of supervisors chairman, who hoped the contract signaled a new, improved relationship with employees.
“It’s disappointing SEIU’s membership rejected the county’s fair proposal,” he said. “We would have been able to settle long-standing legal disputes, achieve labor peace and progress toward majority restoration of what had been lost during the recession. Fresno County took a productive step forward and SEIU stood still.”
Three years ago, the SEIU units and other county workers took a 9% pay cut — some took larger cuts — as the county was dealing with large budget deficits caused by the recession.
The union filed a complaint with the state’s Public Employment Relations Board. Fresno County Prosecutors’ Association also filed a PERB complaint and won about $2 million in back pay and 7% interest. The county is appealing that decision.
County supervisors and union officials estimate that the cost of a similar ruling in favor of SEIU would cost $100 million. Much of that money is paid by the state and federal government for services county workers provide, but the county would still be on the hook for an estimated $30 million, said Supervisor Henry R. Perea.
Under the terms of the agreement rejected Thursday, SEIU had to withdraw its state employment board complaints.
In the meantime, the union may soon have to fend off a decertification effort being led by a jail correctional officer.
Eulalio Gomez, who has worked 24 years for the county, said SEIU is not responsive to its members and financially backs a political agenda that not all members endorse.
The 840 members of the Fresno Public Safety Association includes correctional officers in the jail and juvenile justice center, as well as child support officers, security officers and program technicians. This would be third time that Gomez has attempted to separate his group from the SEIU local.
Gomez said he doesn’t think it’s the union’s place to play a role in Democratic Party political support, diversity festivities and immigration with union members’ money.
“We think unions should be involved with wages and benefits and the rest of it should be done at home,” said Gomez, who is politically an independent. “If you want to celebrate your personal background, you’re free to celebrate it at home.”
Now that the county’s offer has been rejected, Gomez will be able to move the decertification process forward. If a contract was approved, the window would have closed until the end of the contract term.
If he can get more than 50% of his membership to sign up to decertify SEIU then no election is required. If only 30% support decertification, an election would be triggered.