Posted by KMJ News Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, 9:36 am
Even before the Fresno County Board of Supervisors showed up at the Hall of Records Tuesday morning, dozens of county workers showed up with picket signs.
Day two of the three-day strike was focused solely on having a strong and united presence inside the supervisor’s regularly scheduled meeting.
Kevin Smith with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) tells KMJ News they want the board to “see and hear them” and their reasons for taking such action.
More than 1,000 union members walked off the job Monday in exchange for the picket line because they say the county acted in “bad faith” when they imposed a 9% pay cut while the union was still voting on the offer.
Supervisors disagree saying they called an impasse when it appeared those negotiations would not go any further, following six months of talks.
Both sides are slated to appear Thursday before the Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) in Sacramento.
Last week, the SEIU filed an injunction with PERB against the county citing “unfair labor practices”.
Smith believes Thursday’s meeting may force both sides back to the negotiation table, which would be a ‘win’ for protesters who have said that was the whole point of the strike.
