Fresno County wanted to cut our annual leave cap down. Our SEIU 521 Bargaining Team stood strong. With our strength and unity, and with the facts on our side, we got the county’s negotiators to back down.
That’s one bad proposal down. We’re still working.
Thursday’s bargaining session was the first with three new bargaining team members from Unit 12. Our new members are:
- Marie Cortez, office assistant at Child Support
- Barigye McCoy, account clerk at Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector
- Heidi Perez, office assistant at Department of Social Services
The bargaining team also got a briefing from our union’s professional research staff. After looking through the Fresno County budget in detail, we know:
- Fresno County has been accumulating monetary reserves year after year since 2008.
- Each year, Fresno County has budgeted more money than it has spent.
- The county’s budget document is not transparent, even by normal government standards.
Only by being part of a strong union can we use resources like a budget analyst. That’s why Fresno County members are better off sticking together as part of SEIU 521!
“I believe in fairness, equality and democracy for all people. I know what we do today creates the path of our future.” – Barigye McCoy, bargaining team member from Unit 12
