Do you have a layoff notice?

County Workers Agree to No Pay Raise, 100+ Jobs Still Cut
The job cuts are coming even as SEIU Local 521 members of the Santa Clara County Chapter recently approved extending their contracts for another two years, with no wage increase.
Read the press release »


Standing Strong Together:



We received our layoff notices today. East Valley Public Health stood together in solidarity wearing pink to show support to those that received layoff notices and those that did not. Layoffs affect all workers. In a department as close as ours, where we have become more like family, these notices affected us all. Here's our picture. We could not catch everyone for this picture. Before we thought of it, the rest of the workers had gone out to do visits, to continue to do what we do best--to serve our community.
-- Velia Esquivel-Ferguson, East Valley Public Health


Follow this advice...

Try not to panic.
The county and the union have a good track record of finding vacancies or alternate opportunities for people whose jobs are deleted.
You may not have gotten the notice appropriately. The county may have miscalculated your seniority, or made some other mistake.
You might not be laid off because somebody more senior than you, who has the right to bump you, may choose a different option.


Do not buy a new car or purchase that flat screen TV.
You might actually be laid off, or you might have to take a vacancy in a lower pay rate so hold off for a while. Take the bus to work if you have a free bus pass.


Do not panic.
However, DO write down anything your supervisor or manager tells you about the layoff notice, the positions to be deleted or anything related to that. You may need to refer to it when you come to the meeting below. Bring your steward to any meeting you have about layoff notices.


Try not to panic.
Go get all your dental work, vision exam, etc. done now. If you are laid off, you will want to have these procedures completed before you go. You will have the right to pay for health insurance, but get these things done now. And you have sick leave available to keep these appointments now, so do it NOW.
Make sure you are signed up as a COPE member and have decided to donate some money each pay period to build the union's political activities. We will need money to convince the state legislature to find the money in the budget. Your steward or your internal organizer has an application for you.


Come to learn your rights and options!
The county and a team of union members are now meeting to work out the details of the implementation of the Layoff Article (Article 5 - legacy 715 contract, and Article 5 - legacy 535 contracts).
We will have all the details and be prepared to give you assistance, updates on the process and your rights at either of the following meetings:


Layoff Informational Meetings
All members with layoff notices and their stewards should attend.

Tuesday, June 9, 5:30-7:30pm

Wednesday, June 10, 1-3pm

SEIU Local 521 – 2302 Zanker Road, San Jose

Please bring your notice and know the number of years/months you worked in each classification you have held, either as permanent or probationary status, during your time with the county.
In the meantime, follow this advice.