Kern County Sign Contract

We got a fair contract for all members!

After many meetings and changes in contract language to make the official agreement match what members voted on Sept. 6-8, our Bargaining Team and County Administrators signed the 2007-2010 MOU on October 17, 2007.

The agreement will now go before the Board of Supervisors for enactment on October 23. If the BOS approves the contract, employees will see their pay raise beginning on their November 6 paycheck and accrued retroactive pay will be included in the paycheck of November 20, 2007.

Local 521 Bargaining Team members and County administrators after signing the MOU October 17.

Front row: Dutch Kooren, Supervisory; Chuck Waide, Local 521; Bill Douglas, Kern County/Management; Bob Jefferson, Trades, Craft & Labor

Back row: John Louden, Administrative; Tom Lindsay, Technical; Arlene Ramos-Aninion, Clerical; Susan Wells, Kern County/Management; John Redfeairn, Professional.

 
September 8, 2007 – BAKERSFIELD, CA – Approximately 79 percent of voting members of the SEIU Local 521 Kern County Chapter voted to approve a contract with the County that includes one-time equity pay increases of up to 39 percent or a 12 percent increase over three years for those job classifications not receiving equity increases.

The agreement also states that members will receive 2007 increases retroactive to July 7, the start of the first pay period following expiration of the last contract, and the County will contribute up to 12 percent of the employee’s base salary to a 457k retirement plan. This will be combined with a reduced defined-benefit pension plan.

The vote came just two weeks after Local 521 members rejected the County’s “last, best and final” offer and authorized the to call a strike.

With the help of a Federal mediator, the Bargaining Team and County were able to come up with an agreement that our members overwhelmingly support,” says , a member of the Bargaining Team representing Clerical workers. “Our Union can now build on this success to ensure that we never again have to accept a 2 percent pay increase for four years of work.

Member voting took place over three days, including roving ballot boxes that traveled to Delano , Shafter, Taft, Frazier Park, Lamont, Tehachapi, Mojave, Ridgecrest and Lake Isabella .

We have been very impressed with member turnout over these three votes, says Chuck Waide , Local 521 Regional Director and Chief Negotiator, referring to the strike sanction, strike and ratification votes. Our members are more active than ever, and this contract shows what members can do when they are united.

Read the full agreement >>