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RIVERSIDE -- Why is Riverside County steadily increasing the number of temporary employees it hires to provide ongoing County services? And why is it that one in every nine Riverside County employees receives no employer-provided health coverage or paid sick leave?
At a packed town hall meeting in Riverside's Fairmont Park on Feb. 9, at the American Legion Post, a panel of prominent community leaders gathered to hear testimony from a group of Riverside County Temporary Assignment Program (TAP) who are coming together to have a voice at work.
Panelists included:
- Woodie Rucker-Hughes, NAACP, Riverside Chapter
- James Dudley, Congressman Joe Baca’s office
- Christopher Sandoval, Hispanic Lifestyle Magazine
- Linda Wright, Moreno Valley Chamber of Commerce
- Paul Rasso, Moreno Valley Democratic Club
- Frank Schiavone, Riverside City Councilman
- Linda Wright, Moreno Valley Black Chamber of Commerce
- Melissa Mazariegos, Amnesty International
- Bill Hedrick, Norco-Corona Unified School District Board Member and Candidate for Congress, 44th District
- Rita Ramirez-Dean, Congressional Candidate (D), 41th District
Five Riverside County employees -- four of whom are considered “temporary,” despite working full-time -- spoke about their experiences. Each shared thoughts about how they can make real improvements to their work conditions and the services they provide by joining together to have a voice at work with SEIU 721.
"I believe that everybody deserves to have a voice at work to ensure that they are treated with respect," said Tammika Kelly, an office assistant. "Just because we are TAP workers doesn’t mean that we don’t go through life’s struggles like anyone else."
A strong showing of support
Panelists listened carefully to the temporary workers, and each panelist signed a placard in a show of support after the testimony concluded.
In addition to dozens of County temporary workers, many representatives from University of California, Riverside student groups were in attendance, including Latinic Societas Unitas, GIVE, Omega Zeta Chi, Social Environmental Political Action Group, and the Native American Students Association.
Riverside NAACP President Woody Rucker-Hughes said she felt “heavily disappointed that the County was treating workers in such a manner. I am disgusted to hear this now, because I used to encourage people to seek employment with the County via the temporary worker program.”
When the Temporary Assignment Program (TAP) was originally created in 1998, one in 56 County jobs was a TAP job. Today, one in eight County jobs is a TAP job.
TAP workers receive no earned time off or sick leave, health care, and they are paid 5.5% percent less than permanent employees.
For more information about how Riverside County TAP employees are joining together to have a voice at work, contact Jessica Lopez at 951-686-7372.
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Facts about the Riverside County Temporary Assignment Program
When the TAP program was originally created in 1998, one in 56 County jobs was a TAP job. Today, one in eight County jobs is a TAP job.
Of these employees:
- 76% are women
- 62% are African American or Latino
- 76% work 40 hours/week or more
- 85% do the exact same work as permanent employees
- 87% would prefer to be permanent employees
- Two-thirds do not have any health insurance, not even through a spouse
"We love Riverside County, and we want the best quality services for a secure Riverside County. That’s why we’re joining together to have a voice at work."
Barbara Webb
Certified Nursing Assistant,
Riverside County Regional Medical Center
TAP Employee since 2006
To watch videos from the event, click on the links below:
Renee Hendrix, Medical Unit Clerk
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