About 200 SEIU 721 members packed the County of Ventura Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, July 16, 2013. The members, clad in purple, told the Supervisors that after four years without a pay increase, it’s time for a raise.
SEIU 721 members in Ventura County are currently negotiating a new contract. Members are focused on three main priorities – increasing salaries, increasing flex payments and getting Veterans Day off as a holiday without any strings attached.
Members David Goldstein and Jill Makuaole, along with Tri-Counties Regional Director Rachel Flores, were among the speakers at Tuesday’s meeting.
“It’s time for us to catch up with cost of living increases, and our rising healthcare costs. Please re-invest in the County’s most valuable human resources–County workers.”
-David Goldstein, Environmental Resource Analyst, County of Ventura
“This contract is time for reasonable raises. We’ve all been patient, and worked hard to help the county through this rough time. But who is going to help us?”
-Jill Makuaole, Client Benefit Specialist, Human Services Agency, County of Ventura and CAT member
“We gave up 3% in pension contributions a few years ago with a commitment from the County to give raises when the economy improved. That day has come, and we are still hearing, ‘in a few more years.'”
-Rachel Flores, Tri-Counties Regional Director for SEIU Local 721
After the Board meeting, Tri-Counties Regional Director Rachel Flores and Executive Board member Shannon Abramovitch called all of the county Board of Supervisors. Members delivered a message over the phone: It’s time for a raise!
Rally on Wheels
The action at the Board of Supervisors meeting was the culmination of two weeks of Rally on Wheels events. More than 1,000 members stood up and participated in these events, from Ventura to Oxnard to Moorpark to Simi Valley.
The SEIU 721 Bargaining Committee will be back at the bargaining table this Thursday.
Related Article: Ventura County employees push for raises (Ventura County Star)
It was real exciting been there in the B.O.S Meeting on 7/16/13 , to see the sea of “Purple”.. the speeches from David, Jill and Our Regional Director Rachel havd me on the verge or “tears”.
Seeing the Unity of the Workers in coming out to show they are 100% behind the Chief Negotiator, the Bargaining Team and the CAT’S…. tell me Union Still Works!!!!!
keep up the Great Work Guys…..
Special thanks to Jesse Luna who have his camera out at All time,capturing those memorable moments.
This was a very exciting conclusion to the Rally on Wheels. Members have remarked to me that this sort of action has made them proud to be a member of SEIU. Members of other unions have said to me, “Now that is a Union”. I work at VCMC and the next day an administrator called me and another member aside and complemented us on a very professional presentation. She said we spoke well and there were a lot of smiling faces. (Did she expect something else?). Bottom line; we looked good and we sounded good. Our members are expressing a great deal of excitement and desire to work for a fair raise(and other things).