Will the Riverside County Board of Supervisors Finally Side with Frontline Workers on a Fair Contract?

In case you missed it, an independent Fact Finder appointed by the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) asserted through fact finding what we’ve known all along — Riverside County’s frontline workers deserve more than the “regressive” last, best and final offer presented by the County. 

In a surprise to nobody, the fact finding report recommends across the board raises for frontline workers, along with the elimination of most takeaways (see final fact finding report).

There is no doubt that the County’s playbook has always been to give the illusion of carrying out bona fide negotiations, even when their agenda from the jumpstart was to forcibly impose a contract on SEIU Local 721 members, just like they were quickly able to do to the Sheriffs’ Association. When these one-sided contract negotiations began in 2016, the County came in determined to ram through over 380 proposed changes, but failed to do so because of your relentlessness in fighting back.

Despite our union shield warding off a contract imposition, this contract fight is nearing its closing chapter. After 18 months of frontline workers continuing to deliver quality County services without a fair contract in place, the Riverside County Supervisors will soon have their say on an unjust contract imposition. Will Supervisors Chuck Washington, John Tavaglione, Marion Ashley, and Kevin Jeffries with frontline workers for once and for all, and vote NO on an unjust contract imposition, or will they turn their backs on workers and the County’s critical services?

That’s why we’re taking our fight to Raise Up Riverside County once again directly to the County Supervisors.  They cannot justify dropping a whopping $41 million on foreign based KPMG while shortchanging frontline workers and critical services. We will hold them accountable at the ballot box if this is the route they choose to take.

There are three open board seats on this year’s ballot. One is currently held by Manny Perez, the only supervisor who has consistently stood up for Riverside County employees. The other two are waiting to be filled by politicians who will actually put the good of Riverside County’s working families first. That’s why now more than ever it’s critical we continue to fight!

Join us in making our stand at the Board of Supervisors on May 8th to urge them to side with workers once and for all, and remind them this is a vote we won’t forget this election season.