In a massive victory against a hostile employer, the Riverside County Superior Court ruled on three major issues:
1. There can be no imposition of the “last, best and final” offer until the outstanding unfair labor practice charges against the County are resolved.
2. The County must also reinstate and make whole any nurses who were terminated in retaliation for striking and the County must cease any ongoing or future investigations into nurses who went on strike.
3. The County is required to act at the bargaining table in good faith.
This is an unprecedented legal ruling that puts the brakes on the County’s plan to ruthlessly impose an unacceptable contract for the foreseeable future.
Until the 21 outstanding ULPs are ruled on, SEIU 721 members will continue to operate under our previous MOU.
We don’t know how long it will take to rule on the remaining ULPs, but it will likely go well into the summer and possibly into the fall. Initial hearings are scheduled for August.
This victory is only possible because our members refused to back down when the County tried to crush us. Their anti-worker antics and lawbreaking might have succeeded if we didn’t use our union voice to say, “No!” and file the necessary ULP charges against their union busting.
Make no mistake; only our strong union of more than 95,000 members has the legal muscle to stand up to the County’s bullying – and not just stand up, stand up and win!
At a time like this, after the Supreme Court and a bunch of billionaires robbed us of our rights, we need as much strength as we can muster.
In the new anti-worker, “Right to Work” for less world, opting out is opting for imposition.
Through our strong union, not only do Riverside County 721 members have a strong legal advocate in their corner, but so do the people of Riverside who rely on the vital public services that our members provide and that this odious “last, best and final” offer threatens.
Hopefully, this decision will inspire the Board of Supervisors to abandon its previous bad behavior, return to the bargaining table and work out a deal that raises up all of Riverside County.
If they don’t, the two new board members being elected in November better be ready to, because SEIU 721 power isn’t going anywhere.
Remember, we are the union and wins like this only happen if we stand united! Recommit to your union today.