Thousands of you joined our kick off with thousands of members outside of the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration (WATCH VIDEO), inspiring a call to raise ALL of L.A. County! Our bargaining is now well underway and we’re ensuring that we negotiate for wins that both our members and the communities they serve can be proud of.
You see, we’re not only negotiating for the betterment of our members, but also on the behalf of the many communities throughout L.A. County that depend on our hard work and the services our members provide.
On the compensation front, we’ve rejected the 7% salary increase over the next 2 years, which the County proposed. Coming off the heels of County workers sacrificing wage hikes for the last 5 years, we’re calling on the County to deliver a better proposal for 721 members. The County’s current proposal will do very little to alleviate the high cost of living for 721 members– a 7% salary increase will not cut it.
If the County wants to be the “employer of choice,” then it needs to provide competitive wages to retain its quality workforce that so many in our communities depend on. The Community is tired of the endless lines at County facilities, and workers are also tired of the insane workload and not being able to provide services in a timely manner for every person that walks through County doors. They’re trying the best they can, and the County’s compensation offer does very little to alleviate the situation.
“SEIU members made sacrifices during the recession. Now that the County’s financial condition has improved, we need to catch up. The County’s salary proposal doesn’t cut it,” says Linda Dent, SEIU 721 Bargaining Policy Chair
In addition to equitable salary increases, SEIU’s bargaining committee is calling for many other improvements, including:
- Respect and value experience with longevity
pay - Increase staffing to meet the community needs
- Update pay for Differentials and Weekend
Work - Create a pathway to permanency for
temporary County workers - Expand public transit subsidies for SEIU
721 RideShare participants - Bring contracted out jobs back into the
County - Recognize Cesar Chavez as a new County
Holiday
With the City of Los Angeles making history this month in adopting a $15/hr minimum wage policy, it’s time for the County to also get with the program, and we’ve made this a priority for a contract. We’re seeking a $15 minimum wage for SEIU 721 County workers, contract workers and workers in unincorporated L.A. County.
On April 15 we didn’t mince our words, we are bargaining to lift up ALL of LA County and we will not take no for an answer! Stay tune for more updates.