Members have a powerful voice and when we speak up we can affect real change, not just in our workplaces but also in our community.
On January 10th, members spoke up at the Board of Supervisors meeting and advocated for a vital set of common good proposals aimed at lifting up ALL of Ventura County.
Download and share the flyer (PDF)
The county rejected these proposals at the bargaining table.
“HSA workers serve some of our most vulnerable populations – from children at risk – to families who need connections to vital services. By not doing more to incentivize affordable housing construction – Ventura County is putting its workforce at risk,” said Bruce Goldenson, Client Benefit Specialist III at the Human Services Agency (HSA).
We will continue to fight for these six important community proposals.
First, we must ensure that we have adequate translation services for all residents so that they can have equal access to services. The county needs to hire and train sufficient workers fluent in non-English languages such as Spanish, Tagalog and Mixteco among others.
Second, it’s critical that we continue to advocate for access to quality and timely healthcare services by budgeting properly to expand care to employees and additional residents who are now receiving care through the Ventura County Health Care Agency.
Third, we must support affordable housing and workforce housing so that new and current workers have a place to live and grow with their families.
Fourth, we must work to make Ventura County a Safe County for all residents where services are provided to the most vulnerable without fear of retaliation or discrimination.
Fifth, we also need protections against wage theft in our community. Ventura County is considered one of the wage theft capitals in America, with a workforce comprised of many undocumented and low-wage workers. In Ventura County, one in three low-wage workers do not earn the minimum wage due to wage theft.
Sixth, and finally, we must support environmental protections and investment in our community. This will help Ventura County create new jobs while still preserving its limited environmental resources and conserving Ventura County’s internationally renowned natural beauty.
These proposals will help lift up Ventura County and allow county workers and county residents to live and thrive in our community. We will continue to work with community allies and hope to partner with the county to make these important efforts happen.
The Board of Supervisors voted to approve the Memorandum of Agreement with SEIU 721 during that same board meeting. This was the second and final reading of the Memorandum of Agreement.