Riverside County Declares Impasse

Statement from SEIU 721 President Bob Schoonover on Riverside County’s Declaration of Impasse

“It’s not surprising that the County has made it their objective to stay on the low road. The County has broken labor law after labor law throughout this process – racking up 19 violations since negotiations began.

Riverside County’s premature declaration of impasse certifies that they’ve never had a sincere interest in negotiating in good faith with their frontline workers.

In one year of negotiations, the County has given employees and taxpayers the runaround by ignoring repeated information requests on their multi-million dollar financial dealings with Wells Fargo, and their usage of federal and state dollars. Among the County’s countless low points is the harassment and surveillance of employees who spoke out about the unsafe working conditions at County medical facilities and the illegal yanking of a critical safety proposal.

Riverside County officials have shown a blatant disregard for labor laws, and frontline workers and residents deserve better. SEIU Local 721 represented County employees remain undeterred in their commitment to move forward with their September 6th Unfair Labor Practice strike, and will not stop fighting until the County ends its illegal campaign against its frontline workers.”