The working families of Riverside County are fed up with the conduct of the County’s outside attorney, Zappia Law Firm.
Today, we officially filed a motion for sanctions in Riverside Superior Court charging the County and Zappia Law Firm with misleading the court by omitting key information during the injunction hearing prior to our ULP strike. Because of these actions by the County and Zappia, county workers were denied their right to strike.
At the beginning of September, Riverside County workers went on a ULP strike because of a refusal to address unsafe working conditions and bad faith bargaining. The County and Zappia filed an injunction to stop workers from striking – claiming the County could not find replacements. In reality, the County had signed a contract to obtain replacement workers a week before the injunction hearing.
Enough is enough! We have a legally protected right to strike to voice our concerns. As our employer, the County should respect that right and listen to our voice. As the front line workers who selflessly serve our county every day, we know that a good working relationship with our employer makes the entire community stronger. Zappia clearly does not care about that relationship and the continued employment of this firm jeopardizes the future of our county.
This morning, a delegation of workers presented the Board of Supervisors with courtesy copies of our brief at their offices.
Meanwhile, at RUHS Hospital, workers used their break time to call supervisors Washington and Tavaglione to tell them to “Fire Zappia.”
We demand that the County immediately end its contract with Zappia Law Firm and return to the negotiating table with counsel who will bargain in good faith.