The United Public Employees Union was out in force at the County Board of Supervisors meeting on April 27th, to show their strength and solidarity with each other in the face of stalled contract negotiations.
The county negotiator has apparently been consistently disrespectful and insulting to union members, and on top of his disrespectful behavior has only offered the county employees a 2% cost of living increase - which, in case you haven’t bought gas or groceries recently, is far below the actual rate of inflation. Union members also voiced a number of long-standing concerns about a lack of access to protective equipment throughout the pandemic, and a number of other issues in the contract that the county has offered.
Union members made it clear that they are ready and willing to go on strike if this dispute is not resolved, and they do not get a contract which includes fair wages. The Supervisors were warned very clearly that the next time the union has to come to one of these meetings, it will be as a striking union.
Hear some of these awesome UPE folx tell the Board, in no uncertain terms, that they have FAILED, utterly and completely.
Commentary: Part 1
Commentary: Part 2