Striking union members crowd Shasta County supervisors meeting

Members of Shasta County’s largest bargaining unit showed up in force to Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. They packed the chamber wearing orange shirts while lobbying for the county to get back to the bargaining table.

The Laborer International Union of Northern California, UPEC 792, started a two-week strike Monday after months of talks and negotiations failed to reach an agreement.

The county has offered a 7% raise spread over three years — 2.5% the first two years and 2% the third year of the contract.

The union wants a one-year 15% increase.

UPEC members picketed in front of the county administration building on Court Street in downtown Redding before and during Tuesday’s meeting.

There are more than 800 members in the union who work for every department in the county.

“A big part of it for me is it’s a level of respect,” Scott Asnault, an eligibility worker, said before the meeting. “It’s a two-way street for me. I am more than happy to go over and above what is required but in return" I want a living wage, he said.

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Asnault, who has worked eight years for the county, said he and others are taking a financial hit by striking.

“But it’s worth the sacrifice to get a fair contract,” he said.

During the meeting, member after member told supervisors that a 7% raise over three years would not pay their bills and factoring in inflation and the increase in medical insurance costs, they would be losing money.

“Two- and-a-half percent is not enough. Please renegotiate,” a UPEC member said to supervisors. “You’re either helping us survive or you’re going to break up households.”

Some told supervisors that the county can’t retain employees because they refuse to pay them enough.

In an effort to break the negotiation stalemate, Jamie Butcher, a UPEC steward, requested that two supervisors meet with the union.

Supervisor Kevin Crye asked County Counsel James Ross about that proposal as the board was ready to vote on a resolution that would impose the terms and conditions of the county’s final offer presented to UPEC.

“I would ask what does it hurt for me to go into a meeting with another supervisor … to be able to go into this discussion,” Crye said.

Crye then made a motion to go into closed session to talk more about it. The motion passed unanimously and supervisors went into closed for about 45 minutes.

But they reported no action after returning and then voted 4-1 to pass the resolution imposing the terms of the county’s final offer.

After passing the resolution, Crye made a motion to discuss at a future meeting forming a committee of two supervisors to work with the union on a new contract. Supervisors voted 4-1 to do that.

In both votes, Supervisor Mary Rickert was the lone dissenter, reversing her position to give the UPEC 792 members a 7% raise. Rickert’s comments echoed other UPEC members who wondered why the county has so far spent more than $1.5 million to develop a system to hand count ballots, but can’t give them a more generous raise.

“I oppose this resolution. I find it impossible to not support our county employees when the county, the majority of this board, is squandering millions of dollars. This is a double standard and it’s time to figure it out and we need to provide stability to our most valued assets,” she said.

UPEC business manager Steve Allen said Tuesday’s meeting doesn’t change anything — they still don't have a contract and they are still on strike.

“I consider what they imposed today to be a down payment on an agreement we will still need, which could come tomorrow or next week,” Allen said after the meeting. “So, we are going to continue to pursue a negotiated settlement. We are not taking time off.”

David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly "Buzz on the Street" column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 1-530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Shasta County's largest union packs supervisors meeting