Published on August 17th 2011
Employees of Amador County currently in bargaining with county officials over layoffs and furloughs expressed anger today that the Board of Supervisors voted to lay off 17 workers in the middle of bargaining over protecting jobs and public services.
The County laid off the workers after refusing to consider numerous concessions to prevent layoffs presented by SEIU Local 1021, which represents county employees. The union has been bargaining with the County for seven months.
Local 1021 brought a budget analyst to negotiations who did not agree with the County’s position that there is no money. The County has not provided sufficient documentation to prove there is a need for layoffs or $1.6 million in concessions from workers. Instead, county administrators say workers should “take our word for it” that they’ve already made all the budget cuts they can.
“This is outrageous,” said Jenny Hayes, president of the Amador County chapter of Local 1021. “Workers have submitted several proposals to save the County money, none of which the County wants to discuss. When you lay off workers in the middle of bargaining over those very layoffs, it’s hard to see that as anything but bad faith.”
The two sides are continuing to negotiate and will meet again on Thursday, August 18, at 2:00 pm.
