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SEIU Local 535 Dragon--Voice of  the Union-- American Federation of Nurses & Social Services Unioin

San Diego Wins

July-August 2001

One usually follows the other. First San Diego County workers won agency shop. Then they got the big contract. Local 535 members took a giant step toward building a strong chapter when they overwhelmingly approved agency shop by a 73% margin. They then put the final touches on a five-year contract that gives workers 21% wage increases, including 8% in the first year.

The victories follow a spirited chapter organizing campaign that doubled union membership and brought the union’s “Everybody Wins” message to the workplace and the street, culminating in a block-long march from San Diego Civic Center, down Pacific Coast Highway, to the County Administration Center for a rally and cookout. In another first, the union also coordinated actions with sister SEIU Local 2028, which represents other San Diego County employees. Together, the two locals represent over 10,000 county workers.

Ranked Near Last

Going into negotiations, San Diego County ranked near the last among California counties of comparable size in terms of employee compensation, yet is among the highest in employee caseloads and cost of living.

Under the agency shop agreement all workers represented by the union become either members or fee payers. Fee payers pay a service fee for representation and contract negotiation. “Agency shop strengthens the union and we expect it will achieve better wages and working conditions,” adds Stewart Kocivar, senior field representative. “We can then deliver a contract that improves the livelihood of all workers and their families, which is long overdue.”
“The campaign was wonderful and energizing,” declares Brian Polejes, protective services worker and chapter vice president. “This victory is a big first step. It unifies our chapter and give us more political power. Our next step: raising San Diego County worker wages to levels that equal other urban areas in the state and electing a pro-worker board of supervisors.”

Caseload Language

Along with significant wage improvements and the ability to renegotiate key issues in years four and five, the contract provides domestic partner coverage, increases employer health benefit contributions, significantly improves the retirement package, includes first-ever binding arbitration for grievances, adds Cesar Chavez birthday as a holiday, and provides first-ever contract language to standardize caseloads.

“It’s one of the best contracts we have ever had,” declares chapter president Julie Mayfield.

“Other counties have agency shop, a board they can work with, and better wages and benefits. In the coming years we need to build our political clout to elect worker-friendly members to the board. After all, as public employees, we can elect our bosses and defeat them as well. We love what we do and want to do a good job for the county. But in order for us to do our jobs, we need to be supported and paid a decent wage.”

The chapter was assisted in the campaign by 535 staff and union members from other California counties. “We are truly grateful for the help we received, and the visibility it gave our chapter,” adds Mayfield.”It made a big difference. The stickers, t-shirts, and all the purple showed we mean business, and we weren’t going to stop until we achieved a decent contract and better lives for workers and their families.”

The chapter was assisted by Local 535 organizers Adriane Carrier, Tim Farrell, Maria Keegan, and Sanford Sherman. Rank and file organizers who also assisted were Janet Atkins, John Brewster, and Barbara Shea.
The San Diego County Chapter contract negotiating team consisted of Bill Bixby, John Brewster, Ana Daugherty, Judi Harris, Karol Lightner, Georgina Mace , Julie Mayfield, Luisa Nava, Brian Polejes, Brenda Sammons, Steve Thorne, Ricardo Valadez, and senior field representatives Stewart Kocivar and Willas DeMorst.