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Air district union workers hold pickets

By Paula Lloyd / The Fresno Bee

10/09/08 22:36:33

Union employees of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District offices who have worked without a contract since Sept. 30 held informational pickets in Fresno, Modesto and Bakersfield on Thursday to discuss their concerns.

Representatives from the Service Employees International Union Local 521 and the air district have met about 12 times since July to hammer out a new contract, said Carolyn Rose, the district's director of personnel.

The district made its "last best" offer Tuesday for an 11% increase in salary and benefits spread over the next three years. The offer is for 3.5% in each of the next two years and 4% in the third year, Rose said.

"We think, especially in these economic times, a package of 11% is very generous," Rose said.

The union, however, is asking for a 7% increase in wages and benefits in each of the next three years, said Sam Shaw, a union representative. The union represents about 250 of the 285 employees in the Fresno, Modesto and Bakersfield offices.

The increase would offset increasing health-care costs, said Carlos Garcia, an engineer at the district's Fresno office on Gettysburg Avenue, who took time off to help staff the picket.

Turnover of employees is too high, Shaw said, and the union also wants the district to expand the pilot telecommuting program that began this summer.

About 10 employees in the Fresno office are working from home in the telecommuting program, Rose said.

The 10% employee turnover rate at the Fresno office is "not alarming -- if anything it's healthy," Rose said.

District and union officials are scheduled to return to the bargaining table in about two weeks.

The reporter can be reached at plloyd@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6756.