Santa Barbara County Workers Plan Strike After Talks Fail
County workers in Santa Barbara County stopped work at a county dump Saturday and announced plans for a general strike on Monday after a breakdown in negotiations with county officials over a new wage and health benefits contract.
The strike will involve county workers in health services, parks, road maintenance and secretarial jobs, said Santa Barbara County Employees Assn. President Frank Allen. He said that 1,050 people out of the county’s 3,300-member work force are union members.
Allen said contract negotiations were broken off by the county Friday after an impasse was reached on a union proposal that the county contribute $12 every two weeks toward union health benefits. He said the two sides had earlier agreed to a 4% wage increase.
Attorney Bruce Barsook, a negotiator for the county, said the county’s position is that the union can use part of its 4% raise for health benefits if so desired.
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