Union to Represent 146 More Workers
Service Employees International Union Local 998 will represent 146 more people at the bargaining table in upcoming contract negotiations with the city as a result of balloting held this week.
Local 998 already represents 137 city of Ventura employees and 6,500 workers countywide. This week’s balloting added 146 general unit employees--those who work in sanitation, the corporate yard and the police and fire departments.
“There were many concerns that brought these city workers to us,” said Barry Hammitt, executive director of Local 998. “We will be looking for parity in wages with other groups. We want to have their job classifications restudied.”
Hammitt said many of the general unit employees’ job descriptions are 10 to 15 years old. For example, some office workers are still called “typists” rather than “word processors.”
He said he will also push to have all members who receive benefits of the union’s collective bargaining efforts pay their fair share, which he estimates to be about $28 a month.
Contract negotiations will begin shortly.
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