6,000 Contra Costa County, Calif., Employees Walk Out During Contract Dispute

January 01, 2006

AFSCME members represented by Council 57 were among 6,000 county employees who walked off the job June 27 during a one-day strike in Contra Costa County in Northern California.

Known as the Contra Costa Labor Coalition, the group was protesting the failure of the county's Board of Supervisors to offer a fair contract proposal.

The Board asked workers for a two-year wage freeze and an exorbitant 200 percent increase in medical co-pays although the workers had already agreed to drastic concessions, including cuts in retirement, medical and worker compensation benefits.

"We would rather be providing our community with the services than out here on strike. We've already agreed to major benefit cuts and now the county wants more," said Hector Barajas, a senior health services clerk and member of Local 2700. "I live paycheck to paycheck as it is. I don't have anything more to give."

Striking workers took to nearly two dozen picket lines across the county prior to converging on a noon "Rally for a Fair Contract," where nearly 1,000 county employees marched with signs and whistles. Earlier that morning, some 300 workers demonstrated outside a Board of Supervisors meeting.

County administrators have likewise been oblivious to the impact of gas and energy prices and refused to help employees cope with rising expenses.

"We have agreed to lower retiree medical benefits and higher health costs," said Nivan Gill, a supervising forensic toxicologist for the Office of the Sheriff and member of AFSCME Local 512. "These changes will save the county tens of millions of dollars but the county is not willing to give us a reasonable cost-of-living allowance."

The parties have resumed negotiations.