On June 13, 2024, your UPE Unit 3 Negotiations team continued contract negotiations with Merced County despite the rising cost of living in Merced County, which has increased by 3.1% from May 2023 to May 2024. The County is still offering no pay increases. This is an apparent and unjust refusal by the elected Board of Supervisors to provide a livable wage increase for the last two years, further exacerbating the financial struggles of many of their employees in our Unit 3 bargaining unit; many are already close to the poverty line in Merced County. The Board of Supervisors' lack of consideration for the welfare of their employees and families to maintain a livable wage sustains the fact that they do not value the work the county employees perform, which supports the Merced County communities and their constituents.
We countered the County's proposal of nothing with a livable and reasonable wage increase proposal that would assist our members in obtaining the necessities to provide for themselves and their families. Not offering a pay increase for employees is unacceptable; we must take action to ensure public employees receive the compensation they deserve! The Board of Supervisors must realize that not everyone enjoys a six-figure salary and a big office as they do; all the while, the clerks down the hall, are struggling to make ends meet. It is time for the Board of Supervisors to get serious, value their employees, and provide a livable wage increase that mitigates the inflation rate calculated by the US Department of Labor.
Join us in demanding the need for livable and reasonable salary increases for public employees at the crucial upcoming board meeting on June 25, 2024, at 10:00 AM in the Board Room on the third floor of the Merced County Administrative Building located at 2222 M Street. This is a pivotal moment where our collective voice can make a significant impact and advocate for the well-being of all public employees in Merced County.
Remember, you are not alone in this fight. Hundreds of union members stand with you. If you are not a union member, now is the time to join the fight for livable wages and reasonable health care costs! Only as a union member will you be protected by law if or when we need to shut the County down! Power is in the numbers, ¡SÃ, se puede! Yes, We Can! TOGETHER WE ARE STRONG! For more details on joining the union to get involved, please visit our website at www.upe1.org or info@upe1.org. Together, we can make a difference!
UPE Bargaining Team Members:
Ted Somera, UPE Executive Director; Carlos Alcala, UPE Business Agent; UPE Governing Board members Lisa Sykes, Stephanie Bryant, Monica Lerma, and Mayra Ybarra.
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