Weaverville, CA.

After over a year of unfruitful negotiations with Trinity County, two UPEC 792 represented bargaining units are now preparing to go on strike after the Board of Supervisors failed to produce a fair contract offer. The strike is set for Tuesday, December 9th and Wednesday, December 10th. Members will set up picket lines out front of the Weaverville courthouse and the Library on both of these dates. 

The striking units are the General Unit and the Skilled Trades Unit. The employees of the General Unit work all throughout the County and include Solid Waste workers, Mental Health, Public Health, Social Services, Health and Human Services, and Department of Transportation. The Skilled trades bargaining unit includes the staff of the Road Department. 

These employees are the among the lowest paid employees in the County. They have gone years without a cost of living adjustment and are fed up. While Department Heads and upper management people continue to get regular salary increases, the rest of the employees, who are already struggling to make ends meet, are told the County cannot afford to give them any raises. 

Fed up with the County's refusal to produce a fair contract offer, the members have decided they simply cannot afford to agree to a contract that locks them in for additional years without any cost of living adjustments. At a recent Union meeting, the members voted, nearly unanimously, to walk off the job. 

Member Diane Darrah recently wrote a tremendous op-ed that was published in the Trinity County Journal. She captured the essence of the plight of these workers. It is attached to this article. 

During the two day strike, the Union will conduct a canned food drive to benefit local charity. Please show your support by coming by and donating to a good cause. 

UPEC 792 is extremely proud of our membership in Trinity County for standing strong in the face of adversity. They represent what Unionism and Solidarity are all about. We need to make the people in charge of the County appreciate their workers and realize that they are a top priority.