Government roundup: City union refuses to open contract
| Thursday, Feb 04 2010 05:44 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Feb 04 2010 05:44 PM
Call it early fallout from the Scrivner/Couch proposal: Bakersfield officials got a "no" from union leaders even before they formally asked for concessions.
On Thursday, the SEIU Local 521, which represents the city's 660 or so blue- and white-collar workers, delivered a letter to City Manager Alan Tandy saying the union wouldn't re-open its contract.
Tandy had told city councilmembers last month during a grim mid-year budget report that the city won't have enough money to cover a 2 percent raise slated for December 2010. He indicated the city should go back to the bargaining table and ask the union to scrap the increase or postpone it -- a second time.
"In light of the proposals from two members of the Bakersfield City Council to gut our pensions," wrote Chuck Waide, director of Local 521, "our legal counsel has advised us, and our leadership has voted unanimously, that we cannot open our contract without risking negative ramifications."
City Councilmembers Zack Scrivner and David Couch have requested language for a ballot proposition that would allow Bakersfield residents to vote June 8 on whether to reduce pension benefits for new city workers.
"We recognize the city is in a difficult position," said Billy Owens, president of the 521 local, adding: "We have always shown our willingness to negotiate in the past."
The union's letter references two recent examples: blue-and-white workers agreed in 2008 to reduce pension benefits for new hires and agreed last year to postpone a 4 percent raise once slated for December 2009. That raise was switched to a pair of 2 percent raises in December 2010 and 2011.
Tandy had met with union stewards and Waide in late January, but the city hadn't yet formally asked the union to open contract negotiations.
If the union doesn't put off the 2 percent raise, Tandy said in an e-mail, "$850,000 needs to be added to the $8.7 million in reductions needed for next fiscal year."
The city's new fiscal year starts July 1.
— Staff writer Gretchen Wenner
Veteran political activist Bernita Jenkins announced Thursday she is considering adding her name to the list of five people running to replace retiring 2nd District Supervisor Don Maben on the Kern County Board of Supervisors.
In 2002 Jenkins ran against Maben, Mary Beth Garrison and Linda White (now Linda Parker) to replace retiring supervisor Steve Perez.
This year Jenkins would run against Garrison, Maben's hand-picked successor, and Steve Perez -- who is looking to get his old job back after two failed runs for Kern County sheriff.
Jenkins also has history with the 2nd District race's current money-leader -- Bakersfield City Councilman Zack Scrivner.
In 2004 Jenkins dueled Scrivner for the 7th Ward Bakersfield City Council seat he now holds.
With two other candidates in that race, Jenkins lost to Scrivner but captured a sizable 34 percent of the vote. She criticized him for moving into the 7th Ward -- her longtime home in southern Bakersfield -- to snag a council seat.
Jenkins denies that a run in 2010 would be aimed at spoiling Scrivner's sole "local" claim to the voters in the critical Bakersfield areas of the far-flung 2nd District.
Currently Scrivner is the only Bakersfield resident running.
"This race will not be about geography. It will be about who's the best person for the job," she said. "We need a time out from the same old politicians doing the same old damage."
Tehachapi City Councilman Stan Beckham and former Maben staffer James Welling of Boron have also announced they will run for the 2nd District seat.
— Staff writer James Burger on the Quirks of the County blog at Bakersfield.com/blogs.
