Sticking to the Union
Frustration mounts as County and Union negotiations drag on
Labor negotiations between Inyo County and its employees can be summed up in one word: frustrating.
From department heads to laborers to county supervisors, every person interviewed for this story said the negotiations have gone on too long, since March 2016, and there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight.
Janelle Kent, lead negotiator for the Inyo County Employees Association (ICEA), Local 315 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and Addiction Counselor for Inyo County Health and Human Services summed up the situation, “The people making decisions are having a hard time making decisions.”
The Union is asking for a 2 percent Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), which is below the 2017 COLA of 2.75 percent, according to a press release from ICEA. Chris Wickham, former lead negotiator for the ICEA and Inyo County Mosquito Abatement Manager, said the Union originally asked for 4 percent COLA but has lowered its offer in the hopes of reaching a compromise. The County has offered 1 percent.
