Three Santa Clara County measures, all dealing with labor
negotiation issues, appear on the Nov. 2 ballot. Measure A would
allow the county to make fair and complete comparisons to private
sector employees when determining rates of pay. We urge a yes vote
on Measure A.
Three Santa Clara County measures, all dealing with labor negotiation issues, appear on the Nov. 2 ballot. Measure A would allow the county to make fair and complete comparisons to private sector employees when determining rates of pay. We urge a yes vote on Measure A.
Judges have interpreted the county’s current “prevailing wage” provision to mean that only salaries, not benefit packages, can be compared. In the case of attorneys, for example, private attorneys tend to have very high salaries, but less impressive benefits packages. County employees, like most government workers, have excellent benefits packages. Government workers have much better retirement benefits than private sector employees, who often have no retirement benefits at all.
It’s only fair to taxpayers that the county be able to make a complete comparison – salary and benefits – when determining what constitutes a prevailing compensation package.
Vote yes on Measure A.
Measure B would allow voters to overturn a decision made by arbitrators in a wage or benefit dispute.
Under the current system, if a dispute reaches an impasse and an arbitrator is called in to mediate, there is no way to appeal the decision. This is a system without any sort of check or balance for arbitrators who make decisions that place onerous burdens on taxpayers.
After all, taxpayers are the ones who pay the salary and benefits of county employees. They need to be able to overturn unfair arbitrator decisions.
Vote yes on Measure B.
Measure C would replace the current system to resolve labor disputes between certain county employees and county supervisors. If Measure C passes, when negotiations reach an impasse, an unelected arbitrator would have final say on how much employees are paid.
These arbitrators are not accountable to taxpayers and may have no understanding how their decisions will affect the county budget.
Let’s keep our current system in which those who decide how much county workers are paid are accountable to taxpayers.
Vote no on Measure C.
