County Health Care Workers Reject Contract Offer

A union representing Sacramento County health care workers on Tuesday rejected a tentative contract agreement, citing concerns about proposed wage increases, the Sacramento Bee reports. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 146 represents about 700 county employees in 43 different job categories, including pharmacists, mental health workers and licensed vocational nurses (Fletcher, Sacramento Bee, 9/27).

Under the proposed contract, licensed vocational workers at county correctional facilities would have received pay increases of 12% in the first year of the contract and a 3% cost-of-living increase. Wage increases for other county workers would have varied (California Healthline, 9/20).

Judy Steinke, business agent for the union, said employees would report to work today but declined to disclose future plans.

Steve Lakich, county director of labor relations, asked the union to hold another vote on the contract agreement, saying that about 200 of its 700 members participated in the vote.

Union officials declined to release vote figures (Sacramento Bee, 9/27).