**MEDIA ADVISORY FOR TUES. 6/6**

Contact: Jennie Smith-Camejo, jennie.smith-camejo@seiu1021.org, (510) 710-0201, or
Ian Lee, ian.lee@seiu1021.org, (510) 384-7165

Mendocino County government’s tragicomedy of errors continues from one fiscal year to the next, with county administrators and the Board of Supervisors once again claiming not to be able to afford to shore up essential services for county residents. County workers are not accepting the County’s excuses for why it claims to be able to do nothing to staunch the exodus of county employees leaving for better-paid positions in neighboring counties, municipalities, and the private sector. Tuesday morning, they will flood the Board of Supervisors’ budget hearings, demanding they prioritize people and services in their budget.

What: County workers rally, fill Board of Supervisors, give public comment
When: Tuesday, June 6, starting at 9 AM
Where: Mendocino County Administration Building, 501 Low Gap Rd., Ukiah
Visuals: County workers wearing purple union shirts with picket signs, chanting

“We had hoped that after last year’s fiasco, our county government would have had the foresight to prioritize a healthy COLA and equity adjustments for positions that are severely underpaid and hard to keep staffed in their budget for the next fiscal year,” said SEIU 1021 Mendocino County Chapter President Julie Beardsley, a senior public health analyst for the county. “Instead, they appear ready to throw us under the bus once again, crying poverty while they leave revenues uncollected and underestimate those they are bringing in as usual. Budgets are a reflection of values. If the County wants to show that it values its residents, it needs to prioritize competitive wages and benefits for its workforce to ensure continuity of the services residents depend on.”

Among the critical staffing shortages jeopardizing the health, safety, and well-being of county residents, including the most vulnerable, are

•  Nearly 40% vacancy rate in Family & Children’s Services — putting at-risk kids in danger
• 44% vacancy rate in Department of Transportation road crews, meaning our roads don’t get paved or repaired in a timely manner
• 70% vacancy rate for mental health clinicians

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SEIU Local 1021 represents nearly 60,000 employees in local governments, non-profit agencies, health care programs, and schools throughout Northern California, including seven private colleges and numerous community colleges. SEIU Local 1021 is a diverse, member-driven organization with members who work to make our cities, schools, colleges, counties, and special districts safe and healthy places to live and raise our families.