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Kern County approves contract with SEIU Local 521 covering bargaining units 1–6; estimated cost $39.6 million
Summary
The Kern County Board of Supervisors approved a memorandum of understanding with SEIU Local 521 covering bargaining units 1 through 6, including a 6% salary increase and a one‑time $1,500 payment; staff estimated the cost at $39.6 million.
The Kern County Board of Supervisors approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 521 covering bargaining units 1 through 6, county staff reported.
Tracy Eldridge, chief human resources officer, said the MOU is the product of a year of negotiations. She summarized key provisions: a 6% salary increase for represented employees, a one‑time $1,500 cash payment, equity adjustments totaling over $3,300,000, an increase in bilingual pay and the addition of five new languages eligible for bilingual pay, and a new personal holiday. Eldridge said the estimated cost of the proposed MOU is $39,600,000.
Eldridge thanked the county negotiation team and the SEIU bargaining team for what she described as a collaborative process. There was no public comment on the item. Supervisor Flores moved approval and Supervisor Parlier seconded; the board voted unanimously to approve the MOU.
The county noted its total workforce is roughly 5,200 employees; staff did not provide a breakdown of how many employees are in the affected bargaining units or the budget year(s) the cost covers. The motion record shows the board approved the agreement by an all‑ayes vote.
