SEIU Local 521 presses Madera County for unpaid standby pay in three-employee grievance

SEIU Local 521 told a Madera County administrative hearing that the county violated Section 14 of the parties' memorandum of understanding by failing to pay standby pay to three former or current fire-department shop employees: parts assistant Ashley Diaz and mechanics Jeremy Whitten and Roy Minnick.

The union sought back pay and a prospective order to require the county to follow the standby provision moving forward. The county disputed the claim, arguing the grievance was procedurally defective and, on the merits, that the shop workers were not assigned mandatory standby under the contract.

The union's opening statement summarized the claim: "Did the county violate section 14 of the SEIU 521 ... memorandum of understanding, standby pay, when it failed to pay the grievance for Ashley Diaz, Jeremy Whitten, and Roy Monich ...? If so, what is the appropriate remedy?" The union said the contract required standby pay when an employer "requires an employee to remain available for callback at any time" and that standby rate under the MOU was $4 per hour.

County counsel told commissioners the union bears the burden to prove entitlement…