Ventura County ratifies multiyear labor deals with SEIU, VEA and operating engineers; county credits negotiators for averting strike
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Summary
The Board of Supervisors adopted several successor labor agreements covering general salary increases, market‑based adjustments, restructured flex credits and county-paid dental/vision premiums. County and union negotiators said agreements averted labor action and preserved benefits for thousands of county employees.
The Board of Supervisors adopted successor memoranda of agreement covering multiple bargaining units after months of bargaining. County negotiators and union leaders described the package as a comprehensive set of agreements that included general salary increases, classification‑specific market adjustments, restructuring of flex credits to align with county plan costs, and county payment of dental and vision premiums for enrolled employees.
Key elements reported across the agreements include:
• Term lengths of three to three‑and‑a‑half years with three annual general salary increases of about 3.5%.
• Targeted market‑based adjustments for classifications found to be below market, paid over two years and ranging by unit (examples cited from 1% up to 9% in some SEIU classifications).
• Revisions to flex credit allowances and a county contribution to dental and vision premiums when employees enroll in county plans; inclusion of Cesar Chavez as a paid holiday.
• Unit‑specific provisions: SEIU agreements incorporate the SB 525 health care worker minimum‑wage pathway and related pay‑compaction remedies; several units added temporary assignment pay provisions and training leave for trade certification programs.
Tavien Cosio and Danielle Keyes, among other county staff, praised negotiating teams and county labor relations staff for the intensive work and said the agreements averted a potential strike ahead of the holidays. Union representatives told the board their memberships ratified the agreements.
The board adopted the agreements during public hearings in which labor representatives and county staff both spoke in favor; votes on each agreement were unanimous.
Why it matters: the agreements affect pay, benefits and labor relations for several thousand county employees and are material to the county budget and service delivery.
Next steps: Auditor‑Controller and payroll staff to program the wage and benefit changes into payroll systems; county and union joint committees will oversee implementation details.