Members of AFSCME Local 2076, which represents Orange County eligibility technicians (ET), addressed the Orange County Board of Supervisors Tuesday to further call attention to their need for a fair contract that includes wage increases and more staffing.
“We’re here to just remind you guys that we lift up the whole community,” said Diana Corral, president of AFSCME Local 2076. “Our members do increasingly complicated work which provides the residents of Orange County the programs that secure nutritional and medical assistance. We touch the lives of many residents of Orange County.”
One of the biggest issues that members called attention to is inadequate staffing. AFSCME Local 2076 members have been forced to deal with unbearable workloads because low wages have made it incredibly difficult for Orange County to hire and retain eligibility technicians. The COVID-19 pandemic and high inflation have caused more and more residents to need government assistance, but the County has failed to hire more ETs to meet the increased needs of the community. “At my worksite, we’ve had to call an ambulance three times because workers have fainted or had a panic attack at their desk,” said AFSCME Local 2076 member Kendra Romans. “It is impossible to keep up. We are being asked to do an impossible job.”
Members also brought attention to their need for higher wages. Compared to eligibility workers in neighboring counties, Orange County ETs are paid significantly less. “The County is home to multiple billionaires and one hundred thousand millionaires, but the County pays us lower than the market rate,” said Jose Balderas. “Currently, LA [Los Angeles] County eligibility workers make 11 percent more than Orange County workers.”
Tuesday’s action is just one of many that the Local has taken over the past few weeks. In September, the Local held multiple informational pickets across Orange County. If the Board of Supervisors continues to ignore their employees’ need for better wages and improved working conditions, the Local will continue to fight. To hear the members’ full comments, click the video below.