City Should Recognize Severity of Workforce Cuts
Editor,
I have worked for the City of Hollister as an animal control officer for the last six years. My department is a subdivision of the police department, but I fall under the Service Employees Union bargaining group. We currently have two animal control officer vacancies. All of my former co-workers have resigned and moved on to higher paying jobs elsewhere. The County of San Benito also contracts with us to provide animal control services. I am the only animal control officer left to serve all of the City of Hollister and all of San Benito county. Consequently, the city has required that I remain on call for the last two months straight, with no days off. I am a single mom with an eight year old.
I hope that the City Council and city administration recognize the severity of the situation that our city workers face. The service level that we are able to provide to the community with our small workforce is rapidly declining. As long as the work somehow gets done and no one complains, or gets hurt, the city will not change anything. The current lack of progress on our contract negotiations is a good example of that. We are all tired and overworked. The city needs to begin investing in its remaining workers before we lose more good people.
Anna Patterson, Hollister
Workers Asking for Fair, Honest Bargaining
Editor,
I have been a water treatment operator within the City of Hollister’s utilities division for close to 10 years now. Our responsibilities are to repair and maintain the city’s water production, storage and distribution systems. These duties have been increased to the point that we are scarcely able to keep up with the demands placed upon us.
We wear many hats, which time and space will not allow me to detail. We are the people (including sanitation and streets personnel) who come into action when you see the streets overflowing with water from broken service lines, as recently as the 500 and 800 blocks of Fourth Street, due to a ruptured 12-inch cast-iron main.
We consistently take care of business, and, as with this last water main beak, quickly respond to repair and restore water service to our residents. All we as service employees of Local 521 are asking for is to receive a fair and honest hearing of our bargaining proposal. We are striving to do the best job for the city and the people we serve. We ask the City Council and the city administration to please help us to do so by considering us as they do all other valued employees of the city. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to the community.
Anthony Lee, Morgan Hill
