Fresno County and SEIU members are still trying to work out their differences at the bargaining table. Meanwhile, some SEIU members are trying to leave the union to start another one.
There are more than 300 correctional officers who work inside the Fresno County Jail. They're members of SEIU, but that may change.
Eulalio Gomez wants to start a new union called the Fresno Sheriff's Correctional Officers Association. He says, "Enough is enough. Stop all this political drama. Lets get back to the table. Lets get back to talking about public safety. Solutions for our community."
Gomez says correctional officers are frustrated after mounting tension. In January more than a thousand SEIU members went on strike. They picketed for three days after the county enforced a 9% pay cut.
Correctional officers at the Fresno County Jail wanted nothing to do with the strike and went to to work. Gomez says, "Our members want to have a dialogue with the county but we might not agree with them. At the end of the day. We can shake hands and walk away."
Before the correctional officers walk away from SEIU, union representatives will try to negotiate and keep them on board.
James Geluso is a SEIU spokesperson. He says, "The power of any union is in the size and unity of it's membership. By choosing to go out, the correctional officers would be putting themselves adrift."
Gomez says he's willing to take the risk and hopes his colleagues are too. He says, "We really hope the Sheriff's Department correctional officers will choose their own brothers and sisters that will work along side them to be the people that speaks for them."
The correctional officers will vote on the issue sometime next month. SEIU representatives say tax payers won't be affected by any possible changes.
Officials in the County and Sheriff's Department declined to comment on the issue.
TXT 24
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