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• County's letter opposing SB 525

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Four county supervisors decided not to change a letter opposing a minimum wage increase for California healthcare workers even though the president of their employees union said the proposed Legislation had been amended.

Norma Williams, president of the Del Norte County Employees Association SEIU 1021, said the county’s letter opposing State Senate Bill 525 was misleading.

“Did you actually take a look at SB 525 as amended on May 25?” she asked supervisors on Tuesday.

If approved, State Senate Bill 525 would increase the minimum wage for healthcare workers to $21 per hour from June 1, 2024 through June 1, 2025. On June 1, 2025, healthcare workers would receive a minimum wage of $25 per hour, according to the bill introduced by Los Angeles representative Maria Elena Durazo on Feb. 14.

Del Norte County’s letter states that the Board of Supervisors opposes increasing the healthcare minimum wage “broadly across the health sector” to $25 per hour. It doesn’t mention the date that change would take effect or the bill’s May 25 amendment, which decreased that wage increase to $21 per hour starting June 1, 2024.

Williams, though she said she understood why the Board would oppose Durazo’s bill, pointed out its changes to county supervisors, asking them to reconsider their stance.

“The way you make your letter of opposition sound is that it’s going to take place tomorrow or, you know, July 1, 2023,” she said.

Following Williams’ statement, District 3 Supervisor Chris Howard made a motion to approve the letter as written with District 5 Supervisor Dean Wilson providing a second. District 2 Supervisor Valerie Starkey was absent.

Based on salary projection data the Del Norte County Department of Health and Human Services provided, the proposed $25 per hour minimum wage increase for healthcare workers would increase costs to Del Norte County annually by about $273,000, according to the county’s letter.

The county’s letter also argues that the minimum wage increase for healthcare workers who don’t see patients, including janitors, sets a dangerous precedent.

“This bill imposes a top-down wage increase that does not reflect the current economics of health care,” the letter states. “Del Norte County is deeply concerned that SB 525 will instead increase healthcare costs and diminish healthcare employment opportunities thereby reducing access to medical services in our community and throughout the state.”

According to Assistant County Administrative Officer Randy Hooper, the California State Association of Counties asked county Boards to take a position on SB 525.

“All constituent organizations that represent counties — CSAC, RCRC (Rural County Representatives of California) , obviously a lot of CSDs and healthcare districts and so forth — are all extremely concerned with this bill,” Hooper told supervisors.

Williams told supervisors that SEIU 1021, SEIU 2015, which represents California’s long-term caregivers, and other unions support Durazo’s bill, though Williams said she can see both sides of the issue.

“When you’re looking at the healthcare industry, it has been understaffed, it has been under fire and it continues to be that way and it’s a result of the wages,” she said. “I would think that any board or any leader would want to value the health and welfare of its community members first and foremost. And, yes, I understand there’s a cost to that, but then again that’s a fact of life, there’s a cost to everything.”

SB 525 was read for the first time in the California Assembly on June 1.

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