Quick Take
An online petition that garnered nearly 1,500 signatures in support of Santa Cruz County Animal Services workers was changed to add calls for three shelter administrators to be fired before it was replaced with its original wording, in what the union representing the workers is describing as a “language error.”
An online petition that garnered nearly 1,500 signatures in support of Santa Cruz County Animal Services workers was changed to add calls for three animal shelter administrators to be fired before it was replaced with its original wording, in what the union representing the workers is describing as a “language error.”
The petition is the latest development in a longstanding and bitter dispute between the workers, represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 521, and shelter management and the local government agency that funds the county’s animal shelter. Since June, workers have raised the alarm about working conditions at the shelter, where they say chronic understaffing, low pay and a lack of resources have affected some of the shelter’s most vital services.
The union’s original petition claimed that the county and animal services management “continues to mismanage funds” by prioritizing high salaries, bonuses and other incentives for management over hiring and supporting shelter staff.
However, last Thursday, after a group of about 30 shelter workers, volunteers and community members rallied at the shelter’s Santa Cruz offices and demanded a meeting with management, the online petition was changed to add calls to terminate three shelter services administrators over what the union alleged was mismanagement.
The petition on the SEIU’s website has been updated several times since Friday. The first revision added a disclaimer that the calls to terminate the shelter administrators were added on Nov. 30 for “years of offensive and painful treatment of county workers, shelter animals and volunteers.” It also said that workers decided to disclose that information out of fear of retaliation. It provided an SEIU email address that people who signed the petition before it was changed could contact if they wanted their name removed.
By Tuesday morning, the petition had been removed from the SEIU’s site. But by the afternoon, it had been reposted and restored to its original version, which does not call for anyone to be fired. Instead, it urges the shelter’s oversight board to align the shelter’s pay structure with that of other county employees, increase staffing and add more resources to preserve animal welfare and properly run county shelters. The county, along with the cities of Capitola, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and Watsonville, collectively fund and oversee the shelter through a body known as a joint powers authority.
In a media release Tuesday, SEIU 521 Communications Director Victor Gamiz said the petition was “incorrectly revised to include termination demands of animal shelter department heads.” Gamiz said the union had rescinded the changed version of the petition and reverted to the original wording that many of the nearly 1,500 supporters would have seen when they signed their names to the document.
The release described the changes as a “language error” and said the demands to terminate the shelter administrator were “mistakenly merged with a previously signed petition.” SEIU representatives did not respond to a follow-up request for comment about why the calls to fire some the administrators were added in the first place, and why the union decided to rescind them.
In an email to Lookout late last week, Santa Cruz County spokesperson Jason Hoppin wrote that the petition was changed without the knowledge of those who had signed it and that the shelter had verified with four signatories that they had not signed the newly worded petition.
“Without the signatories’ knowledge or consent, SEIU leadership replaced the original language with the language they showed you, falsely implying widespread support for the allegations and other demands, including termination, in support of the story,” Hoppin wrote.
“I hope SEIU retracts the petition and the false allegations against management, and commits to working productively together to reach the best possible outcomes for all shelter animals. I would also suggest they consult their legal counsel about any liability they may have in fabricating, and then publicizing, public support for adverse personnel actions against animal shelter employees.”
OPINION from community voices
Animal Services Supervisor Jillian Ganley told Lookout on Saturday that while she signed the petition before the added calls for termination, she still supported the changes to the petition calling for the administrators to be fired and knows that others did, too.
“It’s an uncomfortable situation, but we’re doing it for the animals and the community,” she said. “There have been things not addressed within management and we can’t just sit in silence, we need to state what’s happening.”
The shelter workers filed an unfair labor practices charge with the California Public Employment Relations Board last week. In addition to the longstanding complaints that workers have spoken about for months, the latest charge also alleges issues like disputes between management and workers on speaking to the media, and volunteers taking on animal care worker duties. The board can direct the employer or union to make a resolution based on the charges. The union has said it expects to hear back within weeks.
Shelter workers and community members have previously said they plan to attend the joint power authority’s Monday board meeting to voice their concerns over shelter operations.
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FOR THE RECORD: This story was updated to remove wording from the petition that named specific shelter administrators as well as allegations against them. That language was later removed; SEIU 521 did not respond to Lookout’s attempts to clarify the circumstances of the removal.
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