Aug. 11—Employees at the Marysville Employment Development Department joined statewide efforts on Friday to bring attention to current contracting negotiations between the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and state legislators.

A "small, but mighty" group of Marysville workers and union representatives formed an informational picket in front of the Yuba County One Stop office to highlight the state's offer of a 7% wage increase over three years, approximately 80% less than what SEIU negotiators proposed in June.

"We asked for 30%, originally. They came back with 2%. Bargaining brought that down to 18% and they came back at us with 6-7%," said Manuela Melbourne, a strategic organizer with SEIU Local 1000.

SEIU represents nearly 2 million workers in over 100 industries within the United States and Canada. SEIU Local 1000 represents 96,000 people employed by the state of California across nine bargaining units, making it the largest public sector union in the state.

After state legislators returned with their counter offer of 2%, it sparked demonstrations at the California Capitol in Sacramento in June, which has been followed by an ongoing stalemate between the parties, the Sacramento Observer reported.

According to bargaining updates on the union's website, negotiators last met with state legislators on Wednesday and are awaiting a response from the state on 36 proposals.

"We want a raise," a Marysville worker told the Appeal. "We're fighting for a yearly raise. We need higher wages. They offered 7%, but we need at least 18-20%."

Friday's picket was held during many of the employees' lunch hours in order to classify it as a non-strike activity. Of the 18 people employed at the Marysville Employment Development Department, around eight workers and two union representatives picketed for better wages. However, picket organizer Miguel Garnica said that small numbers were not due to a lack of support from their fellow workers. Rather, many of those not in attendance were at job fairs searching for other ways to make ends meet.

A study commissioned by SEIU Local 1000 and conducted by the University of California, Berkeley Labor Center released in March found that many Local 1000 members, particularly women, Black and Latino employees were struggling financially. The study also found that nearly 70% of the union's members did not earn enough to support themselves and at least one child.

"We cannot meet our expenses at this level," Garnica said. "By the time we pay bills, rent, utilities, we have nothing left."