PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
February 2008

MCEA is joined to the City of Modesto and we are in the middle of an extremely difficult patch in our relationship. MCEA is growing up, no longer looking to the City for parental guidance; rather we are looking for a business partner. A partnership designed to recognize and reward our labor, as we provide services to all of Modesto's citizens and businesses. Growth and change are difficult, especially for a community changing as rapidly as Modesto. Years old practices and procedures need not be revised, they need to be scrapped. Instead, new practices and procedures need to be drawn up, using successful modern templates.
We work here and most of us live here, reserving trips to the coast and the mountains for long weekends and vacations. We prefer it this way. Working in our community has its own special rewards. Living and working in Modesto is truly one of my greatest joys, a blessing I hope continues to be worthwhile for many years to come. This is something I don't want to give up because of my family's need for affordable medical coverage. I don't want MCEA members, our co-workers, to give up and leave Modesto because salaries continue to fall behind the cost of living. I've watched new hires come here to get trained and leave; older experienced employees are frustrated with training and losing our future to other central valley cities offering better benefits and pay. MCEA negotiators and Directors have a clear understanding of the City's budget, and of the differences between the central valley's economy (our economy) and that of the Bay Area and Los Angeles. There is room, and money, for improvements to our salaries and benefits.

Fair bargaining in the upcoming mediation would be a great way to for us all to start building our new relationship. All of us have worked hard these last two years building MCEA into a stronger labor organization. We've elected strong legal representation and recruited knowledgeable labor consultants. We've reviewed the City's budget, and all of this with minimal increases to your dues. The City Management recognizes our strength, in every meeting. How the City chooses to move forward remains to be seen.

In Solidarity,
Tom McCarthy, MCEA President