Call Center Jobs Going Elsewhere

Updated, 3:20pm: Added quotes from Concord, county leaders.

The potential for a health insurance exchange call center that held out the prospect of 200 jobs, perhaps in Concord, went by the boards Tuesday.

The county Board of Supervisors rejected a state contract offer, blaming it on an impasse with a public employee union seeking higher wages, the Contra Costa Times reported.

"It's very disappointing," said Concord City Councilman Ron Leone. "Regardless of where it was going to go in the county, we need the jobs."

County officials said the demand by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees for a 12.89 percent pay differential for six call center supervisors was the sticking point in negotiations.

"It is indeed sad that people who need a job won't be able to get one," Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill told the Times.

"We have thousands of fabulous county employees, and for this project, this opportunity to be held hostage is unconscionable," said Supervisor Mary Piepho.

AFSCME Council 57 Director George Popyack, who participated in the negotiations, said the supervisors are misconstruing the situation. He said the union never expected to come away with a 12.5 percent differential — its opening offer — and was willing to continue talks with a mediator.

"We have issues that need to be settled, no question about it, but there's nothing that can't be solved," Popyack said.

He said the supervisors are using the union as a scapegoat for rejecting the contract when there are other sticking points, including the choice of a location for it. Concord and Richmond were mentioned as possible sites.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.