PUBLIC EMPLOYEES TO STRIKE 4,200-MEMBER UNION CALLS 2-DAY WALKOUT WITH BENEFIT TALKS AT IMPASSE.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Staff Writer

Ventura County's largest workers union was scheduled to launch a two-day strike today after negotiations broke down over retirement benefits.

The 4,200 members of the Service Employees International Union were expected to walk off their jobs beginning at 12:01 a.m., leaving a skeleton crew of managers to keep the county operating.

``They decided going in that if they didn't get what was demanded, they were walking out,'' said John Johnston, the county's chief executive officer, adding that Tuesday's negotiations lasted less than an hour. ``They made a decision that they weren't going to consider anything else.''

County officials said their last offer asked the union to delay further action until officials could study its retirement plan and actuarial surplus.

``They came in and they didn't offer anything substantial,'' said Ellyn Dembowski, deputy director of the SEIU. ``All they wanted to do was have some time. It was so far out and so unreasonable.''

``It was a nothing offer,'' said Barry Hammitt, executive director and chief of the union's bargaining team. ``It's pretty disingenuous on their part. They wanted to jump us through hoops with no promises at the end.''

The union had been scheduled to walk off the job when its contract expired at 12:01 a.m. June 28. An intermediary convinced the union to return to the bargaining table, and negotiators reached a tentative agreement last week on salaries.

But county officials said the union's demands for a cost-of-living adjustment on retirement benefits was too stiff and could wind up costing $23 million.

``The amount of money and the impact on public money is considerable,'' Johnston said. ``We were hoping that the expectation would come down to what we could meet them. We're still prepared to continue talking.''

But union officials said a surplus in the retirement fund could fund their demands.

``They have $300 million in excess money,'' Dembowski said. ``They can very well fund what we are asking for. They have chosen not to.''

As county officials braced for the planned walkout, they sought a temporary restraining order against the union, asking that some 900 ``essential employees'' be ordered to work.

``We have to take the necessary steps to make sure that the public is not harmed,'' said Frank Sieh, county counsel.

Essential employees include sheriff's dispatchers and civilian jail workers, some in the health care industry, and certain maintenance workers.