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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend January 11, 2006 Ed Reed, left, of Ashland, and Mike Radcliffe, Eagle Point, carry signs in front of the Jackson County Courthouse in support of striking Josephine County workers. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Offer of help draws pickets Josephine County strikers carry signs at the Jackson County Courthouse to protest that county’s offer to help with mentally ill patients if needed By ANITA BURKE Mail Tribune Striking Josephine County workers picketed at Jackson County offices in downtown Medford Tuesday after Jackson County offered to send health department supervisors to help maintain services for mentally ill patients in residential care facilities. No Jackson County employees have gone to the neighboring county, but local officials have agreed to send help if it’s called for, Jackson County Administrator Sue Slack said. She said Jackson County would be willing to send "a couple of people" to assist with critical services for severely mentally ill or developmentally disabled people. Lon Holston, Southern Oregon field representative for the striking employees’ union, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, decried the offer as wasteful and interfering. "We want to let people know that Jackson County is wasting assets in Josephine County," he said, while standing in front of county offices on Oakdale Avenue. Jackson County doesn’t intend to interfere with Josephine County workers’ right to strike, Slack said. Advertisement "We just want to make sure no one dies as workers exercise their right," she said. About 300 Josephine County employees walked out Monday after contract negotiations stalled late last week. The county’s final offer includes a 1.2 percent raise, but cuts in vacation, sick leave and personal time. It also eliminates the county’s match to a deferred-compensation program, offered several years ago in exchange for employees paying their own Public Employee Retirement System match. Negotiations are set to resume Thursday with a mediator. Josephine County commissioners issued a release Tuesday afternoon saying that some union members were continuing to work. They said that county offices were open and that bus service, the library and animal control were fully operational. The commissioners said mental health patients, developmentally disabled people and public health clinic clients were among the hardest hit. Hank Collins, Jackson County’s director of health and human services, said he talked to the heads of Josephine County’s mental health and health and human services Tuesday morning about their needs. "They said they could handle this for the short term," he said. If the strike drags on, Jackson County could send on-call, temporary workers, who aren’t represented by a union, as well as supervisors, Collins said. Holston said as long as the offer stood, he thought picketing in Jackson County was warranted, but picketers likely will focus on 26 sites in Josephine County. Between five and 10 picketers who work for Josephine County but live in Jackson County paced the sidewalk in front of the Jackson County Courthouse with signs most of Tuesday. Reach reporter Anita Burkeat 776-4485, or e-mail Offer of help draws pickets ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations Casinos Canada dvd-r Generic Viagra Myspace Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Student Loans Sudoku Online Advertisement s Advertisement