Hundreds of Shasta County workers walked off the job Monday, the first day of a two week strike declared by UPEC leadership, representing about a Thousand county employees. The county says supervisors have offered 7% raises and various benefits, but the union says that for some positions an increase in employee benefit contributions results in a reduction of take-home pay. The union wants a 15% raise. Negotiations have been underway since September for a contract that expired in December. The county had said that all county offices would remain open during the strike, but Health and Human Services has been forced to close it’s offices in Anderson, Enterprise, and Breslauer Way, as well as the mobile customer service center for Cal-Fresh, MEDI-Cal and Cal-Works. WIC offices are also closed, with the exception of the Anderson and Enterprise offices. At Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, the board will reiterate it’s “Last, best and final offer”.