April 17, 2008
IT Reclass Bargaining Team resumes negotiations
“We seem to be coming together...”
The Local 1000 IT Reclass Bargaining Team resumed negotiations with the state Monday and Wednesday of this week on the state’s proposal that will reduce the IT classes by more than half and begin a new exam and selection process.
On Monday, the team was prepared to review and discuss our 54-page counterproposal presented to the state at the last meeting. However, the state was unprepared.
“After three weeks, they only came prepared to discuss eight pages of the 54 pages we gave them,” said Kevin Curtis, SISA in Cathedral City and IT Reclass Bargaining Team member. “It was disappointing. But Wednesday’s meeting was much more productive. We appear to be building a consensus on the functional areas of the proposal.”
A major sticking point in the state’s proposal would be classifying the IT Specialist II position as the Journey level, which is currently at the staff level. “We just want to maintain how our workforce has been operating for years. Current specifications identify the associate level as the journey level already,” Curtis said.
As bargaining moves closer to completion, it becomes even more imperative that the state sees your support for the IT Reclass Bargaining Team. So please, sign the online IT Reclassification petition to show your support and to let the state know how important improved compensation and testing is to you.
Click here to sign the petition.
March 25, 2008IT Reclassification Team Resumes Negotiations with StateThe IT reclassification bargaining team resumed negotiations with the state today. The team proposed changes to the IT specialist series as well as to seven functional areas:
- Customer technical support
- Database Administration
- Data Administration
- Server and Systems Support
- Information Systems Security Administration
- IT Technical Document Writer
- IT Business Consultant
“Today’s meeting was more of a presentation than negotiations.” said Kevin Menager, Staff Program Analyst at FTB and bargaining team member. “The state seemed very positive and they were very receptive to the changes we provided. They even said they appreciated all of our hard work.”
The next meeting will be on April 14 where the state will ask questions regarding today’s proposal and we will give them further changes for the remaining functional areas.
On March 26, the team will meet with the State Personnel Board (SPB) to address the selection and testing process. We will provide an update on this issue next week.
