Bargaining Update: Aug. 18
Our bargaining team made significant movement on two key issues--retirement and duration of the contract--during yesterday's negotiation session. Local 1000 President Yvonne Walker told the governor's negotiators, "There's not much more room for us to move." Local 1000 proposed that employees contribute an additional 2 percent to their retirement plan, and agreed to a new pension formula for safety employees hired after ratification of the agreement.
"Given the state's budget deficit and funding of the retirement plan, this is the responsible thing to do," Walker said. State negotiators are currently demanding an additional 5 percent employee contribution to their retirement plan.
Our bargaining team also modified its proposal on duration of the agreement--from five years to four years. "A longer agreement gives our members stability," Walker said. The state is proposing a two-year agreement.
Local 1000 maintained its position on benefits, overtime, and meal and incidental travel expenses. Our bargaining team withdrew its proposal on reimbursement for checked bags while traveling for the state.
Minor editing changes were made to our proposals on the personal leave program (PLP), holidays, salaries and to streamline the safety retirement process.
Our bargaining team also proposed to update and consolidate language on the telecommute and telework program (see also for Unit 17).
Finally, in the event funding is provided for the rural health care equity program in the future, the state agreed to meet and confer, with our bargaining team, over implementation.
Negotiations will resume later this week, once the state has had time to review our team's latest settlement proposals.
Our Latest Proposals
This proposal was made to the state on August 17.
7.1 Holidays
9.1.3 Health Benefit Plans
9.4 Rural Health Care Equity Program
11.1 Salaries
12.1 Business and Travel Expenses
17.xx, 17 (new), 17.1, 17.2, 17.4, 17.8 Retirement
17 New, 17.6, 17.6.4 Streamlining the State Safety Retirement Process
19.2, 19.2.17 Overtime
21.1. 21.1.17 Telecommute/Telework Program
Click here to read the telecommute/telework program proposal for Unit 17 >>
24.2 Duration
Personal Leave Program (PLP) 2010
Our bargaining team also modified its proposal on duration of the agreement--from five years to four years. "A longer agreement gives our members stability," Walker said. The state is proposing a two-year agreement.
Local 1000 maintained its position on benefits, overtime, and meal and incidental travel expenses. Our bargaining team withdrew its proposal on reimbursement for checked bags while traveling for the state.
Minor editing changes were made to our proposals on the personal leave program (PLP), holidays, salaries and to streamline the safety retirement process.
Our bargaining team also proposed to update and consolidate language on the telecommute and telework program (see also for Unit 17).
Finally, in the event funding is provided for the rural health care equity program in the future, the state agreed to meet and confer, with our bargaining team, over implementation.
Negotiations will resume later this week, once the state has had time to review our team's latest settlement proposals.
Our Latest Proposals
This proposal was made to the state on August 17.
7.1 Holidays
- Employees will no longer have February 12 (Lincoln's Birthday) or the second Monday in October (Columbus Day) as paid holidays off, instead they will have two additional personal holidays.
- Employees working holidays will still receive premium pay.
9.1.3 Health Benefit Plans
- Flat dollar equivalent to the 80/80 formula for Unit 3 for each year of the contract.
9.4 Rural Health Care Equity Program
- Should funding be provided in the future, Local 1000 and the state agree to meet and confer to discuss implementation
11.1 Salaries
- All employees shall receive a COLA or 3% increase whichever is greater to their salaries July 1, 2011 and again June 30, 2014; this proposal does not impact seasonal clerks.
- Seasonal clerks shall receive a $0.50 raise per hour July 1, 2011 and again June 30, 2014.
12.1 Business and Travel Expenses
- Raise reimbursement rates for meals and incidental expenses.
17.xx, 17 (new), 17.1, 17.2, 17.4, 17.8 Retirement
- The state and union shall support legislation to prevent pension spiking and place fees on contractors that shall be paid into CalPERS.
- Current employees will maintain their current retirement formula.
- Miscellaneous employees hired after ratification of this agreement and after participating in the ARP program shall be subject to the new retirement formula of 2% at 60.
- Safety employees hired after ratification of this agreement shall be subject to a new retirement formula of 2.5% at 60.
- Upon ratification of this agreement by the Legislature, all employees shall contribute an additional 2% towards their retirement.
17 New, 17.6, 17.6.4 Streamlining the State Safety Retirement Process
- The intent of this proposal is to eliminate duplicate language which governs the state safety retirement process
19.2, 19.2.17 Overtime
- Sick leave shall not count for the purposes of calculating a workweek leading to the payment of overtime.
21.1. 21.1.17 Telecommute/Telework Program
- Program must operate within guidelines established by the 2010 Statewide Telework Model Program
- Incorporates Unit 17 into the master table language
Click here to read the telecommute/telework program proposal for Unit 17 >>
24.2 Duration
- The contract shall be in effect July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2014.
- The state and the union agree to support legislation for continuous appropriations for state workers salaries.
- No furloughs shall be implemented during the life of the contract.
Personal Leave Program (PLP) 2010
- All employees will accumulate one personal leave day (8 hours) per month until June 30, 2011; in exchange, employee pay will be reduced by 4.62%.
- Employees will be allowed to use or bank this time until June 30, 2015.
- Approved personal leave may only be revoked twice; the third approval may not be revoked.
- Departments, at their discretion, may pay out accumulated PLP time.
- Employees may donate banked PLP time to other employee's catastrophic leave banks.
- PLP shall not affect benefits, create a break in state service or affect the calculation for retirement.
- This program does not impact seasonal employees.
- BU3 employees shall operate on a different accumulation of time due to their specialized schedules.