‘Solidarity Breaks’ are planned statewide


Employees with the Department of Motor Vehicles, one of the largest revenue producers in the state, say their revenues would significantly increase if their antiquated job classification system was modernized.

With a job class system more than 20-years-old, thousands of DMV workers are engaged in a campaign to modernize their positions.  The SEIU Local 1000 bargaining team and the Department of Personnel Administration will resume formal talks on reclassification February 20th.

A rally is scheduled at DMV Headquarters as Local 1000 members demand reform.  Local 1000 is taking action for reclassification.  Its members are united and ready to win.

State says DMV Workers just need to wait
Local 1000’s effort to reclassify Department of Motor Vehicle workers was delayed again after representatives from the DMV and the Department of Personnel Administration (DPA) arrived totally unprepared for negotiations on January 31.

“The state’s complete lack of preparation made it clear they came to the table with no intent to bargain in good faith,” said John Krumm, a motor vehicle field representative in the San Francisco Driver Safety Office. “From the beginning, DMV and DPA have shown no respect or concern for DMV workers or the vital services we provide.”

As many as 5,000 DMV employees could be affected by the reclassification adjustment.  Employees site staffing issues and workloads as reasons for the reclassification.  

CPS Human Resource Services, conducting an independent review on the Technician Classification for the California DMV, noted in their April 2007 report:

“The work of DMV technicians has significantly changed from that envisioned when the classes were established in 1987.  The complexity of the work has increased and new programs have been established, resulting in the need for Technicians to assume additional programmatic knowledge and a higher and wider level of skills and abilities.”

Wednesday’s rally is part of an intense day of work actions by Local 1000 members.  DMV workers at 9 statewide call centers will participate in ‘Solidarity Breaks’ at 10 a.m.  At that time, hundreds of employees will stand up for five minutes.  Later in the day, workers will fax petitions to DMV headquarters calling for immediate action.

“We’ll do whatever is necessary.  DMV workers have been on the back burner long enough,” said Yvonne Walker, Local 1000 vice president for bargaining. “We made it clear at the table that Local 1000 and DMV workers will do whatever is necessary to make this reclassification happen.”

Visuals:
Hundreds of DMV workers/SEIU Local 1000 members rallying at DMV Headquarters

Speakers:
Jim Hard-SEIU Local 1000 president
Yvonne Walker-SEIU Local 1000 vice president for bargaining
Rhonda Wagner-DMV Worker

***SPANISH SPEAKERS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE***