May 7, 2026
Bargaining Unit 15 represents civil service custodians, laundry workers, supervising cooks, and food services workers. The members of our Bargaining Unit team officially started bargaining with the State on April 29 as part of our fight for what we deserve in our 2026 Contract.
💬 FROM THE TABLE:
“Unit 15 members are the workers who keep California functioning across all departments and all worksites. From institutions, hospitals, and veterans’ homes to office buildings, fairgrounds, and public facilities, our members feed, clean, protect, and care for this state every single day. We have heard our members’ needs, and we are fighting at this table for fair wages, stronger protections, and benefits that reflect the essential work we do.”
– Eric Murray, Chair of Bargaining Unit 15, Correctional Supervising Cook
During day-one negotiations, Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) shared real-life work experiences that underscored why the priorities we’re fighting tirelessly for matter so much to Unit 15 members.
The topics our Unit 15 SMEs addressed included:
- Fair Pay
- Testimony by Eric Bowers, Custodian
- Workplace Safety Issues
- Testimony by Brenda Baena, Correctional Supervising Cook
- Lack of Effective Training
- Testimony by Vinson Lozano, Correctional Supervising Cook
“I feel it is massively irresponsible and dangerous for Correctional Supervising Cooks to be neglected the training and tools appropriate for our knowledge, safety and ability to perform our duties in such a high-risk environment.”
—Vinson Lozano, Correctional Supervising Cook
On Monday, May 4th, our Unit 15 bargaining team returned to the table to present economic proposals such as strong, meaningful raises and addressed recruitment and retention challenges throughout Unit 15.
Within our first week of bargaining, Unit 15 protected current rights and reached successful tentative agreements (TA) with the State covering:
- Call‑In Procedures (19.33.14)
- DDS Vacation Scheduling (8.24.15)
- Custodian JLMC (5.6.15)
- Updated department PIA to CALCTRA
- Food Service Workers JLMC (5.18.15)
- Added two seats at the table including representation for CAL FIRE
Unit 15 is scheduled to meet with the State every Monday and Wednesday. We’ll share more detailed updates weekly, so be sure to watch your inbox every Thursday morning for the latest bargaining news and opportunities to stay informed throughout this fight.