Our Master Table bargaining team returned for their second session with the State and presented two key proposals—among others—that make a strong demand for a new contract that responds to the top priorities identified by our members:
The first was a proposal for a 30% general salary increase for all represented workers; 12% in the fist year, and 9% in each of the succeeding two years, along with a proposal that would provide our represented employees with 100% paid health care coverage.
“Local 1000 represented workers are done sacrificing,” said Irene Green, Vice President for Bargaining. “Too often, civil service workers are considered a burden, a liability, when discussions turn to the state budget or California’s fiscal health. And those civil service workers—who continue to provide vital services to all Californians—are losing ground.”
“Wages that don’t keep up are a measure of disrespect,” added Green. “The State can’t recruit or retain employees, resulting in a nearly 25% vacancy rate across the nine bargaining units we represent—creating unreasonable workloads.”
Our proposal for a general salary increase came much earlier in the process than in past contract campaigns, signaling to the state our commitment to win the #1 bargaining priority for our members.
In addition, we proposed stronger language in five different articles, expanding the rights we’ve already achieved in these areas:
- 5.11 – Dignity Clause – changed “supervisors and managers” to include all workers, including contractors
- 8.3 – Bereavement Leave – added language to include all spouses and domestic partners
- 8.10 – Release Time for State Civil Service Examinations – added lateral transfers to the list of approved activities
- 8.32 – Personal Leave Program (PLP) 2010 and 2012 – included PLP 2020 under this article, ensuring like treatment for all PLPs, including the ability to cash out
- 9.1 Health Benefits – proposes 100% paid health care benefits for eligible employees
Our team secured a “tentative agreement” on five different “rollover” articles, preserving hard-won contract rights achieved in previous negotiations. (“Rollover” is language contained in the previous contract that both parties agree not to change and maintain in the new contract.)
- 5.3 – Individual Agreements Prohibited
- 5.4 – Savings Clause
- 5.5. – Reprisals
- 8.20 – Blood Donation Programs
- 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 16.4, 16.5 – Layoff
On Monday, April 24, four bargaining units (11, 15, 20, and 21) will go to the table for a second time to address unit-specific issues that were brought forth during the bargaining town halls and from the bargaining surveys. On Tuesday, April 25, five units (1,3, 4, 14, and 17) will hold their second bargaining session.
The Bargaining Team will meet again at the Master Table on May 3, as we continue the fight to win a contract that Respects Us, Protects Us, and Pays Us. To read about what happened in all our bargaining sessions to date, please visit the Contract Action Center page at www.seiu1000.org
There’s real truth to the Local 1000 slogan, Stronger Together. We only win a great contract with a strong Local 1000 membership. So, if you’re not already a member, we encourage you to join us today.