Master Table Bargaining Update for Tuesday, August 20th, 2019
Local 1000 Bargaining Team Pushes Back on State Counters
In our push for a California for All our team has advocated for multiple proposals that would move forward our goals to achieve a better future for all Californians.
The state responded to some of the most important proposals to reach those goals today – unfortunately they missed the mark. The state put forward proposals that would require members to pay more for retirement/post-retirement benefits – these are inadequate solutions and our bargaining team is not accepting them.
State negotiators also countered our GSI proposal of 21 percent over three years with 6 percent over three years with the ability of the Department of Finance to postpone the final year of the GSI in case of an economic downturn.
“It was particularly offensive to have the State lecture our members at the table about the importance of sacrifice during a hypothetical economic downturn. Our members lost their homes, lived out of their cars, and are still pulling out of the chaos that the furloughs caused. We know sacrifice and we will not allow the State to balance the economic downturn by asking our members to put their entire economic future at risk while multi-billion dollar corporations continue to shirk their taxes and responsibilities to our communities.”
The state did respond to our proposal for 100% employer-paid healthcare premiums with a proposal that would provide all SEIU Local 1000 represented workers with a monthly stipend to cover the cost of our healthcare premiums starting in December of 2020 and expiring in 2023.
The state agreed with the goal of bringing all state workers up to $15 an hour, but countered our proposal with what they labeled a “Scheduled Wage Increase” and proposed a much slower time table for workers making under $15 an hour to reach the $15 threshold.
The Local 1000 bargaining team also reached tentative agreements on Merit Salary Adjustments, Flexible Work Hours and Alternate Work Schedules, Telecommute Telework Program, Emergency Evacuation Procedures and new language for our Special Schools Calendar contract provision. We were also able to TA over 20 roll-over provisions from the current contract.
The state’s counter proposals and rejections as they currently stand are unacceptable. Our bargaining team returns to the table today on Wednesday, August 21st.
Our bargaining team is counting on each of you to take action to put pressure on the state. Worksite actions are taking place all across the state today. Call CalHR and tell them that you expect that they respect our members and our bargaining team and put forward proposals that help us achieve our vision, and the Governor’s goal, of building a California for All.
The Local 1000 bargaining team returns to the master table on Wednesday, August 21st.