Contract Enforcement – Protecting our Hard-Earned Rights

Our contract contains hundreds of hard-earned provisions that govern our pay and our working conditions. When management fails to comply with the terms of our contract language, our members, our union stewards, and our Union Resource Center join forces to ensure our rights.

WIN – Improper application of leave time

One of our union stewards working at CDPH in Sacramento was recently told to log off teleworking several hours before the end of a scheduled shift because the department’s remote access system was down and there was no more remote work available.

The department wanted to charge our member vacation leave for the “inactive” time. Our Union Resource Center (URC) contracted CDPH’s Labor Relations Officer to ensure our steward and other similarly affected employees be paid ATO for the period of inactivity due to remote system issues.

Afterward, CDPH complied, leaving the vacation leave balances of our steward and other members intact.

WIN – Out-of-Class Grievance

Earlier this year, one of our members reached out to the URC for assistance in filing an Out-of-Class grievance, claiming to have been working at the Information Technology Associate level for nearly three years.

Our member prepared a desk audit and provided all documents relevant to the claim.  While the claim was researched, our member was placed in a TND assignment as an IT Associate.

Ultimately, the department agreed with our member, winning them not only back pay at the higher rate but a formal experience credit memo in their personnel file.

WIN – COVID-related use of leave credits

When one of our members working “behind the wall” at a Central Valley CDCR location was screened for COVID symptoms before entering work, he was informed he was symptomatic and told to return home and stay home until he could provide coronavirus test results—positive or negative.

Our member complied, took the test (negative), and when he returned to work the department told him he would have to use leave credits because he would not be paid for the time off.

Our URC representative filed a grievance, which was quickly settled—our member was paid for the time off, which had been mandated by a CDCR employee.

It pays to know your rights! Our new contract is available in digital form online and is fully searchable via your phone or laptop. Find it at contract.seiu1000.org