Unit 15 Bargaining Update for Monday, July 15, 2019
Worker safety, uniform allowances and differential pay lead today’s Unit 15 bargaining

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Our Unit 15 bargaining team—representing 4,500 Allied Service Workers—returned to negotiations with the state with a focus on improving uniform allowances, worker safety, differential pay and working conditions.

Our Unit 15 bargaining team presented proposals to the state that would:

  • Increase the uniform allowances for Unit 15 employees from $500 to $1000, increase the shoe allowance from $100 to $200, and align the annual payment date for uniforms to September 1—the same date as shoe allowances. New language in this proposal clarified implementation to ensure that all departments disbursed and taxed uniform and shoe allowances in a like fashion.
  • Enhance the safety of Unit 15 employees working in 24-hour facilities at CDCR by offering the option of a two-way radio in addition to often-unreliable personal alarms.
  • Increase the nighttime differential from $.50 per hour to 10% of their hourly wage, and expand the time eligible for the differential to be paid from 6:00pm – 6:00am to 5:00pm – 6:00pm.
  • Expand the language governing eligibility for custodial uniforms to include DVA, DDS and EDD and to bring it in line with what’s being done at DGS in order to have the same opportunities across each of those departments.
  • Extend existing vacation scheduling procedures to include new departments.
  • Strengthen language governing one statewide Unit 15 Task Force and two Joint Labor Management Committees by adding DVA and CalHR to the list of participating agencies and enforcing their participation. These three statewide committees are working to improve working conditions for Food Service Workers and Custodians and upward mobility for all Unit 15 employees.

In addition, our Unit 15 team presented 23 “roll over” proposals that would preserve existing contract language, including the big 2016 contract win that provides a Post and Bid system for scheduling Unit 15 work shifts.

“Fair wages, appropriate reimbursement and the safety of our Unit 15 brothers and sisters is an essential part of a contract that reflects union values and a California for All,” said Lisa Bocast, a member of the bargaining team who works in Redding at DVA.

The Unit 15 bargaining team returns to the table next week on July 25. The team will continue to address unit-specific issues that were brought forth during the bargaining town halls and from the bargaining surveys.