Unit 3 Bargaining Updates

Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Unit 3—representing Professional Educators and Librarians—continued its efforts today to demand the respect and the pay that’s due to our members. It’s a key theme we’re using to guide our negotiations with the State to raise the principles and practices that govern our work to the level enjoyed by the broader educational system across California.

“We are providing quality educational services and deserve the recognition that’s accorded other members of our profession,” said Bob Holtz, Unit 3 Bargaining Chair.

Our focus today was to provide a more appropriate salary for the Teacher Specialists we represent, who work in the state’s diagnostic centers providing services for some of the most under-served kids in the system who face the most significant educational and developmental challenges. We’re also asking for a salary schedule that offers a greater incentive for career longevity.

Today’s Subject Matter Expert (SME) was Heather DeFelice, a Teacher Specialist in the SoCal diagnostic center, who spoke about why a more competitive salary was reasonable to solve recruitment and retention issues for a job that demands five years of experience and two advanced degrees.

“The gap between the salary of Diagnostic Center Teacher Specialists and school district specialists has widened.  In general, we make less than the educators we support. Many of us have stayed because we believe in the mission, but we are paid more similarly to new graduates and now more of our teacher specialists are thinking about returning to neighboring school districts,” said Heather in her presentation to the State.  

Heather’s testimony was in support of Article 22 and our efforts to increase pay at Special Schools, and we’ve had a number of SMEs in to speak on the topic.

We continue to focus on reaching agreement on sections relating to our Unit 3 members’ hours of work and work assignments. Those discussions are moving forward, incrementally. We also received some counter proposals from the State on several additional proposals, which we’ll review.

Finally, we reached tentative agreement with the State on section 22.2.2 – Academic Year-Special Schools, which we proposed as a roll over to continue previous contract protections.

You can review each of our current contract articles online at contract.seiu1000.org

Unit 3’s next meeting with the State is scheduled for Tuesday, June 6. To read about what happened all of our bargaining efforts, please visit the Contract Action Center page at 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.

And be sure to save your spot for the upcoming June 8 March to the Governor’s mansion here.

https://secure.everyaction.com/DCclifXEAEyilCBI63-m9Q2

Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Unit 3’s bargaining team launched its efforts to secure recognition for the professionalism and commitment of its represented employees five weeks ago, promising a collaborative and responsive environment; today, the State responded and Unit 3 enjoyed one of its most productive sessions.

The State returned six counter offers to proposals we’ve presented in previous bargaining sessions, and we had a robust discussion to ascertain the State’s concerns while keeping the focus on our intent to protect our members.

At the core of the discussion were three key contract sections that speak to the heart of professional recognition of our Unit 3 workers:

• 19.1.3 – Hours of Work
• 21.25.3 – Work Assignment Notification
• 25.1.3 – CDCR, OCE 220 Day Academic Year Annual Modification

“Language and intent are important in these negotiations; too often, the lack of clear language finds different and often incorrect interpretations of our contract that create unnecessary stress and effort to fix, which takes us away from the job,” said Unit 3 Chair Bob Holtz.

The State tells us that “it’s being handled well,” yet we know differently. The State often uses confusing language to their advantage, and they resist our efforts to involve stakeholders in finding solutions.

“They don’t treat us as professionals; they don’t respect our FLSA-exempt status,” said Unit 3 team member Barbara Guzman. “We’re serious about every section of the contract, even rollover language because words and their interpretation matter.”

“A busy day at the table is a good sign,” said Holtz. “When we’re talking with the State, we’re making progress, incremental change.”

And, additional progress today: We reached tentative agreement with the State on two rollover sections, preserving two of our previous contract wins:

• 22.6.3 – Tenure, Special Schools
• 22.9.3 – Salary Schedule (State Special Schools and Diagnostic Centers) (Unit 3)

Unit 3 returns to the table next week, on Tuesday, May 30. To see updates on other bargaining sessions, please visit the Contract Action Center page at 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.

And be sure to save your spot for the upcoming June 8 March to the Governor’s mansion here.

Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Tuesday, May 16, 2023

It was a busy day at the Unit 3 bargaining table as we continue our work, demanding recognition for the quality of work and commitment of our Professional Educators and Librarians.

Local 1000’s represented employees provide vital service to many Californians, and today’s work at the table focused on lifting up our sisters and brothers at the California Special Schools. Put simply, their dedicated work changes the lives of those they serve in remarkable ways.

We utilize Subject Matter Experts to lift our represented employees off the page. Today, the State team was provided a deep look into the culture and climate of the Deaf community and the challenges they face.

Landen Gonzalez is a senior at the Fremont School for the Deaf and spoke about how his experience as a student is allowing him an opportunity to thrive, flourish, and develop as a whole person.

Ty Kovacs is a teacher in Fremont and spoke to the State about the gap between Deaf children who are able to experience the dual culture of hearing and hearing impaired. “I was able to live and learn American Sign Language and English at the same time, but I had peers who weren’t similarly exposed and suffered an isolating and often traumatic experience.”

“Lack of immersion in both cultures affects the social and emotional intelligence of students and parents alike,” added Kovacs. “Without a Deaf school, there’s no community, and we all lose.”

With that passionately delivered background, Unit 3 proposed a big economic package of contract sections from Article 22 – State Special Schools.

We’re demanding respect for our represented workers there. Teachers at Special Schools are paid $100 less, per day, than similar educators in state service. We identified the huge disparity of the cost of living between Fremont, Riverside, and other Diagnostic Centers, and proposed a solution. Here’s a more detailed examination:

We proposed new contract language in two sections, recognizing the contributions of our represented employees at the state’s Special Schools:

• X.X.3 State Special Schools Recruitment and Retention Differentials (Unit 3)
• XX.XX.3 Fremont School for the Deaf, Blind and Albany Rehabilitative Center Housing Allowance (Unit 3)

We proposed stronger contract language in the following contract sections:

• 22.1.3 Discipline and Discharge – Special Schools (Unit 3) 
• 22.2.3 Academic Year – Special Schools (Unit 3) 
• 22.3.3 Work Assignment Notification – Special Schools (Unit 3)
• 22.5.3 Extra Duty Assignment – Special Schools (Unit 3) 
• 22.10.3 Coaching Advisor Differential (Unit 3) 
• Unit 3 Teachers Salary Schedule California Schools for the Deaf and Blind Fremont and Riverside (Unit 3)

We proposed the following contract sections as “rollover,” preserving existing rights:

• 22.6.3 Tenure – Special Schools (Unit 3) 
• 22.9.3 Salary Schedule (State Special Schools and Diagnostic Centers) (Unit 3) with robust changes, an enhanced salary schedule that expands steps and ranges and respects time in service.

In other business, we reached tentative agreement with the State on three sections that continue our contract rights:

• 13.10.3 Education and Training (Unit 3) 
• 21.12.3 Student Discipline (Unit 3) 
• 21.13.3 Student Class Assignment (Unit 3) 

You can read the details of these and all current contract articles at contract.seiu1000.org

Unit 3’s next meeting with the State to win a contract that Respects Us, Protects Us, and Pays Us is set for May 23. To read about what happened in Tuesday’s other bargaining sessions, please visit the Contract Action Center page at 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.

And be sure to save your spot for the upcoming June 8 March to the Governor’s mansion here.

Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Tuesday, May 9, 2023

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week across the nation, and in today’s Unit 3 bargaining session, our Professional Educators and Librarians took a moment of privilege to celebrate by sharing personal stories of how teachers impacted their lives and encourage State negotiators to do the same.

Unit 3’s Sue Knapp is the daughter of a teacher who encouraged her students to explore and enjoy the power of curiosity. Bargaining Unit 3 Chair Bob Holtz built a home in high school and turned it into a career, and team member John Richards talked about how being an educator demands a mix of art and science and that’s how they all make a positive impact on their students.

Our bargaining team continued to press the State for advances in our contract that respect the professional experience and expertise our represented teachers and librarians bring to state service.

We reached agreement on four contract sections – each a step towards our demand for the state to Respect Us! These are “rollover” sections from previous contract wins, preserving our rights.

• Article 9.19.3 – Light/Limited Duty Assignments
• Article 10.19.3 – Positive Behavioral Support Training
• Article 19.19.3 – Work Week Group E or SE
• Article 21.15.3 – Off-Site Teacher Preparation Time

The seven contract articles listed below were proposed as “rollover” language; the State is reviewing them. Here, too, we’re working to preserve contract language already in existence.

• Article 11.19.3 Recruitment and Retention Differentials (Unit 3)    
• Article 13.10.3 Education and Training (Unit 3)
• Article 25.10.3 CDCR OCE 220 Day Academic Work Year 4/10/40
• Article 21.12.3 Student Discipline (Unit 3)                                        
• Article 21.13.3 Student Class Assignment (Unit 3)               
• Article 25.6.3 Personal Necessity Leave (Unit 3)
• Article 25.8.3 220 Day Academic Year (Unit 3)

You can review each of our current contract articles online at contract.seiu1000.org

A number of proposals are in play—our team and the State are going back and forth on a number of outstanding provisions. As with all our negotiations, we’re working collaboratively to find agreement that achieves the contract priorities of our members.

We look forward to an appearance next week by our Unit 3 brother Ty Kovacs, who works at the Fremont School for the Deaf, who will represent the state special schools as we discuss Article 22 with the State.

Unit 3’s next meeting with the State to win a contract that Respects Us, Protects Us, and Pays Us is set for May 16. To read about what happened in Tuesday’s other bargaining sessions, please visit the Contract Action Center page at 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

Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Tuesday, May 2, 2023

Our Unit 3 Bargaining Team completed its third week of unit-specific negotiations on behalf of our Professional Educators and Librarians, making what the team is calling “one-sided progress.”

“Each week, we’re coming to the table ready to move the relationship between employee and employer forward, to secure both recognition and reward for Unit 3 … but the State isn’t fully engaging with us,” said Unit 3 Chair Bob Holtz. “It seems like there are no decision makers present at our sessions.”

Only one tentative agreement was reached today, article 13.6.3, which governs performance appraisals. Our team has a backlog of proposals already presented which the State hasn’t responded to.

Forging ahead, our team proposed to “rollover” (preserve current contract language) the following four articles:

• 9.19.13 Light Limited Duty
• 10.19.3 Positive Behavior Support Unit 3
• 19.19.3 Work Week Group E or SE (Unit 3)
• 21.15.3 Off-Site Teacher Preparation Time (Unit 3)

We proposed language changes for the following articles:

• 8.28.3 Education Leave (Unit 3) – expands eligibility for educational leave to all Unit 3 represented employees
• 21.25.3 Work Assignment Notification (Unit 3) – provides for more consistent communication in line with best practices of the educational community
• 25.7.3 Credits for Salary Advancement (Unit 3) – allows employees greater planning and control of their individual development programs and career improvement

You can review each of our current contract articles online at contract.seiu1000.org

Unit 3’s next meeting with the State to win a contract that Respects Us, Protects Us, and Pays Us is set for May 9. To read about what happened in Tuesday’s other bargaining sessions, please visit the Contract Action Center page at 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

Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Tuesday, April 25, 2023

In their second week of unit-specific negotiations, the Unit 3 Bargaining Team met with the State today to move items that demand additional respect for the professional status of the Professional Educators and Librarians we represent, along with economic improvements.

Key among today’s proposals was a modification of Article 25.13.3 – which governs salaries of Academic Teachers and Vocational Instructors at CDCR. Our proposed changes include a single salary schedule that doesn’t differentiate between institutions in the “north” and “south” of the state; and inclusion of prison librarians on the same schedule.

“These changes are our demand for professional respect,” said Bob Holtz, Unit 3 Chair. “Whether it’s lifting up librarians, having the vocational instructors recognized for their experience, or paying a classification the same wage regardless of where the work is performed. This, too, will help to alleviate the recruitment and retention problems we face.”

Proposed changes in two more contract articles further respect and reinforce the professional status of the Unit 3 employees:

• Article 25.2.3 – CDCR, OCE Additional Instructional Assignments 
• Article 19.1.3 – Hours of Work

“Here, our demand is that we are recognized as exempt employees; that our 8-hour days/40-hour weeks, and our job descriptions are our ‘work product’ and that managers and supervisors can’t make additional assignments without additional pay for that work,” explained Holtz.

The team also worked to strengthen and streamline the language in two articles that govern the review process (Articles 21.16.3 and 13.6.3).

Unit 3’s team reached tentative agreement with the State on three existing contract articles that preserve our hard-earned rights.

• Article 15.4.3 – Employee Opportunity Transfer
• Article 25.9.3 – Teacher Service Credit
• Article 21.17.3 -Recognition of Authorship 

You can review each of our current contract articles online at contract.seiu1000.org

Unit 3’s next meeting with the State to win a contract that Respects Us, Protects Us, and Pays Us is set for May 2. To read about what happened in Tuesday’s other bargaining sessions, please visit the Contract Action Center page at 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.

Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Our Unit 3 Bargaining Team—representing Professional Educators and Librarians—met with the State today in their first, unit-specific negotiations.

“Today, we set the table for a contract campaign that is responsive to what our members told us in Town Halls and through bargaining surveys,” said Bob Holtz, Unit 3 Bargaining Chair. “We are working to build consensus on what’s good for us and the State, and we’ll do that through collaboration and collegiality throughout the process.”

“We have a mutual goal of a well-prepared, well-trained, and dedicated workforce,” Holtz added. “Now it’s time for the State to recognize us with improvements in pay and in working conditions.”

Key among the day’s efforts was a presentation for a new language that strengthens our ability to model our academic calendar after “best practices” seen in other parts of the educational community—the top priority reported by our Unit 3 members.

We also “rolled over” (maintained current language) on the article that governs the operation of a Joint Labor Management Committee, ensuring that Unit 3 has a seat at the table to improve working conditions in between contract bargaining cycles.

In all, three contract articles were proposed as rollovers, maintaining our hard-fought rights won in previous negotiations: 

• Article 5.19.3 – Bargaining Unit 3 Classification and Compensation Committee
• Article 15.4.3 – Employee Opportunity Transfer
• Article 25.9.3 – Teacher Service Credit

Five contract articles presented today contained proposed changes in language to provide greater health and well-being for our members by providing better access to and use of leaves.

• Article 8.21.3 – 9-12, 10-12, and 11-12 Leave
• Article 25.1.3 – DCR, OCE 220 Day Academic Year Annual Modification 
• Article 25.3.3 – Educational Leave
• Article 25.4.3 – Holidays (CDCR/OCE)
• Article 25.5.3 – Vacation/Annual Leave

You can review each of our current contract articles online at contract.seiu1000.org

Unit 3’s next meeting with the State to win a contract that Respects Us, Protects Us, and Pays Us is set for April 25. To read about what happened in Tuesday’s other bargaining sessions, please visit the Contract Action Center page at 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.