Unit 15: Allied Service Workers
Unit 15
Allied Service Workers
Unit 15 includes civil service custodians who clean various state buildings, laundry workers, supervising cooks, and food services workers in the prisons and other state institutions.
FTB Notice of Update to Remote Work Plan
Phase 2 Meet and Confer
On Thursday, September 9, 2021, our Union met with the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) to meet and confer on FTB’s notice of Phase 2 of the Updated Remote Work Plan. Phase 2 is presently set to begin November 1, 2021, and will bring employees who are currently teleworking one hundred percent (100%) of the time into the office an equivalent of twenty percent (20%) of their time or equivalent to one day a week.
Department of State Hospitals Health and Safety Committee Survey
Every DSH facility is entitled to have a Health and Safety Committee, according to our MOU (contract), Section 10.2. Because of this, members of our Union are working hard to ensure Health and Safety Committees exist and are successful at each facility.
Department of State Hospitals (DSH)
Meet & Confer update
On Wednesday, June 23, 2021, SEIU Local 1000 met with the Department of State Hospitals (DSH) to meet and discuss over the status and future of Health and Safety Committees at all five facilities, per Section 10.2 of the MOU. At this meeting, member leaders represented all the DSH facilities, except for Atascadero. Positive steps were taken and will continue in order to ensure success for Health and Safety Committees at each facility to appropriately address concerns collaboratively with management and all staff unions.
Update: State Fund JLMC
On March 29, 2021, our Union met with the State Compensation Insurance Fund (State Fund) management team. The JLMC resumed meeting to discuss the recent member-only work-life balance survey many of you participated in.
The survey results were generally positive, but members did respond with concerns about feeling overwhelmed at times and the challenges of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
Some of the major details from the JLMC discussion include:
Department of State Hospitals (DSH)
Meet & Confer update
On Tuesday, May 4, 2021, SEIU Local 1000 met with the Department of State Hospitals (DSH) to meet and confer over DSH’s application for a permanent exemption to the California Standards for Workplace Violence Prevention in Healthcare, which mandates guidelines for reporting to the Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) regarding workplace violence incidences.
Caltrans District 4 Layoffs
Update as of April 20, 2021
Last week, we met with Caltrans and CalHR for the first time regarding the Caltrans District 4 Toll Collectors and Custodians Layoffs. We confirmed that all permanent employees impacted were given SROA status and that CalHR will be working with Caltrans to set up individual options meetings very soon.
CDCR CCHCS Entrance Screening Process
Update
On February 4, 2021, our Union met with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS) to meet and confer over the implementation of the institutional entrance screening policy at each institution throughout the state.
Update on SCIF Performance Appraisal
On August 12, 2020, our Union met with the State Compensation Insurance Fund (State Fund) to continue discussing the planned update of the Performance Appraisal process within the department. State Fund plans to remove the three tier rating system of inconsistent, successful, and exceptional from annual performance appraisals and instead rely on a process where management regularly communicates performance expectations and concerns to employees throughout the year.
Some of the major details from the negotiations include:
Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
Temperature Screening
On September 15, 2020, our Union met with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to discuss the Field Office Temperature Screening Expansion implementation within DMV field offices throughout the state.
As part of the effort by the DMV to actively manage the spread and containment of COVID-19 in accordance with CDC and CDPH guidance, the Field Operations Division (FOD) will implement employee and customer focused screening protocols which will include a health questionnaire and temperature screening.
Bilingual Differential Increase Implementation
For the first time in 42 years, we were able to increase the Bilingual Pay Differential to $200/month. This comes after 20 years of fighting for an increase including a joint task force and hundreds of members telling their story. We have been fighting for the implementation of
Bargaining Unit 15 – DGS Custodians
FAQs
SEIU Local 1000 Bargaining Unit 15 has been in communication with the Department of General Services (DGS) to understand the department’s policies in response to the Corvid-19 crisis and its impact on our Custodian workforce. Please check out the information below for the most recent information from DGS.
BU 15 – Update on Food Service Task Force
Food Service Task Force focuses on key issues
Update as of March, 17, 2020
On March 11, 2020, the Unit 15 Food Service Workers team launched their Task Force meetings with the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).
The team was led by Maria Patterson, Chair of Bargaining Unit 15 and Garth Underwood, Vice-Chair of Bargaining Unit 15, as well as Kevin Quaife, Correctional Supervising Cook (CSC) from California Correctional Center and Susanna Redfearn, CSC from Avenal State Prison.
Unit 15 Bargaining Update for Wednesday, August 21st, 2019
Unit 15 Scores Big Win on Overtime Distribution
Our Unit 15 bargaining team culminated another successful negotiating session with the state by reaching agreement on overtime distribution language for members working at California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).
“We fought hard and won language that makes the distribution of overtime more fair and transparent,” said Garth Underwood, a member of the Unit 15 team. “At the same time, we’re ensuring the well-being of workers at CDCR by strengthening language on overtime shifts.”
Today’s tentative agreement (TA) includes the following provisions:
Unit 15 Bargaining Update for Friday, August 9th, 2019
Unit 15 Gains Rights that Improve Personal Safety and Protect Personal Time.
Friday’s Unit 15 bargaining session saw advances in our contract language that benefit the welfare of our members on the job and in their personal lives via safety, and the time off we all use to keep a work/life balance.
“We’re delivering tentative agreements that respond to issues our Unit 15 members raised at town halls and in bargaining surveys,” said Lisa Bocast, a member of the Unit 15 bargaining team.
Unit 15 signed a total of four tentative agreements (TAs) Friday:
Unit 15 Bargaining Update for Wednesday, August 7th, 2019
Unit 15 Continues to Press the State for Advances on Safety, Overtime Provisions
Our Unit 15 bargaining team was back at the table today in an effort to finalize two key issues of importance to our represented members: a safe working environment and equitable working conditions.
Unit 15 Bargaining Update for August 2, 2019
Unit 15 Works to Make Advances in Safety and Working Conditions
Our Unit 15 bargaining team met with the state on Friday and continued to make progress on issues identified by the Allied Service Workers they represent.
Unit 15 Bargaining Update for Thursday, July 25, 2019
Unit 15 Fights to Improve Work/Life Balance with Stronger Overtime Language
Our Unit 15 bargaining team returned to negotiations with the state today in an effort to ensure that the state’s custodians, food service workers, cooks, laundry workers and security guards can enjoy a better work/life balance through more carefully defined and improved overtime distribution provisions for additional work that’s either mandated or voluntary.
Our Fight Begins Now for a California for All!
A Message from President Walker
Yesterday, July 18, 2019, our Local 1000 bargaining team brought to the table proposals that addressed four of the most important issues identified by our members: health care, housing, transportation justice and a livable wage. Listen to President Yvonne R. Walker explain how the fight begins now for a California for All!
Unit 15 Bargaining Update for Monday, July 15, 2019
Worker safety, uniform allowances and differential pay lead today’s Unit 15 bargaining
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:
Unit 15 Bargaining Update for Monday, July 8
Classification Salary Increases Proposed
Our Unit 15 bargaining team met with state negotiators for the first time today, representing the interests of the nearly 4,500 Allied Service Workers we represent.
The team shared their diverse backgrounds and deep job experience with the state’s negotiators, spotlighting the work they do for Californians and their vision of a California for All.
GeoPay Task Force Presents and Releases Report
Our fight for economic justice continues as we set the stage for contract negotiations.
On February 27, our GeoPay Task Force presented the acting director of CalHR and a team of state representatives with an in-depth report recommending solutions to the economic challenges many state workers face caused by the high cost of living in the communities they live and work in throughout the state of California.
We Protect Your Hard-Earned Union Rights and Benefits
Contract enforcement wins back pay awards
When management fails to respect our contract, to recognize the work we do and the fair compensation we deserve, we protect our members with professional representation and deliver results.
Unit 1: Member wins out-of-class grievance
DJJ Cellsense Meet and Confer
On August 7th, 2018, our union met with the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Department of Juvenile Justice (CDCR DJJ) to discuss the implementation of the Cellsense Contraband Detector program within the DJJ Facilities in the state.
EDD Fingerprint and Background Checks
Due to new IRS rules regarding fingerprinting and background checks, the Employment Development Department (EDD) implemented new policies impacting about 5500+ of our members. Local 1000 met multiple times with EDD and the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) to ensure the implementation was not overly broad and did not impact any of our members unnecessarily.
Some of the major results of our team’s negotiations include the following:
New bargaining team members elected as work begins on 2020 contract negotiations
We're building member power to leverage a great contract.
More than 150 newly-elected and returning bargaining representatives, members of the Statewide Bargaining Advisory Committee (SBAC), came together on July 14-15, taking important steps on the road to contract negotiations that will begin next year.
Also elected was the 58-member Bargaining Unit Negotiating Committee (BUNC)—representatives from each of the nine bargaining units in Local 1000—the bargaining team responsible for negotiating our new contract.
Unit 15 Upward Mobility Task Force Meeting
On June 15, 2018, the Bargaining Unit 15 Upward Mobility Task Force met with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and the Employment Development Department (EDD) to discuss the departments’ upward mobility programs for Unit 15 employees.
Garth Underwood, a Correctional Supervising Cook (CSC) in CDCR led the team with support from Eric Murray, CSC in CDCR, Ellis Washington, Custodian in EDD, Eric Colón, CSC in CDCR and Maria Patterson, Chair of Unit 15.
Unit 15 Statewide Food Service Workers Task Force
On June 8, 2018, the Unit 15 Food Service Workers team launched their Task Force meetings with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), the California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA).
PROVIDING OUR MEMBERS WITH UPWARD MOBILITY
New slots open up in IT Apprenticeship Program
Professional development and upward mobility are key priorities for our union, and our members, and an innovative new Information Technology (IT) Apprenticeship Program offers Sacramento-area members an opportunity to improve their state careers.
Custodian Task Force Targets Better Working Conditions
Our Unit 15 members are launching a Custodian Task Force to improve working conditions and secure the proper equipment and chemicals to do their jobs.
The Task Force is just one of the wins our Unit 15 Bargaining Team achieved during the last round of contract negotiations. Custodians in four different state agencies— Department of General Services (DGS), Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), Department of State Hospitals (DSH) and the California Prison Industry Authority (CalPIA)—will participate in and benefit from the effort.
Pay raises in effect
2016 was a historic year for our members, our union and all Californians. We came together to fight for a contract we can all be proud of and nearly went on strike for the first time in 44 years.
As a result, we won the largest labor contract ever negotiated with the state, and we did it by standing together in our union. You can view our contract here.
Starting August 1, we’re receiving our first paycheck reflecting our 4% general salary increase—one of the many outcomes that we won in contract negotiations.
DDS Developmental Center Retention Stipend Agreement Overview
Highlights:
- Effective date: July 1, 2016
- Amount: Up to $6,000
- $250 is accrued for all employees that meet the criteria each full quarter during the fiscal year 2016/2017
- $500 is accrued for all employees that meet the criteria each full quarter effective July 1, 2017 until separation from DDS.
- Payout:
- There will be two payouts of the retention stipend:
- January 2018 or the first month following the 50% decr
- There will be two payouts of the retention stipend:
“Lift and Shift” Bargaining Update for June 5
SEIU Local 1000 Met with the State to Negotiate Impacts of the “Lift and Shift” on the Psychiatric Programs at Vacaville, Stockton and Salinas
On June 5, 2017, SEIU Local 1000 met with representatives from the Department of State Hospitals (DSH), California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS), California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) to negotiate the impacts of the transfer of the Psychiatric Programs from DSH to CDCR and CCHCS at Salinas Valley State Prison – Salinas, California Medical Facilit
Bargaining News for Friday, October 14
State shows a lack of movement as we return to the table - Our actions will make the difference for a contract we can be proud of
Our bargaining team met with the state for the first time in three months and ended the week frustrated by a continued lack of movement by the state on key issues.
Earlier in the week, our team presented eye-opening information illustrating the gender pay gap in state civil service. Our union is 66% women and 34% men. The seven unions the state has reached agreement with, overwhelmingly comprised of men, are paid a staggering 43% more than Local 1000 members.
Collective power delivers results
Union clout fixes delays in SSSB claims
Local 1000 leveraged our collective power to get relief for members at the State Special Schools who were struggling with delays in State Special Schools Benefit (SSSB) funds. SSSB funds are a type of unemployment benefit for employees of the State Special Schools run by the California Department of Education (CDE).
Local 1000 members and staff met several times over the past eight months with department representatives. The union forced management to identify what was causing delays and to find ways to minimize those delays.
Members will make the difference
President Walker announces 2016 contract campaign focus: take action
Local 1000 has launched its 2016 contract campaign with these words from President Yvonne R. Walker: “Our contract will be about the strength and the power of our members to win something amazing.”
Speaking to members statewide on a conference call for Local 1000 stewards and hundreds more who heard the call at listening parties, Walker looked forward to the upcoming negotiations feeling confident about the preparation that’s gone before.
Local 1000 makes continued progress on Unit 15 Upward Mobility
September 24 meeting identifies resources and sets goals
The Unit 15 Upward Mobility Team met September 24 with the state’s representatives to discuss Upward Mobility programs. Jesse Aranda (DSH) led the table, alongside Garth Underwood (CDCR), Shavone Brown (DGS), Ellis Washington (EDD) and Contract Department staff.
The union and the state continued to identify existing state resources for Upward Mobility programs in DSH, DGS, EDD, CDCR and DDS. The Union and the state agreed to produce a comprehensive toolkit that pulls together the resources and information that the team has identified during these meetings.
Members organizing for respect
Unit 15 movement for dignity takes root at Napa State Hospital
The movement for dignity and solidarity in Bargaining Unit 15 is growing at Napa State Hospital. A large worksite action organized by custodians there is calling public attention to unsafe conditions and forcing management to the table to address a variety of worker concerns.
Organizing for dignity
Custodians at Yountville ignite movement for respect in Unit 15
Organizing by our members at the Yountville Veteran’s Home is changing a culture of disrespect and abuse there and sending a message to other worksites in Bargaining Unit 15 that solidarity works and that we are always stronger together.
Members push for upward mobility in Unit 15
JLMCs mark progress at multiple departments
On July 23, the Unit 15 Upward Mobility Team met with the state’s representatives in a Joint Labor Management Committee (JLMC) as part of a continuing dialogue about gaps in the various departments’ upward mobility programs.
Along with Chair Jesse Aranda (DSH), the team is comprised of Garth Underwood (CDCR), Shavone Brown (DGS) and Ellis Washington (EDD), as well as staff from Local 1000’s contract department.
Progress on Unit 15 upward mobility
Unit 15 JLMC makes progress on upward mobility for members
On May 27th, the Unit 15 Statewide Upward Mobility Team met with representatives from DSH, EDD, CDCR and DDS to continue working on improving members’ access to the state’s upward mobility resources. The team included Jesse Aranda (DSH), Garth Underwood (CDCR), Shavone Brown (DGS), Rueben Cooley Jr. (CDCR), Ellis Washington (EDD) and Contract Department staff.
Unit 15 arbitration win reinforces members right to wear hats at DGS
Custodians pushed back against arbitrary uniform restriction
Unit 15 custodians are wearing hats again at three state office buildings after an arbitrator ruled a DGS “no-hat” directive “overly broad and unreasonable.”
CSC task force begins constructive talks with CDCR over recruitment and retention
The Correctional Supervising Cooks (CSC) task force met with CDCR management on April 17, 2015, to discuss the persistent problems around retention and recruitment of that classification. The meeting was very fruitful and both sides offered potential solutions to stabilize the classification and reduce the statewide vacancy problems.
DGS Steward speaks out for Raising the Wage
Alfredo Cortez is a custodian and steward at DGS in San Diego. On April 15, he took a stand in solidarity with all workers when he participated in the National Day of Action for $15 and a Union because, as he says, “Under $15 an hour is never a living wage in the city of San Diego.”
Bargaining team preparing for the future
Working to build power for 2016 negotiations
Building power in the community, facing challenges and developing union leaders were key themes of last week’s meeting of the Statewide Bargaining Advisory Council (SBAC) in Southern California.
Nearly 200 elected bargaining representatives from up and down California—including the 60-plus members who negotiate our contract with the state—meet three times each year to develop strategies for bargaining and to understand and respond to issues that affect our lives at work and at home.
Local 1000 Wins Across-The-Board Bonuses at SCIF
Union pushes back against
two-tiered award system
Thanks to an agreement negotiated by Local 1000, nearly all represented workers at the State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF) will receive a 2.4 percent performance award this year. Announced on February 20, the annual award will go to everyone who is qualified to receive it.
Unit 15 Task Force Seeks to Hire and Retain Talent
After years of experiencing high turnover rates in CDCR’s Correctional Supervising Cook (CSC) classification and losing talented workers to other professions, members in Unit 15 have reached an agreement with CDCR to address the turnover issue.
Supervising cooks in facilities across the state launched a task force in December and will meet with CDCR management four times over the next 12 months. These meetings will be an opportunity for the CSC Task Force to present proposals aimed at promoting the hiring and retention of skilled and experienced CSCs.
DGS Washes its Dirty Laundry
Local 1000 wins settlement for DGS custodians
More than two hundred custodians working in the Department of General Services (DGS) will each receive $300 in a settlement that represents a victory for Unit 15 workers who are required to wear a uniform at work. The settlement covers “laundering and associated expenses” after several DGS custodians in southern California filed grievances complaining that the uniforms that they were handing over to the department for washing were coming back dingy and soiled. The cost of rewashing their uniforms –at home–began to add up.
CCHCS Layoff Update
Team reaches agreement with the state to reduce impact of Phase 3 Staff Reductions
On September 23, 2014, the Local 1000 negotiating team came to an agreement with CalHR and California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS) regarding the 2014 Phase 3 Staff Reductions. Some of the highlights of the agreement include:
CCHCS layoffs: what you need to know
California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS) has mailed more than 600 State Restriction of Appointment (SROA) letters to Local 1000 members in seven of our nine bargaining units in anticipation of just over 200 planned layoffs scheduled to occur on December 1, 2015.
The majority of the layoffs affect bargaining units 17 and 20; the other affected bargaining units are 1, 3, 4, 11, and 15.
Local 1000 signs first tentative agreement impacting all employees
Local 1000’s bargaining team signed the first tentative agreement of our new contract at the master table today, one that provides a huge advance in our fight against outsourcing.
New safety program for Napa State Hospital
Local 1000 fights to protect our members and sees results
A new Injury and Illness Prevention Program – developed with input from Local 1000 – will roll out over the next year at Napa State Hospital (NSH). Designed to improve the safety and well-being of NSH employees, the new program features education and training, risk assessments, safety inspections, comprehensive reporting and an emergency response and action plan.
Unit 15 2014 Timebooks on the way
It is that time of the year again! The Unit 15 2014 Timebooks (pocket calendars) are in production and will be mailed to the DBURs (district bargaining unit representatves) or a key leader/activist at your worksite very soon. Be sure to look out for them in the next couple of weeks.