Highlights from Unit 17 Tentative Agreement
Early Saturday morning, the SEIU Local 1000 bargaining team
reached an overall Tentative Agreement with the State. If
ratified, the contract would significantly raise the wage floor
for tens of thousands of state workers. It represents the largest
three-year contract in Local 1000 history.
At the master table, we negotiated a retroactive pay raise for
all employees, won retroactive special salary adjustments for
more than 300 job classifications, maintained the health care
stipend with no expiration date, reduced the pre-retirement
(OPEB) funding, secured a health facility retention payment, and
added, changed, or preserved a number of skill-based
differentials, allowances, and other reimbursements that factor
into our state income. Our general salary increase, our wage
equity increase, and our unit-based Special Salary Adjustments
are retroactive to July 1, 2023.
Here are the highlights from the Unit 17 (Registered
Nurses) bargaining table:
14 different classifications in Unit 17 received pay increases of
5% (11.1.17 Special Salary Increases). These increases are on top
of the general salary increase, retroactive to July 1, 2023, and
pensionable.
You can read a complete list of classifications affected by these
increases here.
The educational differential for RN classifications increased by
$25, which means it went from $50 up to $75. (11.57.17)
The CDPH Health Facilities Evaluator Nurses LA County Travel
Incentive went from 80hrs/10 days down to 40hrs/5 days with a
travel incentive that went from $167 up to $250. (11.59.17)
Seniority differential!
Effective July 1, 2024, through July 1, 2026, multiple RN
classifications will receive a seniority differential as follows:
17-19 years of state service will receive 2% of their total
salary; 20+ years will receive 3% of their total salary.
Effective July 1, 2025, RNs with 17-19 years of state
service will receive 2% of their total salary; 20-22 years will
receive 3% of their total salary; 23+ years of state service
will receive 4% of their total salary.
Effective July 1, 2026, RNs with 17-19 years of state service
will receive 2% of their total salary; 20-22 years will receive
3% of their total salary; 23-24 years of state service will
receive 4% of the total salary; RNs with 25 years or more of
state service will receive 5% of their total salary.
We’ve made steps to standardize vacation scheduling at DVA and
CDCR/CCHCS. (8.26.17, 8.27.17)
With stronger language, we’re ensuring that safety orientation in
24-hour facilities happens within 45 days of hire and provided a
process to solve issues quickly, by meeting with management in a
Joint Labor Management Committee (JLMC). (10.5.17)
We’ve extended the availability of training in the prevention and
management of assaultive behavior or therapeutic strategies and
interventions to include CDCR/CCHCS. (10.19.17)
Overtime meals are now governed by stronger, expanded language
that offers more flexibility in usage and reimbursement for DVA
and CDCR/CCHCS. (12.9.17)
In ten different contract sections, we made great advances in
mandatory and voluntary overtime:
-
Greater transparency with a standardized mandate
list. Each facility will maintain a
universally-available list of impacted employees with dates of
last mandated shift. This system will provide a fair and open
process, to ensure that credit for working a mandated
shift is duly recorded.
-
Better protection for days off. We’ve
safeguarded against mandated shifts the day before any
pre-approved day off. You can’t be mandated to work overtime on
the last day of your regularly scheduled week, nor can you be
mandated to work the day before any pre-approved day off.
-
Stronger task force, early negotiations. This
is our biggest win – new language that creates a Joint
Labor-Management Task Force to create solutions for MOT, along
with implementation plans for those solutions. The task force
will meet every other month and issue a joint report to CalHR,
Department of Finance (DOF), and the department heads. Here’s
the kicker: this new agreement allows Local 1000 to re-open all
MOT-related contract article sections on or after July 1, 2025,
well before our next traditional round of contract bargaining.
It’s an unheard-of accomplishment by SEIU and gives us optimism
for future improvements.
This email summary shares highlights from the Unit 17 table; you
may have already received the email recap from the master table.
During the ratification process, you’ll be able read and learn
more detail about the Tentative Agreement. Besides email, we’ll be posting
information about our Tentative Agreement on our Contract Action
Center page.
What happens next?
To become a contract, our Tentative Agreement must go through a
number of steps in order to become law and the document that
governs our working relationship with the state. Those steps
include approval by the Statewide Bargaining Advisory Committee,
a ratification vote by Local 1000 membership, legislative
approval, and the Governor’s signature. Click here to read more about
what steps we’ll be taking.
New MOT deal reached after State said “no” a week
ago
Tentative agreements add
transparency, accountability, and a path to
improvement
One week after hearing from the State that they had “no interest”
in bargaining over mandatory overtime (MOT), our team pushed
back, and after a marathon 17-hour bargaining session, won three
big tentative agreements: fair scheduling, better protection of
days off, and a unique path to future negotiations.
“We ‘mandated’ this long bargaining session to underscore the
issues our members face,” said Vanessa Seastrong, Unit 17
Bargaining Chair. “Our team pressed the State for positive
change, and we won.”
Our tentative agreements, listed below, do not include a
reduction in mandated shifts. Here are highlights of the
important changes we achieved:
Greater transparency with a standardized mandate
list. Each facility will maintain a
universally-available list of impacted employees with dates of
last mandated shift. This system will help employees visualize a
fair and open approach to the MOT process. The new process
will allow members to ensure they receive credit for their MOT
shift and know where they are actually on the list.
Better protection for days off. We’ve
safeguarded against mandated shifts the day before any
pre-approved day off. The day before your pre-approved day off is
now considered your Friday because our contract states an
employee can’t be mandated on their RDO.
Stronger task force, early negotiations. This is
our biggest win – new language that creates a Joint Labor
Management Task Force to create solutions to MOT, along with
implementation plans for those solutions. The task force will
meet every other month and issue a joint report to CalHR and the
department heads with strategies to reduce MOT across all
affected departments. Here’s the kicker: this new agreement
allows Local 1000 to re-open all MOT-related contract articles on
or after July 1, 2025, well before our next traditional round of
contract bargaining. It’s an unheard-of accommodation by the
State and gives us optimism for future improvements.
Here are the contract sections we reached agreement on
(with changes as summarized above):
- 19.13.20 Overtime Mandatory Scheduling – Excluding CDCR LVNs
and CNAs (Unit 20)
- 19.14.20 Overtime Mandatory Scheduling – California
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and California
Correctional Health Care Services LVNs (Unit 20)
- 19.14.17 Overtime Mandatory Scheduling – California
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and California
Correctional Health Care Services (Unit 17)
- 19.15.17 Overtime Mandatory Scheduling (Excluding CDCR) (Unit
17)
- 19.15.20 Overtime Mandatory Scheduling – California
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and California
Correctional Health Care Services CNAs (Unit 20)
- 19.34 Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) -
Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and California Correctional
Health Care Services (CCHCS) Joint Labor Management Task Force
for the Strategic Reduction of Mandatory Overtime for RNs, LVNs,
CNAs, and MAs (Units 17 and 20)
- 19.36 Department of State Hospitals (DSH) Joint Labor
Management Task Force for the Strategic Reduction of Mandatory
Overtime for RNs and LVNs (Units 17 and 20)
- 19.37 California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet)
Joint Labor Management Task Force for the Strategic Reduction of
Mandatory Overtime for RNs, LVNs, and CNAs (Units 17 and 20)
- 19.38 Mandatory Overtime
Earlier this week, we also secured tentative agreement on
these two sections governing voluntary overtime.
- 19.22.20 – Overtime Voluntary Scheduling – California
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and California
Correctional Health Care Services LVNs (Unit 20)
- 19.23.20 – Overtime Voluntary Scheduling – California
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and California
Correctional Health Care Services CNAs (Unit 20)
You can read more about
these and all of our current contract sections in our online,
mobile-friendly search tool.
Unit-specific bargaining sessions are being scheduled on a
day-to-day basis. We’re scheduled to return to the master table
again on Thursday, August 10, and Friday, August 11. When
there’s activity at the table, we’ll email and post the results,
often on the same day. Click here to read all the recaps of
bargaining activity.
As Local 1000 works to bargain a successful contract, we’ve
escalated our actions to make our demand to be respected,
protected, and paid more visible – and more impactful.
On Wednesday, August 16, Local 1000 members are taking
emergency action to demand living wages.
It’s unacceptable that state employee wages are so low that we
can’t afford to live in California.
We provide the essential services that keep our state running. We
are not backing down until we win the livable wages our families
need.
Time is running out. The State of California must act now to pay
its essential state workers for the important work we
do. Join union members and community allies to demand
livable wages NOW.
When: Wednesday, August 16, 2023
Time: 12:00 Noon – 2:00 p.m. Lunch will
be provided.
Where: Capitol Annex Swing Space, 1021 O St,
Sacramento, CA 95814
REGISTER HERE.
Can’t join us in Sacramento? Check
here for other pickets and actions organized by members
across California.
Mandatory Overtime (MOT) Side Table Summary
8.1.23. State negotiators signal MOT is a preferred
staffing tool, reject improvements, and disrespect medical
staff
Today, State negotiators told us in the clearest possible terms
that they don’t care about the health care professionals we
represent; that the personal safety and work/life balance of the
LVNs, CNAs, and RNs isn’t a priority, nor is the quality of the
patient care they provide.
They told us that they have no interest in bargaining over
mandatory overtime, no interest in reducing the number of
mandated shifts, and no interest in finding real solutions to
this dangerous practice.
Why? Because, as the State’s lead negotiator said today, state
agencies like CDCR/CCHCS and DVA don’t want to make a change and
prefer to use mandatory overtime as a staffing tool. What’s
worse, that same lead negotiator claimed having the authority to
implement a reduction in MOT, and that it wasn’t a financial
decision. The departments believe reducing MOT to be too
difficult.
Eliminating MOT has been a hard-fought, six-year battle. We
reached agreement in 2019 negotiations for a joint task force to
find solutions, which included triggers that forced a reduction
in the number of mandated shifts management could impose.
Local 1000 did their share, creating solutions, participating in
pilot programs, and more. At every turn, our ideas were answered
with excuses or unwillingness. Our current contract called for
the participation of CalHR and the State’s Department of Finance,
which did not happen.
We entered this bargaining cycle with the goal of creating a
pathway to eliminating MOT. Today’s session was the third we’ve
had with the State on this subject. We’ve presented scores of
subject matter experts backed with compelling data. All to no
avail.
The State has rejected our every effort to reduce the number of
mandated shifts. The State is willing to keep the task force, but
as many times as Local 1000 has brought recommendations to the
table, the State has failed to implement them or bring
recommendations of their own.
It’s time for the nurses represented by Local 1000 to take
action. If the State won’t move, we can stand together and make
our demands to move them.
Here’s how you can take action:
We all know how dangerous mandatory overtime is for patients and
staff, but it’s important that management hears it from all of
us! Take 2 minutes and please call/email your Department Head and
urge them to support our proposal because we all benefit from a
safe working environment.
Use the list below to find who you should contact based on your
department worksite:
- Department of State Hospitals- Executive Director
- Department of Veteran Affairs- Director of Nursing
- Department of Developmental Services- Executive Director
- California Correctional Health Care Services/CDCR- Your
facility Chief Nurse Executive
***In order to make sure our message is heard, please
remember to be courteous and respectful!
Below is a simple script to use when making your calls or
emails:
“My name is _____, and I have been a nurse with the State of
California for ___ years. I love my job and take great pride in
quality patient care. My coworkers and I sacrificed our health
and the health of our families during the pandemic because we
knew our work was essential. However, we are now at a breaking
point. The high vacancy rate of nurses is putting us ALL at risk
once again. The shortage in nurses means we are regularly being
expected to work mandatory overtime. Mandatory overtime is unsafe
for patients and nurses. Please do the right thing and urge CalHR
to accept our proposal to reduce mandatory overtime for nurses
that work for the State of California.”
What’s next:
Unit-specific bargaining, along with negotiations at the master
table, are being scheduled on a day-to-day basis. When there’s
activity at the table, we’ll email and post the results, often on
the same day. Click here to
read all the recaps of bargaining activity.
Bargaining Unit 17 Recap: Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Today’s Unit 17 bargaining session was both brief and productive.
We reached a tentative agreement that protects previous
hard-fought language and exchanged and discussed two other
counterproposals.
With today’s tentative agreement on contract section 19.9.17, our
Registered Nurses maintain their rights to exchange hours of work
with other employees of the same classification at the workplace.
It’s a quality-of-life opportunity that our represented employees
will continue to enjoy.
Two other issues were discussed today: discussions are
back-and-forth on post-and-bid language for vacant positions at
DDS and DSH. And, we’re still pressing the State for agreement on
a new proposal to offer a seniority-based pay differential for
Unit 17 employees with significant tenure with the state.
Here are some things you need to know:
Where does bargaining go from here?
Watch this July 13 video message from Irene Green,
Local 1000 Vice President for Bargaining.
Unit-specific bargaining, along with negotiations at the master
table, are being scheduled on a day-to-day basis. When there’s
activity at the table, we’ll email and post the results, often on
the same day. Click here to
read all the recaps of bargaining activity.
What is the status of our contract?
As you know, we have not yet reached an overall tentative
agreement on a new contract with the State. Our rights are still
protected under the terms of our previous contract, which expired
on June 30. Please remember that the $260 health care stipend had
a June 30 sunset clause and will not be included in your August
paycheck. That issue is part of our current negotiations.
You can read about your
current contract rights in this mobile-friendly, searchable
database.
What actions can I take to win a good contract?
As the bargaining team works to achieve meaningful progress at
the table, it’s important that we keep our focus on Union
solidarity and strength building. In order for our demands to be
heard, SEIU Local 1000-represented employees need to stand
together. So, we encourage you to sign up for our next action on
July 25, 26, and 27 when we picket CalHR in Sacramento. Click
here
to register.
Stay informed with all
the bargaining news at our Contract Action Central web page
Bargaining Unit 17 Recap: Tuesday, July
11, 2023
Unit 17’s bargaining session today was marked by productive
discussion on a number of issues, capped by two tentative
agreements that ensure greater safety for our represented nurses.
Working in prisons with inmate patients always presents the risk
of dangerous interaction. These secure facilities require
thorough indoctrination and training, so much so that our
contract protects our right to receive such training.
Our wins featured added language to ensure the opportunity to
collaborate collectively with management regarding resolution of
issues pertaining to employee orientations. We reached agreement
on section 10.5.17 – Safety Orientation and 13.24.17 –
Orientation. Now, if management isn’t offering proper training,
the issue can be referred to a Joint Labor Management Committee
for solutions.
Also today, Unit 17 and the State exchanged a number of proposals
and counterproposals. We will continue our work to advance our
members and to resolve outstanding proposals, including those
affecting our pay, our working conditions, and our benefits.
As you know, we have not yet reached an overall tentative
agreement on a new contract with the State. Remember, our rights
are still protected under the terms of our previous contract,
which expired on June 30.
Unit-specific bargaining, along with negotiations at the master
table, are being scheduled on a day-to-day basis. When there’s
activity at the table, we’ll email and post the results, often on
the same day. Stay informed
with all the bargaining news at our Contract Action Central web
page.
Bargaining Unit 17 Recap: Thursday, July 6, 2023
The State returned to the table with Unit 17 on Thursday, July 6
to negotiate our contract. SEIU Local 1000’s bargaining team is
once again facing the same issue as in previous weeks: the
State’s position does not prioritize or consider the needs of
nurses who have worked through COVID and remain in incredibly
difficult situations.
SEIU Local 1000 presented the following proposals to the State’s
negotiating team today –
- 10.19.17 Prevention and Management of Assaultive Behavior or
Therapeutic Strategies and Interventions Training (Unit 17) –
SEIU offered a counter proposal for this article section to
strengthen the language for department equivalent training and
for Joint Labor Management Committees to help resolve training
issues at the departmental level
- 11.XXX.17 Seniority Differential (Unit 17) – SEIU presented
this new proposal to benefit BU 17 employees with a seniority pay
differential for their hard-earned years of state service
- 12.9.17 Overtime Meals Allowance (Unit 17) – SEIU presented
this article section with new language that mirrors the Master
table language that was passed to increase the meal allowance and
for automatic payment as opposed to using the CalATERS
system
The State offered counterproposals for the following articles
today –
- 13.24.17 Orientation (Unit 17) – the state rejected the
Union’s language and proposed new language of their own, which
the team will review and respond to accordingly
- 21.23.17 Recruitment and Retention (R&R) Committee (Unit
17) – the state proposed rollover for this article section
- Appendix 2.17 – FLSA Exempt Employee Differential (Unit 17) –
the state proposed a minor language change to this contract
appendix, which the team will review and respond to
accordingly
- Side Letter 16.17 – the state proposed that this Side Letter
go to the Master table, but then pulled it back for further
review after being educated on this Side letter by the BU 17
Chair
“Today seemed very rushed by the State,” said Unit 17 Chair
Vanessa Seastrong. “We only received three article sections, and
the State even retracted one from negotiations because they
believed it didn’t involve Unit 17 and wanted to send it to the
Master table.” The BU 17 Chair, Vanessa Seastrong,
had to educate the State’s chief negotiator that Side Letter
16.17 is a Unit 17 specific Side Letter.
This Side Letter (16.17) is an important piece of technical
language that maintains the rights we have in our contract in the
event of an oversight at the table. The language in this
Side Letter covers all the elements that may be left over after
bargaining. This is a routine piece of bargaining that we have as
a technicality to ensure that language remains in place even if
it’s not specifically bargained over either by oversight or any
other reason. “All bargaining units have shared language in Side
Letters,” said team member Shelia Coonan. “Every bargaining unit
has this language. Still, the State’s chief negotiator said it
didn’t pertain to us exclusively, which is untrue.”
“I don’t understand how they think this didn’t apply to us,” said
Coonan. “This shows a lack of care with how they’re approaching
our contract. They didn’t think they were meeting with us today,
resulting in a hurried, unprepared, and unfocused meeting that
does not reflect our member’s priorities or a serious approach to
negotiations.”
This is not bargaining as usual, but a reflection of a problem
created by the State’s bargaining team. After months of working
at a snail’s pace, ignoring our demands for the care and
attention our contract deserves, they are now surprised to
discover there is still a lot of work to do.
Of the three article sections that were discussed today, Unit 17
pushed the State’s team to consider the reality of the workplaces
under discussion. One article section under discussion, 10.19.17,
deals with assaultive training for departments.
“We need training for our departments to provide workplace
protections from assault. Our members need to be involved in
developing these programs because members are getting hurt in
their workplaces and need to be trained on the issues they
actually face,” said Bob Mutebi, Alternate Vice Chair.
The current trainings provided by the State are not sufficient to
address the existing problems. We need safer workplaces,
and we need every worker to go back to their families safe at the
end of their workday.
“What we have right now is a situation where the State finds or
invents a training which is not equivalent to the dangers we face
in the workplace,” said Seastrong. “Members have consistently
found these trainings inadequate.” Additionally, while on the
job, the State needs to ensure that during critical moments,
their workforce is provided the essentials they need to do their
job.
Article section 12.9.17, discussed at the table today, addresses
meal tickets for members working overtime. “Our members need
automatic meal tickets for overtime,” added Mutebi. “Currently,
there is a long process of application, which discourages nurses
and leads to them losing money while working. We also want to
increase the amount from $8 to $10, to better serve the nurses
who need to use these programs.”
Major issues that the State has long been aware of also need to
be addressed. Experienced nurses are leaving state service faster
than they can be replaced, creating critical shortages of workers
for many departments across the State. Article section 11.XXX.17
would help address these issues. “We are asking for longevity pay
for nurses who have worked over 16 years,” said Seastrong.
“Retaining nurses is absolutely crucial for maintaining the
quality of the services we provide.”
Retention is extremely challenging due to the difficult
conditions and poor support and low wages provided by the State.
This has led to overwork and degraded services across California.
“The current vacancy rates mean we need to have incentives in
place to keep experienced nurses on the floor,” said Mutebi.
“Other nurses will benefit from their experience, and patients as
well, since they maintain continuity of care.”
These proposals all reflect serious issues faced by nurses across
California. Without a dedicated partner at the table who will
confront these problems seriously, negotiations will continue to
reflect the scattered and unfocused approach of the State’s
bargaining team.
“A serious point of concern for me as the Vice Chair is
that the State negotiating team assigned to us has shown very
little or no commitment to adequately addressing the widely and
deeply felt concerns of RN’s,” said Unit 17 Vice Chair Mary
Naidoo. “Poor responses to issues we have brought forward are
evidence of poor research into issues raised. The State’s lack of
information to substantiate their rejections of our proposals is
a clear demonstration of how little the State values our health
and safety and how their lack of planning to address our
unsustainable workloads.”
As bargaining continues, nurses’ voices must be heard by the
State’s negotiating team. Members are creating mobilizing actions
across California, and Unit 17’s nurses demands must be taken
seriously.
“We need the State to work with us in achieving a contract which
will benefit all,” said Naidoo, “not only in our work environment
but to help nurses attain the work-life balance that we as
dedicated state workers deserve.”
Unit 17 will return to the table as needed to complete
negotiations on this contract for our members. To see updates on
other bargaining unit contract 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.
If you have questions about actions planed at your worksite,
contact the Member Resource Center (MRC) at 866.471.SEIU (7348),
Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Bargaining Unit 17 Recap: Wednesday,
July 5, 2023
The State returned to the table with SEIU Local 1000 on Tuesday,
June 27th to negotiate the contract that will impact
the lives of nurses across California. Once again, the State’s
bargaining team has failed to either negotiate or appreciate the
work done by the nurses who have kept California running for the
last 3 years.
The State returned the following proposals to the SEIU Local 1000
bargaining team:
- 8.28.17 Paid Education Leave (Unit 17) – the state proposed
new language specific to asking employees to provide proof of
dates of attendance for continuing education upon completion of
licensure coursework
- 8.29.17 Non-Paid Educational or Research Leave (Unit 17) –
the state proposed rollover
- 10.5.17 Safety Orientation (Unit 17) – the state proposed
rollover
- 11.3.17 Salary Definition (Unit 17) – the state proposed
updated language that the team will look into further with the
Research Dept. before responding with a counteroffer.
- 19.8.17 Flexible Work Hours and Alternate Work Schedules
(Unit 17) – the state proposed rollover
- 19.18.17 Rescinding Approved Time Off (Unit 17) – the state
proposed rollover
In response, we returned the following to the State:
- 20.7.17 Post and Bid Procedure for Vacant Positions – DDS &
DSH (Unit 17) – SEIU proposed new language for a 100% Post & Bid
process for Unit 17 employees to give them greater power and
opportunity in their schedules
- 20.9.17 Post and Bid Assignments by Seniority – CDCR (Unit
17) – SEIU proposed new language for a Continuous vacancy bid
process to allow for greater flexibility in assignment scheduling
The State’s proposal on Paid Education Leave was followed by an
insult directed at the nurses. “A State team member called our
nurses untrustworthy during negotiations. They claimed that
nurses are dishonest, and we took it as an insult,” said Unit 17
Chair Vanessa Seastrong. “We got very upset and vocal about this
in negotiations due to the unreasonable and unprofessional
remark. DSH wants to blame everybody within our unit for problems
they have no part in. They want to put limitations on nurses and
deny us this educational leave. It was very disturbing what she
said to us.”
The State makes it difficult for nurses to obtain Continuing
Educational Units (CEUs), which must be renewed by a board of
nursing every two years, by repeatedly denying requests for this
basic workplace requirement.
“The fundamental requirement of our job is licensure,” said Unit
17 Vice Chair Mary Naidoo. In an already difficult environment,
it is challenging to schedule time off. The State is trying
to put more barriers in place toward granting time off requests
by restricting how education leave is requested and used for
obtaining the required CEUs.”
“We proposed that the State automatically approve nurses to take
these educational courses after their third attempt,” said
Seastrong. “We need to keep our licenses to work in our
workplaces. We cannot be unreasonably and endlessly denied. All
nurses in the state of California — and across the nation — are
required to take continuing education classes. The state knows
this and yet they still put roadblocks between workers.”
These proposals represent a deepening of an existing issue in the
workplace that has created major complications for state nurses
to remain in their careers while faced with the rising costs of
living and being overworked.
While the State also countered us on several article sections,
offering rollovers of existing language and rejecting our
proposals, this bargaining session did not see any negotiation
from the State.
The State has continued to demand responses from the SEIU Local
1000 negotiating team but has consistently refused to discuss in
depth or seriously consider any proposal we make. This ongoing
empty promise to consider more material has led to a situation
where nurses’ voices are being shut down by the State. “The
State thus far has not come to the table to negotiate as they
have in the past,” said Seastrong.
“I’m very disappointed in the State’s constant rejections, and I
do not expect their position to change,” said Seastrong. “We have
proposed reasonable changes, but have seen no movement on the
salary and other major economic issues.”
If the state continues to be fixed in its positions, nurses will
need to express their rights in the workplace and amplify their
demands directly to the State in actions and events across the
state.
“Please continue to purple up on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to show
your support for your bargaining team, because we’re fighting for
a contract that the State does not want to give us,” said team
member Sheila Coonan.
“We need to escalate our actions, and we need every nurse
involved,” said Seastrong. “If you’re unsure of what’s going on
in your workplace or what actions to take, call the Member
Resource Center, and they’ll direct you to the right place.”
Unit 17 does not have a scheduled time as to when they will
return to the table. To see updates on other bargaining unit
contract 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.
If you have questions about actions planned at your worksite,
contact the Member Resource Center (MRC) at 866.471.SEIU (7348),
Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Bargaining Unit 17 Recap: Tuesday, June 20, 2023
Our Unit 17 bargaining team recorded progress on a number of
fronts for the Registered Nurses we represent; our session today
was fraught with disappointment as well.
“Overall, it was very disappointing,” said Vanessa Seastrong,
Unit 17 bargaining Chair. “The State’s not respecting us and acts
like it doesn’t want to pay us or to improve some critical areas
of our working conditions.”
In a number of contract sections we’ve presented, the State’s
pushing back on our attempt to strengthen language, instead
offering simple rollovers or, in some cases, takeaways in the
form of weaker provisions.
“We’ve done our homework, we’ve made thorough and thoughtful
presentations based on rigorous research, yet the State’s not
showing us the same care and collaboration in return,” said team
member Sheila Coonan. “It’s disrespectful.”
We’re still fighting for solutions to a long-standing problem
with mandatory overtime. Today, the State continued to kick the
can down the road by offering no movement, remaining passive on a
dangerous practice that’s unsafe and ignoring our work/life
balance.
“Every time, it’s like we’re explaining the problem for the first
time,” said Vice Chair Mary Naidoo. “The State’s talking in
circles, and it’s unclear what their priorities are. It’s not our
members, and it’s disgraceful behavior.”
Still on the table: economic proposals, which have been moved to
the master table, and Post and Bid proposals, which the State
keeps pushing back on.
On a positive note, we reached tentative agreement on the
following contract sections:
- 10.11.17 Hazardous Materials (Unit 17) – language changes
from both the Union and the State that were agreed upon
- 13.7.17 Performance Appraisal of Nursing Practices (Unit 17)
– rollover
- 13.11.17 Nursing and Upward Mobility Joint Labor Management
Committee (Unit 17) – rollover
- 11.2.17 School for the Deaf and Blind Pay Differential (Unit
17) – rollover
Here are the proposals we received from the State
today:
- 11.6.17 Overtime Checks (Unit 17) – The State rejected SEIU
Local 1000’s language changes and proposed rollover
- 19.14.17 Overtime Mandatory Scheduling – California
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and California
Correctional Health Care Services (Unit 17) – counterproposal
from State, which our team will review and follow up with the
State after a determination is made from team
- 19.15.17 Overtime Mandatory Scheduling (Excluding CDCR) (Unit
17) – counterproposal from State, which the team will review and
follow up with the State after a determination is made from
team
- 19.22.17 – Overtime Voluntary Scheduling – California
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and California
Correctional Health Care Services (Unit 17) – State proposed
rollover language but wanted to use SEIU Local 1000’s number
sequence (19.22.17)
- 19.23.17 – Overtime Voluntary Scheduling (Excluding CDCR)
(Unit 17) – State proposed rollover language but wanted to use
SEIU Local 1000’s number sequence (19.23.17)
- 20.9.17 Post and Bid Assignments by Seniority – CDCR (Unit
17) – State proposed rollover
The Unit 17 team made the following proposals to the
State:
- 13.7.17 Performance Appraisal of Nursing Practices (Unit 17)
– presented as rollover
- 13.11.17 Nursing and Upward Mobility Joint Labor Management
Committee (Unit 17) – presented as rollover
- 11.8.17 Night Shift and Weekend Differential (Unit 17) –
added new language to this proposal to afford nurses more pay
incentives to work nights and weekends
- 19.8.17 Flexible Work Hours and Alternate Work Schedules
(Unit 17) – added new language to this proposal for nurses to
take an annual survey to gage interest in working an alternate
work schedule to reduce mandatory overtime
You can read the details
of these and all current contract articles at
contract.seiu1000.org
“We still have a lot of ground to cover in a short time, and we
need our members to stand up and stand together to press the
State for progress,” added Chair Vanessa Seastrong. “Talk with
your coworkers, and your managers, and take part in the
activities organized by Local 1000’s Regional Organizing
Committee. We can’t win without everybody taking
responsibility and taking action.”
A bargaining session is planned for Thursday, June 22, to
continue work on mandatory overtime and other issues. Unit 17
also returns to the table next week, on Tuesday, June 27.
However, with just ten days remaining until our contract expires,
bargaining sessions could happen at any time.
To keep updated, and to see updates on other bargaining unit
contract 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 22
Rally at the Governor’s Office in Los Angeles here.
Bargaining Unit 17 Recap: Tuesday, June 13, 2023
The Unit 17 team returned to the table this week to continue
negotiations with the State’s bargaining team over the critical
issues that must be addressed in our next contract as we fight
for respect, protection, and pay for all.
With only two more days of regularly scheduled bargaining before
our contract expires, there are a number of article sections that
are being worked on currently.
In spite of the volume of article sections considered at the
table today, this does not solve the longstanding issues Unit 17
has with the State’s proposals during negotiations.
“We have 34 article sections still left open, and only two more
bargaining sessions to handle them in,” said Unit 17 Chair
Vanessa Seastrong. “We have not had any opportunity to negotiate,
discuss new language, or dig into any counterproposals. It feels
more like a delaying tactic rather than a negotiation strategy.”
These delays and lack of time to engage in negotiations while at
the table has created a backlog of articles that are crucial to
our members needs. Our team has highlighted these issues to the
State and continues to make these demands central at the table.
“The responses we received from our members at town halls and
surveys were clear,” said Alternate Vice Chair Bob Mutebi. “Our
members are asking to receive their pay in a timely manner, to
get rid of reimbursement, and to receive direct pay for the work
they do. The State has rejected two of our proposals (direct
payment of license renewal and NP furnishing renewal fees), which
we feel is disrespectful to our members. Their bureaucracy has
failed to address these needs already, and this failed system
should not be preserved by the State.”
In addition to language surrounding reimbursement, member
concerns on how the State will handle pandemic recovery are not
being addressed. “When they reject articles that would compensate
Unit 17 members for working during the pandemic,” said Alternate
Vice Chair Bob Mutebi., “it’s hard for us to see how we are being
respected at the table or in the workplace.”
“The State showed us complete disregard and disrespect with
reference to the article on safety orientation. They did not seem
to be concerned about the safety of nurses, patients, or staff,”
said Vice Chair Mary Naidoo”.
“Every nurse who walks into a workplace should be oriented into
their new position,” said Seastrong. “For them to reject this
outright shows they’re waiting for a catastrophic issue or a
lawsuit before they make the changes that keep us safe,” said
Sheila Coonan.
These issues are not just concerns to our members, but to the
communities they serve and the state itself, which is still
dealing with the ongoing vacancy crisis caused and exacerbated by
these policies.
“What will the State do when these nurses leave? This will make
our vacancy rates even worse and degrade services even further,”
said Seastrong. “Their biggest complaint is that they don’t have
enough staff. It’s no wonder they have these problems when they
consistently show their unwillingness to negotiate solutions that
respect and retain nurses.”
With so little time left before the contract expires, our
bargaining teams are holding strong and pushing for the State to
step up to its responsibilities, both to our members and the
people who depend on them.
“We are running out of time,” said Seastrong. “We’ve received
nothing but rollovers and rejections. They want to take more time
on the weekend, but they’re not using the allocated time for
negotiating a strong contract for our members.”
Below are the article sections referenced in more detail from the
bargaining recap above:
Today, the State reached a tentative agreement on the
following article sections:
- 8.24.17 DDS Vacation Scheduling: Three Vacation Period
Scheduling Method (Unit 17)
- 10.37.17 Wellness Programs (Unit 17) – rollover, no
language changes
- 19.26.17 Workweek Correctional Institutions (Unit 17)
- 20.6.17 Post and Bid Procedure for Vacant Registered Nurse
Positions – Veteran’s Homes (Unit 17)
- 20.8.17 Post and Bid Procedure CDCR/DJJ (Unit 17)
Additionally, Unit 17 made the following proposals to the
State today:
- 20.6.17 Post and Bid Procedure for Vacant Registered Nurse
Positions – Veteran’s Homes (Unit 17) – rollover, no language
changes
- 20.8.17 Post and Bid Procedure CDCR/DJJ (Unit 17) – rollover,
no language changes
- 8.27.17 CDCR – CCHCS Vacation Scheduling – Registered Nurses
(Unit 17) – new language to benefit nurses
- 20.7.17 Post and Bid Procedure for Vacant Positions – DDS &
DSH (Unit 17) – new language to benefit nurses
- 20.9.17 Post and Bid Assignments by Seniority – CDCR (Unit
17) – new language to benefit nurses
- 10.11.17 Hazardous Materials (Unit 17) – minor language
changes to keep up with current state policy
- 11.6.17 Overtime Checks (Unit 17) – counterproposal to
strengthen language
- 10.37.17 Wellness Programs (Unit 17) – rollover, no language
changes
- 8.26.17 Department of Veterans Affairs Vacation Scheduling
(Unit 17) – new language to mirror current department procedure
Finally, the State proposed the following responses to
the bargaining team:
- 11.6.17 Overtime Checks (Unit 17) – counterproposal to
strengthen language – State rejected language changes
- 13.11.17 Nursing and Upward Mobility Joint Labor Management
Committee (Unit 17) – State rejected language changes
- 8.25.17 DSH Vacation Scheduling (Unit 17) – countered with
new language to our rollover language
- 19.24.17 Floating (Unit 17) – countered with new language to
our rollover language
- 13.24.17 Orientation (Unit 17) – counter with rollover
language and rejected new language
- 19.1.17 Hours of Work (Unit 17) – submitted to SEIU
Local 1000 as rollover
- 10.19.17 Prevention and Management of Assaultive Behavior or
Therapeutic Strategies and Interventions Training (Unit 17) –
rejected some language changes, accepted some language changes,
and added some new language
- 12.18.17 License Renewal Fees (Unit 17) – submitted to SEIU
Local 1000 as rollover
- 12.21.17 Nurse Practitioner Furnishing Number Renewal Fees
(Unit 17) – submitted to SEIU Local 1000 as rollover
- 11.XX.17 Mental Health and Wellness Stipend 2023 (Unit 17) –
State rejected this proposal
- 12.X.17 Professional Clothing Allowance – State rejected this
proposal
Unit 17 returns to the table next week, on Tuesday, June 20. To
see updates on other bargaining unit contract 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 22
Rally at the Governor’s Office in Los Angeles here.
Bargaining Unit 17 Recap: Tuesday, June 6, 2023
As Unit 17 returned to the table once again to negotiate with the
State, our bargaining team is fighting to make nurses’ needs a
priority. We have addressed the issues that our members have
identified to get a contract that ensures the State respects us,
protects us, and pays us.
The State offered a counterproposal for the following contract
section:
- 8.26.17 Department of Veterans Affairs Vacation Scheduling
(Unit 17) – The State offered a counter with some additional
language which the team will review prior to offering a counter.
Additionally, the Unit 17 team reached a tentative agreement with
the State regarding the following rollover sections:
- 19.7.17 Report Preparation Time (Unit 17)
- 16.7.17 Continuation of Benefits (Unit 17)
Unit 17 offered the following proposals to the State today:
- 8.28.17 Paid Education Leave (Unit 17) – rollover language
- 12.21.17 Nurse Practitioner Furnishing Number Renewal Fees
(Unit 17) – new language
Unit 17 presented two proposals today that were financial in
nature, which specifically address direct payment for Nurse
Practitioners (NP) furnishing number renewal, and paid education
leave.
While we reached tentative agreements on two rollover sections
today, this does not represent real progress at the table.
“The State is not taking our proposals seriously, and this
shows when they come to the table unprepared to discuss the
contract issues vital to our members,” said Vanessa Seastrong,
Unit 17 Chair.
Bargaining requires a dialog at the table. When the State fails
to address the sections sent by the bargaining team, this
prevents dialog from being possible. While the team received one
counterproposal today, on DVA Vacation Scheduling, this does not
represent significant movement at the table.
“We feel disappointed and disrespected when we provide an
enormous amount of material for them to work with and
consistently receive very little in return,” said team member
Shelia Coonan.
Likewise, the two article sections TA’ed at the table today are a
fraction of what would be expected this late into the bargaining
cycle, with as much material as the State has been sent for
consideration already.
“We have already submitted 90% of the articles we want to discuss
at the table,” said Bob Mutebi, BU 17 Alternate Vice Chair. “We
want them to respect our member’s needs and, at minimum, move
these articles along. Things cannot continue at a snail’s pace.”
“With only three bargaining sessions remaining, time is of the
essence. The bargaining team is concerned that further delay will
prevent us from finishing all the work required by June 30th.
They think that these article sections can be handed to us all at
once to be taken or left at the table,” said Shelia Coonan, Unit
17 bargaining team member. This doesn’t allow for serious,
substantive discussion of our nurses’ issues.
“Even though California claims to be a progressive state, the
Unit 17 team is not observing this at the negotiating table due
to the very minimal response from the State team to our
proposals. This lack of response seriously affects the work/life
balance of our members,” said Vice Chair Mary Naidoo. The current
pace of negotiations is not sustainable for our nurses.
Unit 17 returns to the table next week, on Tuesday, June 13. To
see updates on other bargaining unit contract 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 22
Rally at the Governor’s Office in Los Angeles here.
Bargaining Unit 17 Recap: Tuesday, May 30, 2023
As Unit 17 returns to the table once again to negotiate with the
State, our bargaining team is fighting to solve the urgent
problems faced by Registered Nurses and make their needs a
priority at the table.
Unit 17’s bargaining session opened with a presentation from a
subject matter expert, Dr. Taffany Hwang, who presented the
troubling situation facing nurses in state service. Rising
separation rates, which have led to high vacancy rates are
crippling nurse’s ability to provide high-standard quality care
to California’s vulnerable population. Overworked, underpaid, and
undervalued, nurses are burnt out and need solutions
now.
“Our focus today was upward mobility and compensation, and we
have proposed major reforms,” said Vanessa Seastrong, Unit 17
Chair. “These issues have plagued nurses throughout the last
three years leading to separation rates above the national
average and crisis-level vacancy rates.”
The new language sections proposed today address some of the most
critical issues facing nurses.
Unit 17 proposed the following three sections of the new
language today:
- 11.X.17 Salary Adjustments (Unit 17)
- 11.17.17 Recruitment and Retention Differential (R&R)
(Unit 17)
- 13.11.17 Nursing and Upward Mobility Joint Labor Management
Committee (Unit 17)
Responding to the State’s concerns voiced at Mandatory Overtime
Committees last year, Unit 17 proposed language to automatically
implement a recruitment and retention differential of $800 for
any department that has a vacancy rate of 20% or greater.
“We believe this will help departments that are understaffed by
improving retention and compensating overworked nurses,” said
team member Sheila Coonan.
Unit 17 also proposed an article today that recognizes and
addresses the cost-of-living crisis impacting nurses.
“Nursing should be seen as an attractive position in state
service,” said Alternate Vice Chair Bob Mutebi. “We want the
state to show the value of these positions by raising salaries to
compete with private sector wages. Fair pay is vital to nurses,
leading to safer staffing and patient care.”
Unit 17 proposed a 15% salary adjustment, in addition to whatever
GSI is ultimately reached at the Master Table. The bargaining
team is continuing to focus on raising the wages of nurses who
have been underpaid and undervalued for far too long.
Implementing an upward mobility ladder would help retain
experienced nurses by giving them opportunities to advance within
Unit 17 and to mentor coworkers.
“Dr. Hwang did a very good job identifying the issues in upward
mobility in her classification, as a Nurse Consultant III,” said
team member Felicia Barbato. “In general, it’s hard for a lot of
nurses to have opportunities to advance in their classifications
without having to go into management or leave the state.”
While our Unit 17 bargaining team continues to negotiate with the
State, we continue to prioritize the demands voiced by registered
nurses at the table.
Today, the State reached a tentative agreement on the
following sections:
- 9.21.17 Reasonable Accommodation (Unit 17)
- 10.7.17 Protective Clothing and Equipment (Unit 17)
- 10.38.17 Rest Areas (Unit 17)
- 13.25.17 Mandatory Training (Unit 17)
- 19.6.17 Show Up Time (Unit 17)
- 19.16.17 Change in Shift Assignment (Unit 17)
- 19.17.17 Mixed Shift Work Weeks (Unit 17)
- 19.19.17 Work Week Group (WWG) Definitions (Unit 17)
- 21.19.17 Nursing Policy and Procedures Manual (Unit 17)
Additionally, Unit 17 received the State’s counter
proposal on the following section:
- 10.11.17 Hazardous Materials (Unit 17)
The State proposed one rollover section to the union at
today’s bargaining session:
- 10.37.17 Wellness Programs (Unit 17)
“In the next four sessions of bargaining, we hope to see
counterproposals offered and tentative agreements reached on our
outstanding article sections,” said Seastrong.
Unit 17 returns to the table next week, on Tuesday, June 6. To
see updates on other bargaining unit contract 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 17 Recap: Tuesday, May 23, 2023
While Unit 17 continues to negotiate with the State, our
bargaining team is making sure that the voices and needs of
Registered Nurses are a priority at the table.
Today’s bargaining session began with our Subject Matter Experts
(SMEs). Two nurse practitioners joined the bargaining team to
present the justification for their proposed 30-40% pay increase.
In addition, four rank-and-file Health Facilities Evaluator
Nurses (HFENs) from across the state provided background on the
work they do to serve the most vulnerable members of the public,
sharing heartfelt stories from their work experiences. They spoke
on the issues they face in their work environment, including a
23% vacancy rate, ongoing backlogs, and low salaries.
“Our members are passionate about these issues,” said bargaining
team member Sheila Coonan. “We want to voice their demands at the
bargaining table.”
The State needs to provide its Registered Nurses a livable wage.
Our proposals today address the financial gap experienced by
HFENs. HFENs from across the state are sent to Los Angeles to
help relieve the backlog. While there, they work alongside LA
County nurses in the same classification while making 30% less.
“Very rarely are HFENs in Los Angeles long enough to take
advantage of the travel incentive,” said bargaining team member
Felicia Barbato. “We have proposed expanding the verbiage so all
HFENs sent to LA will reap the benefits they’ve earned.”
Additionally, nurses required to wear professional attire have
never had a clothing allowance in spite of the financial
difficulties they have incurred.
“We are representing the state in our work environment, and we
need to be professionally dressed,” said Barbato. “The state
needs to provide a reasonable allowance for RNs to be prepared
for work.”
Nurse practitioners have not had a special salary adjustment
since 2006. Because of this, their wages are not comparable to
the private sector.
In order to make up all these differences in compensations across
these three classifications, BU 17 passed three financial
proposals today to the State:
- 11.1.17 – Special Salary Adjustments (Unit 17) – 30%
- 11.59.17 – Health Facilities Evaluator Nurse LA County Travel
Incentive –
California Department of Public Health (Unit 17) – $167 per day
- 12.X.17 – Professional Clothing Allowance (Unit 17) – $450
per year
The state offered Tentative Agreements for the following rollover
sections:
- 2.4.17 - Distribution of Union Information (Unit 17)
- 5.17.17 – Classification Recruitment and Retention Committee
(Unit 17)
- 14.20.17 – Classification Reviews (Unit 17)
Our team has made it very clear to the State that movement at the
table is crucial. “We are waiting for responses to a remaining 60
proposed article sections,” said Vanessa Seastrong, Unit 17
Chair. “These need to be addressed in the next 4 weeks of
bargaining.”
Unit 17 returns to the table next week, on Tuesday, May 30. To
see updates on other bargaining unit contract 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 17 Recap: Tuesday, May 16, 2023
As we enter another week of bargaining with the State for a
contract that respects, protects, and pays the workers who have
kept California running, our Bargaining Unit 17 team returned to
the table on May 16.
In spite of the number of articles that were considered today,
the pace of negotiations still must remain high to address all
sections that must be approved. “We will see movement forward if
the State will provide counter proposals for article sections we
have submitted, allowing negotiations to actually begin,” said BU
17 Chair Vanessa Seastrong.
Unit 17 proposed the following remaining rollover article
sections:
· 8.25.17 – DSH
Vacation Scheduling
· 13.18.17 -
Professional Practice Groups
· 21.19.17 -
Nursing Policy and Procedures Manual
· 21.20.17 -
Labor Management Committee – Nurse Utilization
· 21.21.17 -
Contract Violation Waiver
· 21.22.17 -
Licensure
· Appendix N –
1.17 – Departmental Approved Courses and Application Procedures
for Educational Differential
2.17 – FLSA Exempt Employee Differential
7.17 – Activation of Correctional Treatment Centers (CTCs)
16.17 – Side Letter
Unit 17 proposed new language for the following article sections:
· 8.26.17 -
Department of Veterans Affairs Vacation Scheduling
· 10.19.17 -
Prevention and Management of Assaultive Behavior or Therapeutic
Strategies and Interventions Training (PMAB/TSI)
DVA Vacation Scheduling is a section the Union and the State
worked on together back in 2021. During bargaining, the team
wants to make sure that the policy implemented last year for
vacation schedules is standardized throughout the department by
ensuring it becomes part of the contract.
“The problem we had with DVA was there was no standardized
process for vacation time,” said Sheila Coonan, DVA Redding. “We
met with the State and took the ideas we liked and collaborated
to build this policy that we implemented. Across the board,
everyone at my facility loved it. Nurses knew exactly what
vacation time they had when they walked out the door. It helped
solve issues of preferential treatment and confusion, creating a
fair and equitable standard for all DVA members across the
state.”
The bargaining team proposed new language to strengthen section
10.19.17 noted above so that our members can be trained and
educated in how to protect themselves from assaultive behaviors
which can happen in state facilities. “The PMAB training is part
of DVA and DDS where we are supposed to receive training every
two years. Prior to Covid, the last time it was offered in my
workplace was in 2018. We pushed on how important it is to add
DVA because this training must be introduced across the board for
any workers who face these situations”, said Sheila.
“Our new language proposal includes TSI training that should be
provided upon hire, as this secures the worksites of CDCR/CCHCS
and the safety of the nurses,” said BU 17 Alternate Vice Chair
Bob Mutebi. “We all expect to come back from our jobs in one
piece. But when the state neglects to provide us with this
training, it puts us all at risk.”
Finally, we reached tentative agreement with the State on the
following sections:
· 9.19.17 -
Light/Limited Duty Assignments
· 10.24.17 -
Immunization Against Diseases
· 10.25.17 -
Infectious Disease Control
· 10.35.17 -
Employee Self-Protection
· 13.18.17 -
Professional Practice Groups
· 13.26.17 -
Non-Mandatory Training
· 13.27.17 -
In-Service Training
· 21.20.17 -
Labor Management Committee – Nurse
Utilization
· 21.21.17 -
Contract Violation Waiver
· 21.22.17 -
Licensure
You can read the details
of these and all current contract articles at
contract.seiu1000.org
The team has made headway today with the State, reaching
tentative agreement on a number of important article sections.
“We informed them that we’ve provided all of our rollover
language and that we need some counter proposals on our future
article sections,” said team member Sheila Coonan. “We received
four more tentative agreements for rollover sections later in the
day, and we proposed two new language sections at the table after
lunch.”
Movement at the table is a good sign for the future of
negotiations, but the State still needs to provide counter
proposals or tentative agreements to these outstanding sections.
“Next week, I expect more rollovers to be returned,” said
Seastrong. “We need to receive counters so we can negotiate on
the articles that matter to our members. The ball is in their
court.”
Unit 17’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 Monday’s Bargaining Unit
11, 15, 20, and 21 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 17 & 20 Recap: Tuesday, May 9,
2023
Happy Nurses’ Week from your Bargaining Unit 17 (BU 17) and
Bargaining Unit 20 (BU 20) Bargaining Unit Negotiating Committees
(BUNC). While we celebrate the work nurses do across the country,
SEIU Local 1000-represented nurses went to the table on May 9 to
focus on Mandatory Overtime and Voluntary Overtime, which affect
our nurses statewide.
Of primary concern to almost all state nurses is the issue of
Mandatory Overtime (MOT). “This morning, BU 17 and 20 together
met with the State to pass our voluntary and mandatory overtime
article sections,” said Unit 17 Chair Vanessa Seastrong. “Today
at the table a large volume of new proposals were presented from
both bargaining teams to address these issues. We passed a total
of 10 proposals, 4 for Unit 17 and 6 for Unit 20,” said
Seastrong. “As we expected, the State received these MOT article
sections but didn’t ask many clarifying questions, and we are
still awaiting a counter proposal.”
BU 17 proposed the following article sections containing new
language regarding Mandatory Overtime (MOT):
- Article 19.14.17 – Overtime
Mandatory Scheduling – California Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation and California Correctional Health Care Services
(Unit 17)
- Article 19.15.17 – Overtime
Mandatory Scheduling (Excluding CDCR) (Unit 17)
- Article 19.22.17 – Overtime
Voluntary Scheduling – California Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation and California Correctional Health Care Services
(Unit 17)
- Article 19.23.17 – Overtime
Voluntary Scheduling (Excluding CDCR) (Unit 17)
BU 20 proposed these article sections addressing MOT for their
unit as well:
- Article 19.13.20 – Overtime
Mandatory Scheduling – Excluding CDCR LVNs and CNAs (Unit 20)
- Article 19.14.20 – Overtime
Mandatory Scheduling – California Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation and California Correctional Health Care Services
LVNs (Unit 20)
- Article 19.15.20 – Overtime
Mandatory Scheduling – California Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation and California Correctional Health Care Services
CNAs (Unit 20)
- Article 19.21.20 – Overtime
Voluntary Scheduling – Excluding CDCR LVNs and CNAs (Unit 20)
- Article 19.22.20 – Overtime
Voluntary Scheduling – California Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation and California Correctional Health Care Services
LVNs (Unit 20)
- Article 19.23.20 – Overtime
Voluntary Scheduling – California Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation and California Correctional Health Care Services
CNAs (Unit 20)
You can read the details
of these and all current contract articles at
contract.seiu1000.org
Currently, a holdover of less than two hours is not counted as
mandatory overtime. “This is an inconvenience and demoralizing
for many of our members,” said BU 17 Alternate Vice Chair Bob
Mutebi. “An hour means a lot of someone’s day. Our new proposal
is to have a holdover of one hour to be counted as MOT.”
These issues led to the team proposing a change to the existing
MOT language. “We proposed that the State reduce the number of
mandatory overtime shifts by one a year until we get to zero,”
said BU 20 Chair Heather Markovich. “We also proposed language to
strengthen the voluntary overtime process.”
Currently, BU 17 RNs can be mandated for two overtime shifts per
month, while BU 20 CNAs and LVNs have three. “We want to reduce
this down to 1 for RNs and 2 for LVNs and CNAs,” said Seastrong.
“We would continue to reduce MOT by one shift per year until 2025
when Unit 17 and 20 will both have zero.”
Other changes to the article sections strengthen contract
language so that our workers can take the shifts that they want
to work and gives state employees preference over external
registry. “We want the state to address these article sections,”
said Seastrong. “For the last three years, we’ve been in a
Mandatory Overtime Task Force, and nothing was done. Without
language to make them get this problem under control, we don’t
think this issue will be solved. The state has violated this
agreement in the past, so stronger language and protections are
needed.”
Another ongoing issue addressed during the joint session was
language proposed by the units that ensured that BU 17 and BU 20
nurses cannot be mandated into another bargaining unit position.
“Unit 17 and Unit 20 are being mandated into other BU positions.
“We are being used to plug gaps in the state’s workforce,” said
Mutebi.
“Today, state workers stood up and told the State that this
practice accounts for the huge turnover in the state’s
workforce,” said Mutebi. “This represents a huge disrespect for
our LVNs, who are forced to cover for workers making more money
when they themselves are not paid equally,” said Markovich.
To ensure that these protections are enforced, bargaining units
proposed language that includes penalties for the state when
these terms are violated. “We included in this proposal that when
mandatory overtime shifts are required of state workers after we
bring them down to zero, the state will have to pay a penalty of
double-time for any mandated shift,” said Markovich.
The two units worked together to present these major proposals to
the State. These issues have been ongoing for years while
managers have ignored the problem. By joining together, the two
units were able to support each other and provide insight to the
State regarding the impacts on nurses. “Mandatory overtime has a
huge impact on nursing staff, so we have to come together to
fight this issue, because it affects all of us, especially after
all of us were working mandatory overtime during COVID,” said BU
20 Vice Chair Sarah Cooper.
The fight for this important protection is on. “The nurses’
actions in the workplace are what brought the State to the table
on this issue in 2019,” said Seastrong. “We need to see that same
energy now to move the State to take our proposals seriously. We
need actions in the workplace so the State can see how bad the
nurses want mandatory overtime to go away.”
“In 24-hour facilities, there is no separation between these
units,” said Mutebi. “Neither of us can say our job is complete
without each other. When we come together at the table, it shows
the synergy of these two units fighting the injustices that the
state is trying to put on our membership.”
In addition to article sections passed during the joint session,
Unit 17 proposed the following rollover sections:
- Article 19.4.17 – Meal Periods
(Unit 17)
- Article 19.6.17 – Show Up Time
(Unit 17)
- Article 19.7.17 – Report
Preparation Time (Unit 17)
- Article 19.9.17 – Exchange of Days
Off (Unit 17)
- Article 19.16.17 – Change in Shift
Assignment (Unit 17)
- Article 19.17.17 – Mixed Shift Work
Weeks (Unit 17)
- Article 19.19.17 – Work Week Group
(WWG) Definitions (Unit 17)
- Article 19.24.17 – Floating (Unit
17)
- Article 19.25.17 – Travel Time
(Unit 17)
- Article 19.26.17 – Workweek
Correctional Institutions (Unit 17)
Finally, the State offered tentative agreements to the following
article sections.
- Article 8.13.17 – Court Appearances
and/or Subpoenas (Excludes Unit 17)
- Article 13.2.17 – Informal
Performance Discussions (Unit 17)
- Article 13.6.17 – Performance
Appraisal (Unit 17)
- Article 13.9.17 – Letters of
Instruction (LOI)/Work Improvement Discussion (WID) (Unit 17)
- Article 13.12.17 – Employment
Opportunities (Unit 17)
- Article 13.28.17 – Education and
Training Opportunities and Resources (Unit 17)
- Article 13.29.17 – Research
Projects (Unit 17)
- Article 14.4.17 – Duty
Statements/Post Orders and Work Instructions (Unit 17)
- Article 15.4.17 – Employee
Opportunity Transfer (Unit 17)
You can read the details
of these and all current contract articles at
contract.seiu1000.org
After their morning session bargaining alongside Unit 20, Unit 17
had an active day at the table, focusing on rollover language.
“It was a busy day on our end,” said Unit 17 Chair Vanessa
Seastrong.
“We have given the State 61 article sections of new language and
rollover, and we have only received 18 rollover back in total,”
said Seastrong. “While receiving the TAs today was a good sign,
the State still needs to start dealing with our new language and
not just rollover. We have a number of easy article sections with
simple changes that are still under review by the State.”
While the State moves through rollover language, SEIU Local 1000
members are ready to fight for a contract that represents the
needs identified in their bargaining surveys and Town Hall
meetings.
“We’re hoping that the State will come back and begin the
negotiations of bargaining, not just tentative agreements for
rollovers,” said Seastrong. “We want to get into the details of
language changes. We are focused on action to move the State.
Nurses are ready in workplaces across the state to take action to
support our bargaining team.”
Unit 17’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 Monday’s Bargaining Unit
11, 15, 20, and 21 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 17 Recap: Tuesday, May 2, 2023
We are entering our third week of bargaining with the State for a
contract that respects, protects, and pays the workers who have
kept California running. Our Unit 17 Bargaining Unit Negotiating
Committee, or BUNC, went to the table on May 2 to focus on ways
to keep our nurses safe and protected while on the job.
Our Unit 17 BUNC presented thirteen articles as “rollovers,”
signaling our desire that the existing language remains
unchanged, keeping in place the hard-won rights from previous
contract campaigns. The articles proposed for rollover are the
following:
- 13.2.17 - Informal Performance Discussion
- 13.9.17 – Letters of Instruction (LOI) /Work
Improvement Discussion (WID)
- 13.12.17 – Employment Opportunities
- 13.6.17 – Performance Appraisal
- 13.25.17 – Mandatory Training
- 13.26.17 – Non-Mandatory Training
- 13.27.17 – In-Service Training
- 13.28.17 – Education and Training Opportunities and Resources
- 13.29.17 – Research Projects
- 14.4.17 – Duty Statements / Post Orders, and Work
Instructions
- 14.20.17 – Classification Reviews
- 15.4.17 – Employees Opportunity Transfer
- 16.7.17 – Continuation of Benefits
Additionally, the State agreed to four of our articles, and thus,
a “tentative agreement” (TA) was reached on the following
articles that were rolled over in last week’s negotiations.
- 11.5.17 – Release of Paychecks – Night Shift or First Watch
- 12.6.17 – Alternate Transportation
- 12.10.17 – Replacement of Damaged Personal Clothing and/or
Articles
- 12.13.17 – Tools, Business Equipment, Materials, and Supplies
You can read the details
of these and all current contract articles at
contract.seiu1000.org
During today’s negotiations, the State requested evidence from a
subject matter expert on safety. The BUNC was able to bring
Charles Staubitz, an SEIU Local 1000 member working as a nurse
instructor at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, to
present on article 10.5.17 – Safety Orientation.
“It went very well,” said Vice Chair Mary Naidoo. “He made a
brilliant presentation to the State about the backlog in training
that has created enormous problems.”
Charles stood up for his coworkers and shared with the State the
actual training that workers currently get, which covers basic
elements of safety policies and procedures essential to doing
their job. This training, already part of our contract, is
essential to have before starting work in a correctional
facility.
“This article currently gives the state 45 days to provide safety
training to new employees. We have proposed that this training
occurs upon the hiring of the employees. Having a current backlog
of three months to one year is unacceptable. Our new members can
end up making mistakes that cost them their jobs and can be
catastrophic for the rest of us who work in institutions. One
mistake by anyone can lead to the death of any of us,” said
Alternate Vice Chair Bob Mutebi.
“We did not have as productive a day as we expected due to the
State’s delays and time management issues,” said BUNC member
Sheila Coonan. “These delays disrespect the time of the
bargaining team, especially when we have so little time to move
forward on these issues. We have more time-consuming articles
that both sides know will require considerable back-and-forth
discussion.”
“We have 8 more weeks to bargain before the deadline. With only
nine (9) TA’s so far out of our total 47 articles proposed, we
need the State to give us more. They’re moving at a snail’s
pace,” said Chair Vanessa Seastrong.
Unit 17’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 17 Recap: Tuesday, April 25,
2023
The registered nurses who work in California prisons, veterans’
homes, developmental centers, mental health hospitals,
Departments of Health Care Services and Public Health, special
schools, and other departments represented by Local
1000—Bargaining Unit 17—went to the table with the State on April
25th for the second week of negotiations on
unit-specific issues.
Our Unit 17 Bargaining Unit Negotiating Committee
(BUNC) presented eight articles as “rollovers,” signaling
our desire that the existing language remains unchanged, keeping
in place the hard-won rights from previous contract campaigns.
The rollover articles include the following provisions from
Articles 11 and 12:
- 11.2.17 – School for the Deaf and Blind Pay Differential
- 11.3.17 – Salary Definition
- 11.5.17 – Release of Paychecks – NOC Shift or First Watch
- 11.18.17 – Retirement Compensation
- 11.58.17 – Arduous Pay Differential
- 12.6.17 – Alternate Transportation
- 12.10.17 – Replacement of Damaged Personal Clothing and/or
Articles
- 12.13.17 -Tools, Business Equipment, Materials and Supplies
Additionally, this afternoon, the BUNC proposed new language in
the following four contract provisions with financial
implications to our members:
- 11.6.17 – Overtime Checks
- 11.56.17 – Registered Nurse Lead Differential
- 11.57.17 – Educational Differential
- 12.18.17 – License Renewal Fees
Finally, the State agreed to five rollover proposals, and thus, a
“tentative agreement” was reached on the following provisions:
- 10.10.17 – Medical Monitoring
- 10.15.17 – Personal Alarms: CDCR
- 10.16.17 – Alarm System: DDS and DSH
- 10.18.17 – Referral of Assault/Battery
- 10.36.17 – Incident Debriefing
The articles proposed today that have financial impacts for our
members represent an important response to a contentious issue
for BU 17 members. “We have issues at some of our worksites where
the state delays overtime paychecks up to a year, which is both
disrespectful to workers and impacts their pay,” said
BUNC Alternate Vice Chair Bob Mutebi. “The night
shift lead differential of $150 has been in place since 1999. In
spite of the changes over the years, the state is resistant to
adjust this to reflect inflation and cost of living changes.”
Additionally, the reimbursement of license renewals fees is often
delayed due to the CalATERS reimbursement process, which makes it
very difficult for our members to receive the money they are
owed. “We want to be reimbursed directly within 60 days of when
our licenses expire,” said Mutebi. “With the difficult procedure
we have now with CalATERS, many workers give up before the
process is completed.”
While this represents a large number of articles sent across the
table by the BUNC, the negotiating team has noticed a serious
issue with the State’s willingness to address critical issues to
our members. “We are not even negotiating on many of these
articles yet,” said BUNC 17 Chair Vanessa
Seastrong. “We gave them 16 articles for rollover last week, and
only received 5 back. This is a disturbing signal that it will
take a long time to get through our 92 articles that we need to
negotiate. We want to move through these minor issues as soon as
possible so we can get to the more meaningful issues that matter
to our members.”
Simple language changes proposed by the BUNC are under extensive
and unnecessary review by the State’s negotiators. While these
kinds of delays are not new, this particular State bargaining
team has worked with Unit 17 before and should have a thorough
understanding of which issues at play are critical and which are
procedural.
“We’re asking the State why they are so resistant to making
changes to language that deals with non-financial issues when
these are existing protections from earlier contracts, sometimes
for many years,” said Seastrong. “Moving past these items, while
they are important, would help both sides get to the meaningful
changes that we need for our members.”
Our negotiating team is interested in an equitable conversation,
not delays over minutia that wastes time and delays important
resolutions. “The state of California is supposed to be a
union-friendly, progressive state,” said BUNC 17 Vice Chair Mary
Naidoo. “We should not be experiencing these kinds of
difficulties with our process. The State had a whole week to
address articles for which they have never shown they have a
problem or made any statements that they had any concerns about.”
These concerns will influence our strategy going forward. “We are
going to be choosing our words carefully as we move forward so
that we can focus on the issues that matter most to our members:
respect in the workplace and equitable pay for all members,” said
BUNC 17 member Shelia Coonan.
As always, the State’s responses to bargaining are rooted in the
amount of pressure SEIU Local 1000 members apply when on the job.
“We are passionate at the table and can speak for what is
important to our members. We know the low salaries, high turnover
and backlogs are hurting our members and their families. We need
actions and noise at the workplace. We need noise. The
organized action and the noise in the workplace will support our
efforts at the table,” said BUNC member Felicia Barbato. “We
increase the pressure as the State feels the heat from members
statewide.”
Unit 17’s next meeting with the State to win a contract
that Respects Us, Protects Us, and Pays Us is set for May
2nd. To read about what happened in Monday’s
Bargaining Unit 11, 20, and 21 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 17 Recap: Tuesday, April 18,
2023
After kicking off bargaining for our “master table” session last
week, members across the state are making their voices heard as
we demand a strong contract that Respects, Protects, and Pays the
employees that kept California running for the last three years.
On April 18, Bargaining Unit 17 (BU 17), went to the table to
begin their unit-specific negotiations with the State. BU 17,
which represents registered nurses, is prepared for a long
negotiation to get members the pay and respect they have
demanded. Our negotiating team is using what they saw earlier in
the process to strategize on how best to move forward and
prioritize issues that members identified as important in town
halls, bargaining surveys, and worksite visits.
“We looked at each and every submission from our members,” said
Bob Mutebi, Bargaining Unit Negotiating Committee (BUNC)
Alternate Vice Chair for BU 17. “Each article was considered
based on this set of data, which determined what we would roll
over and what we would propose changes to.”
During Tuesday’s session, our team presented a number of contract
articles for “rollover,” a term used to describe parts of the
contract that don’t require negotiation this cycle. We rolled
over 16 articles Tuesday, with additional minor language changes
to 5 articles focused on health and safety concerns. Setting
these protections aside during bargaining ensures that we will be
able to address the ongoing issues without risking these
workplace protections crucial to medical and social services.
“The most important feedback we’ve received from Registered
Nurses statewide is work/life balance, scheduling, and salaries”,
stated Vanessa Seastrong, Unit 17 Chair.
BU 17 has the most individual articles of all the bargaining
units in the contract, with 92 articles whereas most other units
have 30 to 40, so negotiations will take longer to go through
each article. “Building our strategies around the responses from
CalHR allows us to be flexible,” said Seastrong. “These were
simple word changes, things that could be handled fairly easily,
and we are expecting to have a response from the State next
week.”
With this in mind, for upcoming sessions of bargaining, BU17 is
going to focus on a strategic approach to address salaries,
health, and safety, as well as recruitment and retention issues
that have plagued Registered Nurses.
“This is a long process. A lot of these issues are going to go
back and forth for a while,” said Felicia Barbato, an RN at the
California Department of Public Health for 11 years and a member
of the BUNC. “Our success at the table is dependent on the
strength and unity of our members.”
“Our members can and do bring the State to the table on issues
that are important to us. Members can support their bargaining
team at their worksites with Purple Up Wednesdays and by
attending events and participating in actions,” said Seastrong.”
Unit 17’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 Bargaining Unit
1, 3, and 4 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.