After more than nine months of hard-fought negotiations during dismal economic times, California's largest employee union SEIU Local 1000 has reached a tentative agreement with the state early on a new contract covering 95,000 state workers.
"More than 65 elected negotiators from our nine bargaining units fought hard to beat back the governor's excessive demands," said Local 1000 President Yvonne Walker. "We had to wage battles in the Legislature, the media and at the bargaining table to reach a contract agreement given the worsening economy. This tentative agreement increases job security for our members, provides savings for the state and improves conditions for every state employee represented by Local 1000."
"As with all of the decisions being made around state finances, there are sacrifices on all sides. In the end, the Governor made concessions he did not want to make and so did we," Walker added.
This tentative agreement for California state workers comes just as the Schwarzenegger administration announces the elimination of 20,000 state jobs in corrections, health and human services and other agencies employed by general funds. Although Gov. Schwarzenegger warned lawmakers of these cuts last week, he put off sending notices of layoffs for thousands of state workers when it appeared imminent lawmakers would pass a compromise plan to close the state's $42 billion shortfall. But after marathon weekend sessions failed to yield the one vote needed to end California's budget stalemate, the Governor made good on his threat today. (The Sacramento Bee's State Worker blog provides a copy of the "surplus notice" individual CA state departments sent out to their least senior employees today).
In a state with skyrocketing home foreclosures and levels of joblessness that exceed 9 percent, the news of more unemployment set to hit California adds yet another layer to the state's budget woes. The silver lining for the CA state employees represented by SEIU: these workers will not be subject to the layoffs, under the terms of the Local 1000 tentative agreement reached on Saturday.
Major provisions of the contract include:
- The governor's furlough demand is reduced from two days to eight hours.
- Layoff protections are greatly expanded for all employees.
- State contributions for health insurance premiums are increased.
- Two personal holidays are added in exchange for Lincoln's Birthday and Columbus Day no longer being paid holidays.
- Continuing education and career development is expanded.
- The tentative agreement also improves language or preserves victories from previous contracts on more than 350 separate issues.
The settlement awaits ratification by the union's elected 250-member State Bargaining Advisory Council. It will then be put to a vote by all of SEIU Local 1000's members. The agreement must also be approved by the state Legislature and signed by the governor. Ratification ballots will be mailed to all members' homes and informational and meetings will be held at worksite throughout the state during the balloting process.
* Watch the Channel 1000 news wire for breaking news updates and details of Local 1000's tentative agreement: http://www.channel1000.org/
* Read press coverage from LA Times and AP.
More details on the provisions of this contract listed after the fold, courtesy of www.seiu1000.org...
Governor emboldened by court's ruling upholding unpaid furloughs
Reducing furloughs was a key demand of Local 1000 negotiators, in light of the court ruling upholding the governor's right to furlough state employees. Late last month a California Superior Court ruled that the governor could unilaterally impose furloughs during a fiscal emergency and his negotiators insisted that any furlough agreement include employees in departments of all statewide elected officials.
Layoffs only when departments eliminated or when entire offices closed
Layoffs, under terms of the tentative agreement, are limited to when a department is eliminated or when entire facilities or offices are closed. The layoff guarantee protects employees against continued fiscal cuts to state programs and is the strongest layoff protections in the history of collective bargaining for California state employees.
Two holidays exchanged for two paid personal holidays
Local 1000 negotiators won two personal holidays in exchange for elimination of Lincoln's Birthday and Columbus Day holidays. Fed by public pressure against state employees, elimination of the February and October holidays was a priority for the governor. The personal holidays, which are much like vacation days, will allow employees more flexibility in planning time off. The new provision gives the state the right to keep state offices and facilities open without paying premium pay.
Most employee health insurance contributions frozen at 2008 levels, Unit 3 80/20 formula established
The governor's negotiators agreed to a Local 1000 proposal increasing the state's contributions for health insurance premiums. The new contract language is retroactive to January 30, 2009 and means the state will pick up most increases in employee contributions for health insurance premiums through 2010. In addition, language that gives Bargaining Unit 3 educators the 80/20 healthcare formula in line with other Local 1000 members.
Professional development program to start with $1 million
Anticipating the need to train workers as the state faces large-scale retirement in its workforce, the tentative agreement sets aside $1 million for career enhancement. A Joint Labor-Management Trust will be created that will fund continuing education and professional development for Local 1000-represented employees.
Limits placed on overtime calculations
Another priority for Gov. Schwarzenegger was the elimination of all leave in the calculation of overtime. Local 1000 negotiators were able to limit this reduction; under terms of the tentative agreement employees who use a sick day cannot receive overtime in the same week until they have worked a full 40 hours, but all other leaves will continue to be counted in overtime calculations.
Travel per diem increased, state housing rates frozen
Other gains in the tentative agreement include an increase in business travel per diem from $40 to $55 for meals and incidentals, a two-year freeze on the rental rates for employees living in state-owned housing as a condition of their employment.
"Throughout these negotiations we had to overcome anti-public employee sentiment over our benefits as the economy worsened and private sector layoffs mounted," said Cindie Fonseca, Bargaining Unit 3 chair. "We were able to prevent the governor from implementing drastic cuts in our members' pay, benefits and job security and still preserve a number of key benefits and protections our members have fought so hard to win in previous contracts."
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