Last month, we brought you news of the tentative contract agreement SEIU Local 1000 secured covering and protecting the jobs of 95,000 California state workers, right as Gov. Schwarzenegger announced the elimination of up to 20,000 state jobs to bridge the state's $42 billion budget gap.
After nine months of intense bargaining, the tentative contract was put to a vote by all of Local 1000's members this weekend. In a decision that reflects California's tough economic conditions, members voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new contract that provides the strongest layoff protections state workers have ever had.
The contract includes a mix of gains and concessions, including a once-a-month floating furloughs day and a temporary 4.6 percent pay cut. This is just half the 9.2 percent cut from the twice-monthly furloughs imposed on 10 other state unions that don't have contracts.
"This agreement gives our members layoff protections at a time when California's unemployment rate is above 10 percent and the state's budget deficit continues to mount," said Local 1000 President Yvonne Walker. "There was just no room to even think about a pay increase," commented Margarita Maldonado, a 20-year state employee who was part of the union's bargaining team. "The best we could do is give our members some stability."
Since late February, there have been 555 union meetings where members discussed the agreement and voted, casting their ballots in person or by mail. The agreement, which must be approved by the state legislature and signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger in order to take full affect, was supported by 91 percent of voters. It covers 95,000 state workers, which is nearly half the state government workforce.
More details on the provisions of this contract listed after the fold, courtesy of www.seiu1000.org...
Here are some of the major provisions of the new agreement:
1. The agreement provides new guarantees that workers represented by Local 1000 can only be laid off when their departments are eliminated or when the entire office or facility where they work is shut down.
2. The new contract reduced the governor's demand for two unpaid furlough days per month, which equaled a 9.2 percent pay cut, to a temporary reduction of 4.6 percent. As part of the agreement, each worker accrues one personal day off per month that can be used similar to vacation time.
3. In another cost-saving feature of the agreement, Lincoln's Birthday and Columbus Day were traded for two personal holidays, which are similar to vacation days. State offices will be open for normal business and employees will no longer receive premium pay for working on those two days.
4. The agreement excludes sick leave from overtime calculations, but Local 1000-represented employees can still count all other leaves toward the 40 hours in one week that must be worked before overtime pay kicks in.
5. The agreement freezes employee contributions for health insurance at roughly 2008 levels though 2010.
6. The agreement includes a new career enhancement program with the state initially contributing $1 million.
