Following months of intense contract negotiations, SEIU Local 1000 members voted overwhelmingly today to ratify the new tentative agreement reached with California Governor Schwarzenegger's bargaining team last month.
The new contract protects more than 95% of the hard-won benefits and employee rights from the union's expired contract. It also...
* Avoids three-days-per month furloughs for at least one year
* Blocks the imposition of minimum wage and
* Saves the state of California more than $400 million annually.
"I'm proud that our members chose the stability of this contract over the uncertainty we would have faced had we not ratified it," said SEIU Local 1000 President Yvonne Walker.
"We've done our part to get the state through this unprecedented budget crisis. This is the worst recession in more than eight decades and our members stepped up and made temporary sacrifices to help California and keep CalPERS strong. But through this agreement, we are ensuring our long-term security."
The new contract will take effect immediately. More details about the contract here (PDF). More about ballot security from www.seiu1000.org here.
