NEWS

State Offers Rank-and-File SEIU Employees a 12 Percent Raise Over 4 Years

As of July 19, 2016, the Administration was in the midst of contract negotiations with 16 out of the 21 bargaining units throughout California after most state employee contracts expired on or around July 1.

SEIU Local 1000 is currently in the process of negotiating contracts with the state over 6 different bargaining units. In a document dated July 8, the state offered SEIU rank-and-file employees a 12 percent general salary increase spread out over 4 years. However, the offer would also require a 3.5 percent increase in contributions towards prefunding retirement health benefits over that time period.

Some other details of the state’s offer to SEIU-represented employees are:

• The state would not be able to require furloughs in the first year, but count in subsequent years.
• An 80-hour annual cash-out would be added to vacation and annual leave benefits.
• In addition to the general salary increase, two dozen classifications would get additional raises, the largest going to Unit 1 Actuary Series (10 %) and Licensed Vocational Nurses in Unit 20 (11.5%).

On July 30, 2016, SEIU Local 1000 released a newsletter stating that the talks had come to a crossroads and they “feel that the state’s offer does not meet the priorities [the members] shared [with the state] through town halls and bargaining surveys.” SEIU Local officials did not respond for comment.

According to Ted Toppin, Lobbyist and ACSS Legislative Correspondent, “The statutory provisions of the budget extend the 2016 pay raises – and the prefunding retiree health schedules – extend to the state supervisors and managers who are linked with the rank and file employees of each bargaining unit”.

>> Click here to read more in the article from the SacBee.

Travel Reimbursement Rate Increases for Excluded Employees

Effective July 1, 2016, the Department of Human Resources (CalHR) has increased official state travel lodging and private aircraft reimbursement rates for all Excluded employees. Click here to read the details of PML 2016-020.

ACSS Holds Board Meeting in Sacramento, Swears in New Chapter Officers

ACSS President Frank Ruffino swears in Elena Yuasa (Chapter 513 President, on left) and Dionne Faulk (Chapter 511 Secretary-Treasurer, middle) to their new positions as ACSS Chapter Officers.

On July 23, 2016, ACSS held a Board Meeting in Sacramento. The Board moved motions to appoint a select number of Chapter Officers in some ACSS Chapters where there were vacancies. The new officers present at the meeting were sworn into office.

Chapter 504
    - Vice President – Kimisha Hall

Chapter 505
   - Secretary-Treasurer – Joseph Abhulimen

Chapter 511
   - Chapter President – Angel Ramsey
   - Vice President – Joseph Aiu
   - Secretary Treasurer – Dionne Faulk*

Chapter 513
   - Chapter President – Elena Yuasa*
   - Vice President – Alberto Covarrubias

*Sworn in at the Board Meeting.

In other business conducted at the meeting, the Political Action Committee (PAC) reviewed the results of the 2016 California Primary Election, held in June, and also recommended the Board approve additional candidates for endorsement. The Board approved the motion and ACSS now additionally endorses the following Legislative candidates:

• AD 04 – Cecelia Aguiar-Curry (D)
• AD 39 – Raul Bocanegra (D)
• AD 48 – Blanca Rubio (D)
• AD 66 – Al Muratsuchi (D)
• SD 03 – Bill Dodd (D)
• SD 07 – Steve Glazer (D)
• SD 09 – Nancy Skinner (D)
• SD 27 – Henry Stern (D)

The PAC Committee also presented information on a few propositions that will be appearing on the 2016 November ballot. Of these, ACSS discussed at length Prop 55 (The School Funding and Budget Stability Act of 2016). Prop 55 is a Prop 30 renewal that proposes to extend the tax increases for wealthy taxpayers and allocates those funds to public schools where school boards decide how the revenues are to be spent.

The next ACSS Board meeting is scheduled for September 30 – October 1, 2016.

Visit the Newly Redesigned Political Program Section of the ACSS Website!

Take a peek at the new Political Program pages of the ACSS website.  In addition to the usual list of endorsed candidates and lobby day information, we have added the following:

• Political News - News from the blog related to ACSS political events, news, and activities.
• Legislative News - News from the blog related to legislative activity.
• Legislative Report - A thorough report where you can see which bills ACSS sponsors, opposes and watches.
• Photos and slideshows of ACSS involved in political and legislative activities.

Let us know what you think! Email communications@acss.org with comments or questions. 

Maintenance Workers Reject Pay Increase - Dissatisfaction Over Hefty Prefunding

On July 7, 2016, Bargaining Unit 12 Maintenance Workers (rank-and-file) rejected a pay increase agreement and authorized a strike. While the agreement proposes a ten percent increase in pay through 2019, it also requires employees to pay nearly half of the increase back toward retiree health benefits.  At this time, the impact on excluded employees (managers and supervisors) is unknown. For now, BU12 and the Employer go back to the bargaining table to discuss how much state employees should contribute to retiree health benefits.

 >>Read the full SacBee article for details...

CalHR Releases Pay Letter for BU9 and BU10 Salary Increases

CalHR released the official pay letter (PL1613) that details a 5% salary increase for managerial, supervisory and other excluded classes related to Bargaining Units 9 and 10. Effective July 1, 2016, all employees in classes/ranges M09, S09, E48, E59, M10, S10 and E59 shall receive the 5 percent increase.

The pay letter also provides documentation for pay differentials in Bargaining Unit 6.

>> Download PL1613

General Salary Increases for Bargaining Units 7, 9 & 10

Cal HR provided information to ACSS regarding pay increases for excluded employees associated with Bargaining Units 7 (Protective Services and Public Safety), 9 (Professional Engineers) and 10 (Professional Scientific):

• S07 employees – 3% General Salary Increase (GSI) effective July 1, 2016.
• S09 employees – 5% GSI effective July 1, 2016. In addition, certain shift differentials will also receive a $1.00 increase.
• S10 employees – 5% GSI effective July 1, 2016.

CalHR will release official Pay Letters in the near future that contains more details of these pay increases and improvements. ACSS will continue to follow up and advocate for additional special salary adjustments for excluded employees associated with these bargaining units, in addition to advocating on behalf of excluded employees in all other bargaining units across the state.

CalPERS Benefits Education 4-County Event in the Los Angeles/San Diego Area in July & August

The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) is hosting a CalPERS Benefits Education Event (CBEE) in Los Angeles to inform members in a four-county area about programs and benefits available to them. The first event will take place at the LA Hotel Downtown on Friday, July 15 and Saturday, July 16, 2016 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The next CBEE will be held in Southern California in August at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel on August 26 and 27 for CalPERS members in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties.

Whether new to CalPERS, in mid-career, or close to retirement, the CalPERS CBEE offers all CalPERS members a wealth of information about their retirement benefits, health benefits and deferred compensation. Representatives from CalPERS will be on hand to answer questions.

For more information and to register, visit the CalPERS Benefits Education Events web page.

CalHR Releases Special Salary Adjustment for BU6

Effective June 1, 2016, CalHR released a special salary adjustment for supervisors and managers of bargaining unit 6 (corrections) and for excluded employees in classes in E97, E98, and E99.  ACSS provided  information in our May 27th blog article on this subject.  On June 13, 2016, CalHR released the official Pay Letter 1610 that outlines the specific details.

 Download PL1610

California June Primary 2016 Election Results - ACSS Endorsed Candidates

ACSS had a great election day with all but one ACSS-endorsed candidate advancing to the November election under California’s unique “top-two” primary system.

ACSS-endorsed legislative candidates prevailed in 72 of 73 races, including in 5 out of 6 contested campaigns for open legislative seats.

Complete election results for ACSS-endorsed candidates are below. Open seat candidates are in bold.

>> Read More...