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The Triennial event for ACSS Elections and Policy Changes
This event is what ACSS is all about! Stand up with your fellow excluded employees and let your voices be heard.
At Lobby Day, the goal is for you to unite with other ACSS members and educate your legislators about the issues that affect your careers. We need to turn out in greater numbers to show lawmakers, the media, and the general public that we want our careers to stay productive and protected! Together, we can make a difference.
Join us and REGISTER NOW before February 19th, 2016.
Click here to view the photos from last year's event and see ACSS members on Lobby Day in action!
On Monday January 18, 2015, former San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed announced that he is halting his plans to add two pension-cutting measures to the November ballot. Instead, he and former San Diego Council Member Chuck DeMaio jointly stated that they will push for only one of the measures to move forward on the November 2018 ballot. Labor organizations are rejoicing over this news and predict that the measure appearing on the November 2018 ballot is a long shot.
Reed attributed the regression of the measures to insufficient support from potential funders and says they will “wait for 2018 for higher prospects for a better return.” Both measures performed poorly in a recent poll, which made potential funding supporters wary. Steve Maviglio, a Union Coalition Spokesperson, predicts 2018 will be no better for the Reed/DeMaio pension measures. He says “2018 ballot measure attacking pensions faces an uphill climb. The most likely scenario: pension changes will continue to be negotiated at the bargaining table – right where those discussions should occur – instead of on the ballot.”
This is a positive event for ACSS members and all state workers can let out a sigh of relief knowing that, for the time being, their pensions are going to stay put. As always, ACSS will closely follow this issue and will provide you with updates.
Click here to read the article in the Sacramento Bee
Click here to read Steve Maviglio’s article in Fox&Hounds
In November 2015, ACSS held a promotional membership drive to encourage supervisors and managers to join ACSS. Two new members who submitted membership applications during the sweepstakes period were selected at random out of 121 applications to win a new Apple iPad Air tablet.
Sheila Haney is a Supervising Program Tech II at the Department of Justice (DOJ) in Sacramento. She has been a supervisor for two years and joined ACSS "because it is in our best interest as supervisors to join". She also likes being involved in Chapter Meetings and receiving the newsletters.
Adams Yussif is a Health Facilities Evaluator II at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) in Fresno. He joined for the representation benefits.
ACSS congratulates Ms. Haney and Mr. Yussif for participating in our membership drive and for becoming members of ACSS.
James Teahan, President of ACSS Chapter 503, presents Sheila Haney with her new iPad.
Adams Yussif (left) receives his new iPad from his supervising manager at CDPH.
On Thursday 1/8/16, Governor Brown released his proposed 2016-2017 State Budget. Brown claims that the budget still remains “precariously balanced” for the long term. Brown stated, “While timing is uncertain, the next recession is getting closer, and the state must begin to plan for it.”
Here are the proposals that affect ACSS and ACSS members:
State Employee Compensation
The Budget includes $220 million ($27 million General Fund) in 2016-17 for employee compensation and health care costs for active state employees. Included in these costs are collectively bargained salary increases for many of the state’s rank and file employees represented by bargaining unit 9 (engineers), which the Administration is extending to state managers and supervisors related to these employees. A 5% general raise in July of 2016 is the only currently >> Read More...
This event is what ACSS is all about! Stand up with your fellow excluded employees and let your voices be heard! Together, we can make a difference.
REGISTER NOW!
Travel, lodging, and meal expenses for members attending Lobby Day are covered by ACSS.
The California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) released a PML which provides guidance on the provisions of Assembly Bill 229 (AB 229), which becomes effective January 1, 2016.
AB 229 adds section to California Government Code and stipulates that state agencies cannot prohibit state employees on official travel from using certain transportation network companies such as Uber or Lyft as well as short-term rental companies such as AirBnB.
Click here to download details of PML 2015-039 from CalHR.
Effective January 1, 2016, the personal vehicle mileage reimbursement rate for employees will be 54 cents per mile (CPM). This reflects a 3.5 cent decrease from 2015. The California Department of Human Resources uses the same rates as those published by the Internal Revenue Service. Employee questions about the mileage reimbursement rates should be addressed on the department level.
Click here to read the details of PML 2015-041 from CalHR.
In observance of upcoming holiday, ACSS will be closed on the following days:
ACSS wishes you a happy and safe New Years!
At the end of October, a CalTrans Supervisor alerted ACSS about concerns regarding a decision by the Department of Transportation (CalTrans) to change the method used to compensation supervisory staff for call outs. CalTrans sent an email informing maintenance supervisors that they would no longer receive a minimum of four hours of work time when called back to work after completing a normal work shift and/or during off-duty hours. Supervisors would only be paid for the actual time of work performed and a minimum of 4 hours of pay for a call out was not applicable to supervisors.
ACSS determined this new method of compensation for call outs was a violation of statute, regulations and CalHR policy. ACSS filed a grievance on behalf of the ACSS Member as well as all CalTrans excluded employees. The two primary classifications impacted are CalTrans Maintenance Supervisor (6301) and CalTrans Maintenance Area Superintendent (6282).
On December 16, 2015, ACSS received CalTrans’ response granting the grievance. The response stated “We appreciate you bringing this matter to our attention. It was never our intention to unilaterally terminate any benefit which we have the authority to provide to our employees … Therefore, it is our determination after further analysis that the CMS and CMAS classifications are in fact entitled to the 4-hour minimum when called back into work. Therefore, based on my review of the information presented above, your grievance is hereby granted.”
As a result of ACSS’ efforts, these CalTrans excluded employees have retained their rightful benefits. ACSS became their voice, supported them through this complicated workplace issue, and resolved the conflict on behalf of excluded employees.
A group of voters were polled to test the strength of the two pension reform measures proposed by former San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed and former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio. One measure received 42% support and the other received 40%. Reed said he needed at least one of measures to test at 60% support to justify spending $25 million campaign to get it on the ballot. The future of both measures at this point is dismal.
Opponents of the proposals are confident that support for the measures will diminish. David Low, chair of the Californians for Health Care and Retirement Security, calls them “unviable” and says “Anyone investing is these two losers would be wasting their money.” If these measures continue to move forward, they will endure a challenging and costly uphill battle to appear on the ballot next year.
As always, ACSS will continue to stay on top of this important pension-reform issue and will deliver updates to you as they arise.
Click here to read the full article from the Capital & Main.
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