SEIU Local 535

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Tentative Agreement Reached with Sacramento County

Health care started out as a takeaway, now it's actually a benefit improvement says Local 535 Sacramento Chapter President

(October 18, 2006)--After months of bargaining, SEIU Local 535 members in Sacramento County have reached a tentative agreement with the County.

According to President Kathy O'Neil, "we didn't get everything we wanted, but neither did the County. We promised our members retroactivity -- something management refused to talk about before our strike -- we got it. We promised our members we'd fix the problems with the County's health care proposal and we delivered.The agreement on health care started out as a takeaway, now it's actually a benefit improvement."

Other highlights of the tentative agreement include salary increases for most SEIU Local 535 members of 21% to 33% (based on the Consumer Price Index) over five years; differentials for some supervisors in certain situations; a guarantee that supervisors will earn 10% more base pay than those they supervise; and an opportunity for those in the Tier II retirement scheme to voluntarily move to Tier III.

The next step is a general membership meeting to explain the agreement. This will be held Thursday, October 19th at 5:30 pm, at OB3 (3701 Branch Center Road, Large Conference Room).

The agreement still must be ratified by the membership before it can go into effect. Ballots are being mailed out to all Union members in Sacramento County and Union officials anticipate being able to announce the results by the end of October.

Breakthrough in Labor Talks, But No Agreement Yet

(Sept. 21, 2006) --Union bargaining team members spent much of today meeting with the County's team and the State Mediator. Bargaining team members left today's session feeling that these talks have been the most productive since bargaining began. Some of the County's most objectionable demands have been dealt with, and some of the Union's issues have also been addressed.

While there is still work to do on some of the offers and counter-offers, both sides agreed to end discussions when it became clear that there was one major issue outstanding that we have been unable to agree on.

Both the Union and the County are taking a few days to work on proposals to move us past this sticking point. In taking this step, both sides have committed to return to the table early next week in an attempt to negotiate to an agreement.

Again, due to the presence of the state mediator, the team is prohibited from providing specific information about proposals, but there is a general belief that today's bargaining session was extremely helpful. If and when final agreement is reached, complete details will be posted here and the team will conduct worksite meetings prior to a general membership meeting at which questions can be asked and you--the Union members--will make the final decision on whether or not to accept the County's offer.

Labor Talks Enter New Phase

(Sept. 20, 2006) -- After meeting with County representatives for much of the day on September 19th, SEIU Local 535's negotiating team reports that there has been a "softening" of the county's position on some of the peripheral issues, but no movement on the health care takeaways or the unacceptable salary offer.

The Union's bargaining team will meet again with management on September 20th.

Steve Lakich, County Labor Relations Director will, for the first time, lead the County's bargaining team. The Union team can only hope this new addition signals a change in the County's position.

Again, due to the presence of the state mediator, the team is prohibited from providing specific information about proposals, but very little was accomplished on Tuesday.

The SEIU Local 535 team is prepared to meet for as long as necessary on Wednesday and we can only hope that Mr. Lakich is both willing and able to do the same.

Mediated Talks Continue

(Sept. 19, 2006)--The SEIU Local 535 negotiating team is meeting with Sacramento County's management team in an effort to reach agreement.

With the assistance of a mediator from the State Mediation and Conciliation Service, the team is hopeful that the County will finally address some of the issues raised by SEIU Local 535 members. Additionally, the Union's negotiators believe there can be some meaningful discussions around salary issues and the County's health and welfare proposal.

As those of you who attended the various worksite meetings in the past week know, the negotiating team is prohibited from publicly discussing specific proposals during mediation. This is frustrating both for you, and for the bargaining team. The team is committed to providing you with as much information as possible, and will update this website and the hotline, (916) 930-1052 ext. 5, at the conclusion of this bargaining session.

The team is prepared to continue meeting for as long as it takes to win a fair contract.

Local 535 Members to Honor Picket Lines

(Sept.11, 2006) --UPE Local 1's unilateral decision to take down their picket lines left the other coalition partners in an awkward position. Some chose to follow suit, others elected to maintain their picket lines. This has created a great deal of confusion and frustration amongst union members who just want a fair contract. Now, UPE Local 1 has asked their members to cross another Union's picket line. SEIU Local 535 cannot imagine ever encouraging union members to cross a picket line, and we are not doing so now.

Clearly, UPE's decision to "go it alone" has created some complicated issues. We advise our members to return to work. If your worksite is being picketed by another Union, call your manager and ask to work from home, or ask to be directed to another work location. Advise your manager that you are prepared to work, but are unwilling to cross a picket line.

We'll keep you updated through our website and the hotline, (916) 930-1052.

Additionally, we're working to schedule worksite meetings this week at various locations. We'll update you with the dates and times as we get the meetings scheduled.

So far, we have 3300 Stockton Blvd, 2:00 pm, 9/11; 4990 Stockton Blvd, 12:00 noon, 9/12; and 4990 Stockton Blvd, 5:35 pm, 9/13

A meeting was held at Granite Park earlier today.

Remember: Keep participating in breakouts, and call the Board of Supervisors. The Board needs to send someone with bargaining authority to the table or we are prepared to call for a resumption of our strike.

Contact numbers for Board of Supervisors members:

Roger Dickinson (916) 874-5485
Susan Peters (916) 874-5471
Don Nottoli (916) 874-5465
Illa Collin (916) 874-5481
Roberta MacGlashan (Chair) (916) 874-5491

County Unprepared for Mediation

(Sept. 9, 2006)--In the face of a massive general strike by Sacramento County employees, county managers agreed to come back to the bargaining table. In order to help move the stalled contract negotiations along, representatives of the California State Mediation and Conciliation Service agreed to mediate between the two parties. This movement on the part of County managers led UPE Local 1 to take down their picket signs and return to work.

SEIU Local 535, as coalition partners, also temporarily suspended strike activities, but asked union members not to cross picket lines if there are other coalition partners who are still on strike.

Given this good-faith effort, SEIU Local 535's bargaining team was dismayed to learn that the County's bargaining team returned to the table with no offer. There was no response to the comprehensive counter proposal presented to the County on September 1st.

The Union's bargaining team is prepared to meet this weekend with management to move discussions ahead, and will continue to assess the situation on a day-by-day basis.

Local 535 members are asked to return to work, but to observe any picket lines at the worksites. Continue to participate in breakouts.

County workers should call the Board of Supervisors and demand that management begin good-faith negotiations. Failing a response from management, the workforce may have no choice but to resume the strike action on a countywide basis.

Contact numbers for Board of Supervisors members:

Roger Dickinson (916) 874-5485
Susan Peters (916) 874-5471
Don Nottoli (916) 874-5465
Illa Collin (916) 874-5481
Roberta MacGlashan (Chair) (916) 874-5491

Sacramento County Employees Return to Work (For Now)

(Sept.7, 2006)--Stalled contract negotiations in Sacramento County received a jump-start in the form of a massive, countywide general strike this week. After weeks of no movement from management negotiators, and days of unreturned phone calls, county workers walked off the job on September 5th.

Union negotiators left repeated messages with the county’s bargaining team and with the Board of Supervisors in the days leading up to the strike, but County officials refused to return phone calls or schedule any more bargaining sessions.

That all changed today. As thousands of county employees surrounded the County Administration Building, the Board of Supervisors conducted budget hearings. At noon today, the County agreed to the presence of a state mediator to help move stalled contract talks. At the request of the state mediator, most unions had agreed by mid-afternoon to remove the picket lines around County facilities.

County workers are expected to return to work tomorrow, Thursday September 8th, but their bargaining team representatives caution that the strike is not over—if mediation doesn’t work, Sacramento County’s employees are ready willing and able to return to the picket lines.

Another possible snag is that the County has not, as of yet, made the offer of mediated talks to all the employee groups.

According to Kathy O’Neil, representing supervisors in DHA and DHSS, “our members will continue to respect any picket line. If our members go to work and there are pickets, we don’t expect them to cross.”

Click here for more information

Sacramento County Employees
Stage Massive Strike

Sacramento County employees representing most of the workforce in the county participated in the largest labor action this county has seen in almost forty years.

(Sept. 5, 2006)--Sacramento County Workers will be back on the picket lines tomorrow, September 6th, and then will participate in a rally at the Board of Supervisors chambers at 10:30 a.m. On Tuesday, messages were left with the County's chief negotiator and with members of the Board of Supervisors that Local 535's team is prepared to meet in hopes of reaching an agreement, but those calls have gone unanswered.

Sacramento County workers spoke clearly with their strike vote and with their overwhelming support of the strike action. Estimates are that 80% to 90% of the unionized workforce honored the picket lines. County workers are expressing their frustration with the Board of Supervisors and Labor Relations Director Steve Lakich. After working without a contract for two months, these employees have had enough.

When members of the Local 535 bargaining team met with management on Friday, September 1st, they offered to bargain as long as necessary to reach an agreement. Management's team was provided with contact numbers and advised to contact the bargaining team when the County was prepared to reopen negotiations.

The Issue
At issue is a comprehensive proposal by county management that would - over the life of the contract - leave many county employees still well below the 2005 median salary for comparable counties. Additionally, management's proposal would cut the County contribution to health care premiums, leaving employees to shoulder the burden of all increases in health care costs over the next five years. Employees who elect single person coverage would, for the first time, have to pay at least 20% of the cost.

What's worse: The County wants to pay a percentage not of one of the current health care plans, but of an as-yet unnamed "least expensive" plan which hasn't been defined.

Click here for more information

Sacramento County Supervisors
Prepare to Strike!

(Sept. 29, 2006)--Sacramento County Supervisors and other Sacramento County employees have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike following months of fruitless negotiations. The County has refused to bargain in good faith by rejecting or not responding to Local 535 bargaining team proposals-even to proposals that will cost the County little or no money.

Below are our main issues:

Issues on Health Care
The majority of Local 535 members will be greatly affected by the county's health care program.
On the County's take-aways list is an inadequate and unstable health care plan which includes health care coverage increases and a limited cash-back medical program.

The County's current medical insurance program fully pays for the cost of medical insurance for a single member plan for most Local 535 members. The county's proposal is to pay 80% of the cost of the lowest cost county plan. The result of this proposal would mean that all county employees would pay at least 20% of their medical insurance. The cost could be even greater than 20% if the employee chose a plan other than the least expensive county paid insurance plan. There is nothing to prevent the county from intentionally selecting an inexpensive plan with extremely limited coverage and paying only 80% of that plan.

Additionally, Local 535 members have a cash back program that allows many members who have been employees of the county since 1999 to receive a cash back of the cost of medical insurance if their policy is less than a defined amount, currently $615 a month. Also members can receive that amount if they do not need health insurance because they can be covered by another policy. The county's proposal forces anyone choosing to remain in the cash back program, which now would pay only $135 a month, to pay any and all increases in medical cost negotiated over the next five years. Anyone who chooses to give up the cash back program will be giving it up for life--regardless of future family circumstances.

Cost of living issues
On salaries, we're still far apart. We have two significant issues. First, the "traditional" salary relationship between supervisor and subordinate has not been maintained. We need to know that our members will earn more than those they supervise. Second, the county's team has offered cost of living and equity increases to some, but not all of our members. No one would have their salary raised to the median level for similar classifications in other counties.

In the past the county has surveyed other counties and has set the salary increases at the median of that survey. The County is taking the position that salaries will not be set above the median because that is not required by the county charter. Now, county employees' salaries fall substantially below the median, Sacramento County refuses to give employees equity increases to reach the median.

To make matters worse, SEIU Local 535's bargaining team checked the salaries used by the County to create its survey and found discrepancies, sometimes hundreds of dollars per month. In some cases, the County's team acknowledged these discrepancies, but offered no additional increases. In other cases, the County's team took the position that they didn't want to look at this year's salaries for other counties. They'd rather look at last year's numbers.

Not Bargaining in Good Faith
Given the County's refusal to bargain in good faith, the majority of unions representing Sacramento County employees held strike votes. We are announcing a countywide general strike on Tuesday, September 5.
Since the strike votes began, some County officials have tried to intimidate our members. We want to be very clear: You have an absolute right to participate in this strike. Managers who have stated otherwise either lied or are uninformed. Unfair labor practice charges have been filed over the most egregious statements and others may follow. Your right to participate in Union activity--including a strike--is protected by law. Probationary employees are also protected.

If you are told differently by anyone, please contact SEIU Local 535 at 1-800-535-8777, ext 7137 immediately and provide the name, date and place of this occurrence so we can file the appropriate charges.