Highlights from Unit 3 Tentative Agreement
Early Saturday morning, the SEIU Local 1000 bargaining team
reached an overall Tentative Agreement with the State. If
ratified, the contract would significantly raise the wage floor
for tens of thousands of state workers. It represents the largest
three-year contract in Local 1000 history.
At the master table, we negotiated a retroactive pay raise for
all employees, won retroactive special salary adjustments for
more than 300 job classifications, maintained the health care
stipend with no expiration date, reduced the pre-retirement
(OPEB) funding, secured a health facility retention payment, and
added, changed, or preserved a number of skill-based
differentials, allowances, and other reimbursements that factor
into our state income. Our general salary increase, our wage
equity increase, and our unit-based Special Salary Adjustments
are retroactive to July 1, 2023.
Here are the highlights from the Unit 3 (Professional
Educators and Librarians) bargaining table:
7 different classifications in Unit 3 received pay increases of
5% (11.1.3 Special Salary Increases). These increases are on top
of the general salary increase, retroactive to July 1, 2023, and
pensionable.
You can read a complete list of classifications affected by these
increases here.
We won a new language that pays a $500 differential to 3 teaching
classifications at the Porterville Developmental Center
(XX.XX.3).
Coaches and assistant coaches at our Special Schools, in four
different groups, will receive an increased Coaching Differential
(22.10.3) of approximately 10%
We preserved the Bargaining Unit 3 Classification and
Compensation Committee (5.19.3). It’s an avenue to discuss
compensation, credentialing, and the broader issues impacting
recruitment and retention.
We maintained the employer’s health benefit contribution (9.1.3)
for each employee for an updated amount equal to 80%, depending
on Party Code.
Unit 3 employees will now enjoy the greater latitude to schedule
medical appointments during the work day with an updated Hours of
Work section (19.1.3)
Contract section 21.12.3 Student Discipline continues to
engage the Union and the State together in the development of a
written discipline program.
Stronger language in 21.25.3- Work Assignment Notification firms
up management timeliness and ensures a more legitimate written
explanation is provided to employees when change happens. A
similar contract section 22.3.3 also has stronger language
to ensure that Unit 3 members in Special Schools are getting
noticed of work assignment changes as soon as possible.
Expanded language in 22.1.3 – Discipline and Discharge-Special
Schools allows employees to have a support person and, if needed,
reasonable accommodations during a disciplinary meeting with
their employer as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Employees at the California Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation (CDCR)/Office of Correctional Education (OCE) are
now granted greater input into the creation of the 220 Day
Academic Year calendar. (25.1.3)
We expanded language to allow Unit 3 employees greater
planning and control of their individual development programs and
career improvement. (25.7.3)
We won substantially new and improved salary schedule placement
language for vocational instructors. The contract section
(25.13.3) recognizes their professional skills and places them on
the salary schedule accordingly.
This email summary shares highlights from the Unit 3 table; you
may have already received the email recap from the master table.
During the ratification process, you’ll be able read and learn
more detail about the Tentative Agreement. Besides email, we’ll be posting
information about our Tentative Agreement on our Contract Action
Center page.
What happens next?
To become a contract, our Tentative Agreement must go through a
number of steps in order to become law and the document that
governs our working relationship with the State. Those steps
include approval by the Statewide Bargaining Advisory Committee,
a ratification vote by Local 1000 membership, legislative
approval, and the Governor’s signature. Click here to read more about
what steps we’ll be taking.
Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Tuesday July 18, 2023
Our Unit 3 bargaining team continues to work collaboratively with
the State to advance the interests of those Professional
Educators and Librarians we represent. And, collaboration is a
central theme to our negotiations: our proposals are crafted to
foster a better working relationship with management.
Our goal in many cases is incremental change. In some cases,
we’ve gone back and forth four or five times in an effort to
improve working conditions and collaboration. We want our final
negotiations to be more easily interpreted, more widely executed,
and if necessary, easy to enforce. Words matter!
Negotiations will continue on an irregular schedule; we’re ready
to continue bargaining anytime, but we’re slowed because the
State doesn’t share our sense of urgency.
Still at issue: proposals for class size, work assignments,
academic year modification, and credits for salary advancement,
plus those economic proposals that have been moved to the master
table.
Unit-specific bargaining, along with negotiations at the master
table, are being scheduled on a day-to-day basis. When there’s
activity at the table, we’ll email and post the results, often on
the same day. Click here to
read all the recaps of bargaining activity.
What actions can I take to win a good contract?
As the bargaining team works to achieve meaningful progress at
the table, it’s important that we keep our focus on Union
solidarity and strength building. In order for our demands to be
heard, SEIU Local 1000-represented employees need to stand
together. So, we encourage you to sign up for our next action on
July 25, 26, and 27 when we picket CalHR in Sacramento.
Click here to
register.
Unit 3 bargaining update for July 13, 2023
Your Unit 3 bargaining team is reaching out to give you an update
on our negotiations on behalf of the Professional Educators we
represent. Our last Unit 3 bargaining session with the State was
on June 27. A number of Unit 3 proposals are still outstanding,
and another group of Unit 3-related proposals—largely
economic—are being negotiated at the master table.
Here are some things you need to know:
Where does bargaining go from here?
Watch this July 13 video message from Irene Green,
Local 1000 Vice President for Bargaining.
Unit-specific bargaining, along with negotiations at the master
table, are being scheduled on a day-to-day basis. When there’s
activity at the table, we’ll email and post the results, often on
the same day. Click here to
read all the recaps of bargaining activity.
What is the status of our contract?
As you know, we have not yet reached an overall tentative
agreement on a new contract with the State. Our rights are still
protected under the terms of our previous contract, which expired
on June 30. Please remember that the $260 health care stipend had
a June 30 sunset clause, and will not be included in your August
paycheck. That issue is part of our current negotiations.
You can read about your
current contract rights in this mobile-friendly, searchable
database.
What actions can I take to win a good
contract?
As the bargaining team works to achieve meaningful progress at
the table, it’s important that we keep our focus on Union
solidarity and strength building. It’s true, that in order for
our demands to be heard, Local 1000-represented employees need to
stand together. More than ever, taking action in the workplace is
an important show of strength. More actions will follow, but
stand up now for a contract that Respects Us! Protects Us! and
Pays Us!
Stay informed with all
the bargaining news at our Contract Action Central web page.
Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Tuesday, June 27, 2023
Having discretionary leave time for Unit 3 teachers, who work a
rigid schedule, is important to maintain a work/life balance.
Towards that goal, our team pushed hard for contract language
that would grant that leave to our Professional Educators and
Librarians.
Earlier today, the plight of Local 1000-represented employees was
captured in a Sacramento Bee news report.
Click here to read this compelling story, which includes one of
our Unit 3 employees.
Today we worked on five different contract sections, and the
State was unwilling to make any changes. We discussed a
scheduling flexibility that’s reasonable and available to other
units, and despite our efforts to find some latitude, our
proposals were rejected. Ironically, our Unit 3 team has been
bargaining this week during their contract-mandated vacation
time.
Through a rollover agreement, we were able to preserve contract
section 22.4.3, Personal Leave. In addition, other sections
regarding leaves remained unchanged.
In all, we reached agreement on 21 different contract sections,
all rollover language that maintains our previous contract wins:
-
8.21.3 9-12, 10-12, and 11-12
Leave (Unit 3)
-
8.28.3 Educational Leave
(Unit 3)
-
25.3.3 Educational Leave
(Unit 3)
-
25.5.3 Vacation/Annual Leave
(Unit 3)
-
22.4.3 Personal Leave Days –
Special Schools (Unit 3)
-
16.6.3 Special School Teacher
Layoff (Unit 3)
- 17.12.3
Retirement Systems: State Teachers’ Retirement System (STRS) and
Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) (Unit 3)
-
22.5.3 Extra Duty Assignment
– Special Schools (Unit 3)
-
23.1.3 Purpose (Unit 3)
-
23.2.3 Academic Work Year
(Unit 3)
-
23.3.3 CDCR-DJJ Academic
Calendar Annual Modification (Unit 3)
-
23.4.3 Additional
Instructional Assignments (Unit 3)
-
23.5.3 Thirty (30) Day Summer
Session Leave (Unit 3)
-
23.6.3 Education Leave (Unit
3)
-
23.7.3 Holidays (DJJ/CEA)
(Unit 3)
-
23.8.3 Vacation (Unit 3)
-
23.9.3 Personal Necessity
Leave (Unit 3)
- 23.10.3
CDCR, DJJ, Academic Teacher/Vocational Instructor Salary Schedule
(Unit 3)
- 23.11.3
Credits for Salary Advancement (Unit 3)
- 23.12.3
INTENTIONALLY EXCLUDED
- 23.13.3
Bargaining Unit 3 Teacher Service Credit (Unit 3)
You can read the details
of these and all current contract articles at
contract.seiu1000.org
Still outstanding: A number of proposals that affect our working
conditions and our pay. Our contract expires Friday, and Unit 3
is on call to meet again on short notice. When there’s a
bargaining session, you’ll read about it here first!
To see updates on other bargaining unit contract sessions, please
visit the Contract Action Center page
at seiu1000.org
Winning a good contract starts with you. Don’t just belong to the
Union, participate. Sign
up for our Silent Protest March in Sacramento on June 29.
Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Saturday, June 24, 2023
SEIU Local 1000 bargaining team members are among our most
committed Union activists; lots of prep, including a review of
every town hall comment and bargaining summary. Your Unit 3 team
continued those efforts with a rare Saturday bargaining session
and is reporting additional progress with just a week to go
before our contract expires.
In today’s session, we reached tentative agreement to roll over
five contract sections from previous contract wins:
- 11.19.3 – Recruitment and Retention Differential
- 22.8.3 – State Special Schools Family Crisis Leave
- 25.6.3 – Personal Necessity Leave
- 25.8.3 – 220 Day Academic Work Year
- 25.10.3 – CDCR, OCE, 220 Day Academic Work Year – 4/10/40
The last two of these five agreements govern key parts of our
work: the length of the school year, along with the length of
time we work during that school year.
You can read the details
of these and all current contract articles at
contract.seiu1000.org
Still at issue: Our academic calendar (identified by our members
as one of their key priorities). Our negotiations are nearly
complete on this, and we hope to report progress next week.
Unit 3’s next meeting with the State is Tuesday, June 27. To
read about what happened in our other bargaining sessions,
please visit the Contract Action Center page
at seiu1000.org
There’s real truth to the Local 1000 slogan, Stronger
Together. We only win a great contract with a strong Local
1000 membership. So, if you’re not already a member, we encourage
you to join
us today.
And be sure to save your spot for the upcoming June 29
Silent Protest March at the Capitol in Sacramento
here.
Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Tuesday, June 20, 2023
Our Unit 3 team is making thoughtful progress for the
Professional Educators and Librarians we represent, as we work to
improve their economic status and the working conditions they
face.
“We have more than a dozen proposals we’re close to reaching
agreement with the State on,” said Bob Holtz, Unit 3 Bargaining
Chair. “Our team is being thorough and rigorous in our approach
to move us closer to achieving a good contract.”
Today, we received five counterproposals from the State and
presented five counterproposals of our own. In addition, we
presented a proposal to continue contract section 5.19.3, the
Bargaining Unit 3 Classification and Compensation Committee,
which allows us to keep working on pay parity and equity for a
variety of classifications. And, we presented a proposal for
several Special Salary Adjustments (SSA).
Still at issue: the academic calendar. This important contract
section defines work schedules and leaves opportunities for the
entire school year for our teachers. Over time, Unit 3 has lost
its voice in developing the calendar, and it’s now unilaterally
implemented by the Office of Correctional Education (OCE).
“The simple fact is that OCE needs teachers to implement and run
their programs,” said Barbara Wheeler, Unit 3 bargaining team
member. “They are either given the time off that they need, or
they will take the time that they need. Educational programs
would suffer and more importantly, the students will suffer.”
Negotiations on this issue are still underway.
Here’s an example: Starting Monday, this year’s calendar has a
two-week vacation break scheduled. Without a union voice in
creating it, it’s inflexible and difficult to create exceptions.
But our Unit 3 bargaining team is committed and will be
bargaining through this vacation to ensure a good contract for
those they represent.
You can read the details
of these and all current contract articles at
contract.seiu1000.org
Unit 3 returns to the table next week, on Tuesday, June 27.
However, with just ten days remaining until our contract expires,
bargaining sessions could happen at any time.
To keep updated, and to see updates on other bargaining unit
contract sessions, please visit the Contract Action Center page
at seiu1000.org
There’s real truth to the Local 1000 slogan, Stronger
Together. We only win a great contract with a strong Local
1000 membership. So, if you’re not already a member, we encourage
you to join
us today.
And be sure to save your spot for the upcoming June 22
Rally at the Governor’s Office in Los Angeles here.
Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Our Unit 3 bargaining team has experienced six frustrating weeks
where its intention to work collaboratively to advance the
interests of our represented employees has been frustrating.
We’ve made a number of proposals and had numerous discussions
with little progress and very few answers.
Today, the logjam broke wide open, and our Unit 3 team is still
frustrated.
“The State dumped more than 20 responses on us today, including
some rejections, some counterproposals, and some proposed
agreements, “said Bob Holtz, Unit 3 bargaining chair. “It’s a lot
to process and deliberate about, and we’re unclear as to why the
State’s doing this.”
“Typically, bargaining is a back-and-forth process every week. We
need time to be thoughtful and to protect the rights of our
members,” added Holtz.
A number of Unit 3’s economic proposals have been moved to the
master table for negotiations. In the coming week, our team will
parse out the State’s responses, and we’ll report our progress in
upcoming summaries.
Unit 3’s next meeting with the state is Tuesday, June 20. To
read about what happened in our other bargaining sessions,
please visit the Contract Action Center page
at seiu1000.org
There’s real truth to the Local 1000 slogan, Stronger
Together. We only win a great contract with a strong Local
1000 membership. So, if you’re not already a member, we encourage
you to join
us today.
And be sure to save your spot for the upcoming June 22
Rally at the Governor’s Office in Los Angeles here
Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Tuesday, June 6, 2023
We’re reporting some good progress today at the Unit 3 bargaining
table. Our Professional Educators and Librarians will benefit
from the agreements we reached today, and we hope to continue
those advances with some new proposals.
“In every case, we’re focused on the working conditions of our
represented employees and their professional status,” said Unit 3
Chair Bob Holtz. “We are working collaboratively with the State
to ensure situations that provide good outcomes for both
parties.”
We reached tentative agreement with the State on three contract
sections:
We rolled over section 21.16.3 – Professional Responsibility,
protecting existing rights.
We added new language to 19.1.3 – Hours of Work. It’s a big win
for Unit 3 because it adds language that allows the possibility
of time off during student contact hours. This is an opportunity
to achieve a greater work/life balance that the contract didn’t
afford us before.
We also added new protections for our represented employees at
the State Special Schools. We agreed on 22.1.3 – Discipline and
Discharge. New language compels management to provide reasonable
accommodations during representational discussions. The current
contract ensures members who have needs for communications
assistance—ASL interpreters for example—will receive that support
during potential disciplinary discussions.
In addition, Unit 3 presented stronger language in two current
contract articles:
We’re proposing that section 21.14.3 – Non-Instructional/Teacher
Preparation Time – would specify a one-hour block of
uninterrupted prep time for Unit 3.
New language in section 21.11.3 – Class Size – calls for an
advisory committee to develop appropriate class sizes for all
students served by our Unit 3 workers. As always, our goal is to
ensure best practices to better serve students in a diverse
population and create the best possible outcomes.
You can read the details
of these and all current contract articles at
contract.seiu1000.org
Unit 3’s next meeting with the State is Tuesday, June 13. To
read about what happened in our other bargaining sessions,
please visit the Contract Action Center page
at seiu1000.org
There’s real truth to the Local 1000 slogan, Stronger
Together. We only win a great contract with a strong Local
1000 membership. So, if you’re not already a member, we encourage
you to join
us today.
And be sure to save your spot for the upcoming June 8
March to the Governor’s Mansion here
Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Tuesday, May 30, 2023
Unit 3—representing Professional Educators and
Librarians—continued its efforts today to demand the respect and
the pay that’s due to our members. It’s a key theme we’re using
to guide our negotiations with the State to raise the principles
and practices that govern our work to the level enjoyed by the
broader educational system across California.
“We are providing quality educational services and deserve the
recognition that’s accorded other members of our profession,”
said Bob Holtz, Unit 3 Bargaining Chair.
Our focus today was to provide a more appropriate salary for the
Teacher Specialists we represent, who work in the state’s
diagnostic centers providing services for some of the most
under-served kids in the system who face the most significant
educational and developmental challenges. We’re also asking for a
salary schedule that offers a greater incentive for career
longevity.
Today’s Subject Matter Expert (SME) was Heather DeFelice, a
Teacher Specialist in the SoCal diagnostic center, who spoke
about why a more competitive salary was reasonable to solve
recruitment and retention issues for a job that demands five
years of experience and two advanced degrees.
“The gap between the salary of Diagnostic Center Teacher
Specialists and school district specialists has widened. In
general, we make less than the educators we support. Many of us
have stayed because we believe in the mission, but we are paid
more similarly to new graduates and now more of our teacher
specialists are thinking about returning to neighboring school
districts,” said Heather in her presentation to the
State.
Heather’s testimony was in support of Article 22 and our efforts
to increase pay at Special Schools, and we’ve had a number of
SMEs in to speak on the topic.
We continue to focus on reaching agreement on sections relating
to our Unit 3 members’ hours of work and work assignments. Those
discussions are moving forward, incrementally. We also received
some counter proposals from the State on several additional
proposals, which we’ll review.
Finally, we reached tentative agreement with the State on section
22.2.2 – Academic Year-Special Schools, which we proposed as a
roll over to continue previous contract protections.
You can review
each of our current contract articles online at
contract.seiu1000.org
Unit 3’s next meeting with the State is scheduled for
Tuesday, June 6. To read about what happened all of our
bargaining efforts, please visit the Contract Action Center page
at seiu1000.org
There’s real truth to the Local 1000 slogan, Stronger
Together. We only win a great contract with a strong Local
1000 membership. So, if you’re not already a member, we encourage
you to join
us today.
And be sure to save your spot for the upcoming June 8
March to the Governor’s mansion here.
Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Unit 3’s bargaining team launched its efforts to secure
recognition for the professionalism and commitment of its
represented employees five weeks ago, promising a collaborative
and responsive environment; today, the State responded and Unit 3
enjoyed one of its most productive sessions.
The State returned six counter offers to proposals we’ve
presented in previous bargaining sessions, and we had a robust
discussion to ascertain the State’s concerns while keeping the
focus on our intent to protect our members.
At the core of the discussion were three key contract sections
that speak to the heart of professional recognition of our Unit 3
workers:
- 19.1.3 – Hours of Work
- 21.25.3 – Work Assignment Notification
- 25.1.3 – CDCR, OCE 220 Day Academic Year Annual Modification
“Language and intent are important in these negotiations; too
often, the lack of clear language finds different and often
incorrect interpretations of our contract that create unnecessary
stress and effort to fix, which takes us away from the job,” said
Unit 3 Chair Bob Holtz.
The State tells us that “it’s being handled well,” yet we know
differently. The State often uses confusing language to their
advantage, and they resist our efforts to involve stakeholders in
finding solutions.
“They don’t treat us as professionals; they don’t respect our
FLSA-exempt status,” said Unit 3 team member Barbara Guzman.
“We’re serious about every section of the contract, even rollover
language because words and their interpretation matter.”
“A busy day at the table is a good sign,” said Holtz. “When we’re
talking with the State, we’re making progress, incremental
change.”
And, additional progress today: We reached tentative agreement
with the State on two rollover sections, preserving two of our
previous contract wins:
- 22.6.3 – Tenure, Special Schools
- 22.9.3 – Salary Schedule (State Special Schools and
Diagnostic Centers) (Unit 3)
Unit 3 returns to the table next week, on Tuesday, May 30. To see
updates on other bargaining sessions, please visit
the Contract Action
Center page at seiu1000.org
There’s real truth to the Local 1000 slogan, Stronger
Together. We only win a great contract with a strong Local
1000 membership. So, if you’re not already a member, we encourage
you to join
us today.
And be sure to save your spot for the upcoming June 8
March to the Governor’s mansion here.
Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Tuesday, May 16, 2023
It was a busy day at the Unit 3 bargaining table as we continue
our work, demanding recognition for the quality of work and
commitment of our Professional Educators and Librarians.
Local 1000’s represented employees provide vital service to many
Californians, and today’s work at the table focused on lifting up
our sisters and brothers at the California Special Schools. Put
simply, their dedicated work changes the lives of those they
serve in remarkable ways.
We utilize Subject Matter Experts to lift our represented
employees off the page. Today, the State team was provided a deep
look into the culture and climate of the Deaf community and the
challenges they face.
Landen Gonzalez is a senior at the Fremont School for the Deaf
and spoke about how his experience as a student is allowing him
an opportunity to thrive, flourish, and develop as a whole
person.
Ty Kovacs is a teacher in Fremont and spoke to the State about
the gap between Deaf children who are able to experience the dual
culture of hearing and hearing impaired. “I was able to live and
learn American Sign Language and English at the same time, but I
had peers who weren’t similarly exposed and suffered an isolating
and often traumatic experience.”
“Lack of immersion in both cultures affects the social and
emotional intelligence of students and parents alike,” added
Kovacs. “Without a Deaf school, there’s no community, and we all
lose.”
With that passionately delivered background, Unit 3 proposed a
big economic package of contract sections from Article 22 – State
Special Schools.
We’re demanding respect for our represented workers there.
Teachers at Special Schools are paid $100 less, per day, than
similar educators in state service. We identified the huge
disparity of the cost of living between Fremont, Riverside, and
other Diagnostic Centers, and proposed a solution. Here’s a more
detailed examination:
We proposed new contract language in two sections,
recognizing the contributions of our represented employees at the
state’s Special Schools:
- X.X.3 State Special Schools Recruitment and Retention
Differentials (Unit 3)
- XX.XX.3 Fremont School for the Deaf, Blind and Albany
Rehabilitative Center Housing Allowance (Unit 3)
We proposed stronger contract language in the following
contract sections:
- 22.1.3 Discipline and Discharge – Special Schools (Unit
3)
- 22.2.3 Academic Year – Special Schools (Unit 3)
- 22.3.3 Work Assignment Notification – Special Schools (Unit
3)
- 22.5.3 Extra Duty Assignment – Special Schools (Unit 3)
- 22.10.3 Coaching Advisor Differential (Unit 3)
- Unit 3 Teachers Salary Schedule California Schools for the
Deaf and Blind Fremont and Riverside (Unit 3)
We proposed the following contract sections as
“rollover,” preserving existing rights:
- 22.6.3 Tenure – Special Schools (Unit 3)
- 22.9.3 Salary Schedule (State Special Schools and Diagnostic
Centers) (Unit 3) with robust changes, an enhanced salary
schedule that expands steps and ranges and respects time in
service.
In other business, we reached tentative agreement with
the State on three sections that continue our contract
rights:
- 13.10.3 Education and Training (Unit 3)
- 21.12.3 Student Discipline (Unit 3)
- 21.13.3 Student Class Assignment (Unit 3)
You can read the details
of these and all current contract articles at
contract.seiu1000.org
Unit 3’s next meeting with the State to win a contract that
Respects Us, Protects Us, and Pays Us is set for May
23. To read about what happened in Tuesday’s other
bargaining sessions, please visit the Contract Action Center page
at seiu1000.org
There’s real truth to the Local 1000 slogan, Stronger
Together. We only win a great contract with a strong Local
1000 membership. So, if you’re not already a member, we encourage
you to join
us today.
And be sure to save your spot for the upcoming June 8
March to the Governor’s mansion here.
Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Tuesday, May 9, 2023
It’s Teacher Appreciation Week across the nation, and in today’s
Unit 3 bargaining session, our Professional Educators and
Librarians took a moment of privilege to celebrate by sharing
personal stories of how teachers impacted their lives and
encourage State negotiators to do the same.
Unit 3’s Sue Knapp is the daughter of a teacher who encouraged
her students to explore and enjoy the power of curiosity.
Bargaining Unit 3 Chair Bob Holtz built a home in high school and
turned it into a career, and team member John Richards talked
about how being an educator demands a mix of art and science and
that’s how they all make a positive impact on their students.
Our bargaining team continued to press the State for advances in
our contract that respect the professional experience and
expertise our represented teachers and librarians bring to state
service.
We reached agreement on four contract sections – each a step
towards our demand for the state to Respect Us! These are
“rollover” sections from previous contract wins, preserving our
rights.
- Article 9.19.3 – Light/Limited Duty Assignments
- Article 10.19.3 – Positive Behavioral Support Training
- Article 19.19.3 – Work Week Group E or SE
- Article 21.15.3 – Off-Site Teacher Preparation Time
The seven contract articles listed below were proposed as
“rollover” language; the State is reviewing them. Here, too,
we’re working to preserve contract language already in existence.
- Article 11.19.3 Recruitment and Retention Differentials (Unit
3)
- Article 13.10.3 Education and Training (Unit 3)
- Article 25.10.3 CDCR OCE 220 Day Academic Work Year 4/10/40
- Article 21.12.3 Student Discipline (Unit
3)
- Article 21.13.3 Student Class Assignment (Unit
3)
- Article 25.6.3 Personal Necessity Leave (Unit 3)
- Article 25.8.3 220 Day Academic Year (Unit 3)
You can review
each of our current contract articles online at
contract.seiu1000.org
A number of proposals are in play—our team and the State are
going back and forth on a number of outstanding provisions. As
with all our negotiations, we’re working collaboratively to find
agreement that achieves the contract priorities of our members.
We look forward to an appearance next week by our Unit 3 brother
Ty Kovacs, who works at the Fremont School for the Deaf, who will
represent the state special schools as we discuss Article 22 with
the State.
Unit 3’s next meeting with the State to win a contract that
Respects Us, Protects Us, and Pays Us is set for May
16. To read about what happened in Tuesday’s other
bargaining sessions, please visit the Contract Action Center page
at seiu1000.org
There’s real truth to the Local 1000 slogan, Stronger
Together. We only win a great contract with a strong Local
1000 membership. So, if you’re not already a member, we encourage
you to join
us today
Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Tuesday, May 2, 2023
Our Unit 3 Bargaining Team completed its third week of
unit-specific negotiations on behalf of our Professional
Educators and Librarians, making what the team is calling
“one-sided progress.”
“Each week, we’re coming to the table ready to move the
relationship between employee and employer forward, to secure
both recognition and reward for Unit 3 … but the State isn’t
fully engaging with us,” said Unit 3 Chair Bob Holtz. “It seems
like there are no decision makers present at our sessions.”
Only one tentative agreement was reached today, article 13.6.3,
which governs performance appraisals. Our team has a backlog of
proposals already presented which the State hasn’t responded to.
Forging ahead, our team proposed to “rollover” (preserve current
contract language) the following four articles:
- 9.19.13 Light Limited Duty
- 10.19.3 Positive Behavior Support Unit 3
- 19.19.3 Work Week Group E or SE (Unit 3)
- 21.15.3 Off-Site Teacher Preparation Time (Unit 3)
We proposed language changes for the following articles:
- 8.28.3 Education Leave (Unit 3) – expands eligibility for
educational leave to all Unit 3 represented employees
- 21.25.3 Work Assignment Notification (Unit 3) – provides for
more consistent communication in line with best practices of the
educational community
- 25.7.3 Credits for Salary Advancement (Unit 3) – allows
employees greater planning and control of their individual
development programs and career improvement
You can review
each of our current contract articles online at
contract.seiu1000.org
Unit 3’s next meeting with the State to win a contract that
Respects Us, Protects Us, and Pays Us is set for May
9. To read about what happened in Tuesday’s other
bargaining sessions, please visit the Contract Action Center page
at seiu1000.org
There’s real truth to the Local 1000 slogan, Stronger
Together. We only win a great contract with a strong Local
1000 membership. So, if you’re not already a member, we encourage
you to join
us today
Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Tuesday, April 25, 2023
In their second week of unit-specific negotiations, the Unit 3
Bargaining Team met with the State today to move items that
demand additional respect for the professional status of the
Professional Educators and Librarians we represent, along with
economic improvements.
Key among today’s proposals was a modification of Article 25.13.3
– which governs salaries of Academic Teachers and Vocational
Instructors at CDCR. Our proposed changes include a single salary
schedule that doesn’t differentiate between institutions in the
“north” and “south” of the state; and inclusion of prison
librarians on the same schedule.
“These changes are our demand for professional respect,” said Bob
Holtz, Unit 3 Chair. “Whether it’s lifting up librarians, having
the vocational instructors recognized for their experience, or
paying a classification the same wage regardless of where the
work is performed. This, too, will help to alleviate the
recruitment and retention problems we face.”
Proposed changes in two more contract articles further respect
and reinforce the professional status of the Unit 3 employees:
- Article 25.2.3 – CDCR, OCE Additional Instructional
Assignments
- Article 19.1.3 – Hours of Work
“Here, our demand is that we are recognized as exempt employees;
that our 8-hour days/40-hour weeks, and our job descriptions are
our ‘work product’ and that managers and supervisors can’t make
additional assignments without additional pay for that work,”
explained Holtz.
The team also worked to strengthen and streamline the language in
two articles that govern the review process (Articles 21.16.3 and
13.6.3).
Unit 3’s team reached tentative agreement with the State on three
existing contract articles that preserve our hard-earned rights.
- Article 15.4.3 – Employee
Opportunity Transfer
- Article 25.9.3 – Teacher Service
Credit
- Article 21.17.3 -Recognition of
Authorship
You can review
each of our current contract articles online at
contract.seiu1000.org
Unit 3’s next meeting with the State to win a contract that
Respects Us, Protects Us, and Pays Us is set for May
2. To read about what happened in Tuesday’s other
bargaining sessions, please visit the Contract Action Center page
at seiu1000.org
There’s real truth to the Local 1000 slogan, Stronger
Together. We only win a great contract with a strong Local
1000 membership. So, if you’re not already a member, we encourage
you to join
us today.
Bargaining Unit 3 Recap: Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Our Unit 3 Bargaining Team—representing Professional Educators
and Librarians—met with the State today in their first,
unit-specific negotiations.
“Today, we set the table for a contract campaign that is
responsive to what our members told us in Town Halls and through
bargaining surveys,” said Bob Holtz, Unit 3 Bargaining Chair. “We
are working to build consensus on what’s good for us and the
State, and we’ll do that through collaboration and collegiality
throughout the process.”
“We have a mutual goal of a well-prepared, well-trained, and
dedicated workforce,” Holtz added. “Now it’s time for the State
to recognize us with improvements in pay and in working
conditions.”
Key among the day’s efforts was a presentation for a new language
that strengthens our ability to model our academic calendar after
“best practices” seen in other parts of the educational
community—the top priority reported by our Unit 3 members.
We also “rolled over” (maintained current language) on the
article that governs the operation of a Joint Labor Management
Committee, ensuring that Unit 3 has a seat at the table to
improve working conditions in between contract bargaining cycles.
In all, three contract articles were proposed as rollovers,
maintaining our hard-fought rights won in previous
negotiations:
- Article 5.19.3 – Bargaining Unit 3 Classification and
Compensation Committee
- Article 15.4.3 – Employee Opportunity Transfer
- Article 25.9.3 – Teacher Service Credit
Five contract articles presented today contained proposed changes
in language to provide greater health and well-being for our
members by providing better access to and use of leaves.
- Article 8.21.3 – 9-12, 10-12, and 11-12 Leave
- Article 25.1.3 – DCR, OCE 220 Day Academic Year Annual
Modification
- Article 25.3.3 – Educational Leave
- Article 25.4.3 – Holidays (CDCR/OCE)
- Article 25.5.3 – Vacation/Annual Leave
You can review
each of our current contract articles online at
contract.seiu1000.org
Unit 3’s next meeting with the State to win a contract that
Respects Us, Protects Us, and Pays Us is set for April
25. To read about what happened in Tuesday’s other
bargaining sessions, please visit the Contract Action Center page
at seiu1000.org
There’s real truth to the Local 1000 slogan, Stronger
Together. We only win a great contract with a strong Local
1000 membership. So, if you’re not already a member, we encourage
you to join
us today.