This weekend, and again today, the Unit 20 bargaining team worked with the State to advance the Medical and Social Services workers we represent. While we made progress, the State continued to show frustrating bargaining behavior that didn’t align with our efforts to make positive change.
“All we’ve been seeing is the State wanting rollover language or to take rights away,” said Unit 20 Vice Chair Sarah Cooper. “They’re unwilling to do the back-and-forth; they want what they want, and it’s a contentious environment.”
Another example: Our fight to update our uniform allowance is being stifled; the State doesn’t seem concerned about a dollar figure that hasn’t been changed in 21 years.
Here are the tentative agreements we reached on Sunday and Monday; all are rollovers:
- 8.27.20 Dependent Care Leave (Unit 20)
- 19.32.20 Overtime Distribution at the California School for the Deaf, Riverside (Unit 20)
- 8.28 Continuing Education
- 14.21 – Classification study
We made the following proposals to the State:
- 12.9.20 Overtime Meal Allowance (Unit 20) – New language proposed for employees to receive additional meal allowance when required to work extended periods of time
- 12.11.20 Uniform Replacement Allowance (Unit 20) – New language to raise the uniform allowance
- 19.6.20 Show Up Time (Unit 20) – New language to hold management responsible to compensate an employee for four hours, if the staffing office doesn’t inform the employee they are not needed (this also applies to any trainings scheduled on an employee’s day off)
- 19.9.20 Exchange of Time Off – Multi-Shift Operations (Unit 20) – New language to strengthen the swap process for employees
- 19.XXX.20 Floating (Unit 20) – New language to ensure that BU 20 employees aren’t made to cover work shifts for other bargaining unit classifications
- 19.XXXX.20 Overtime Distribution Task Force for Fremont Special Schools (Unit 20) – New language to establish a Joint Management Labor Task Force to create a procedure on overtime distribution procedure for the Special Schools in Fremont
- 19.32.20 Overtime Distribution at the California School for the Deaf, Riverside (Unit 20) – Countered with rollover
Here are the proposals we received Sunday and Monday from the State:
- 7.XX.20 Student Holidays – State Special Schools (Residential Counselors, Night Attendants and Teaching Assistants) (Unit 20) – The State rejected our efforts to secure a 40-hour week for our members, even if students are on holiday
We received four proposed rollovers
- 8.27.20 Dependent Care Leave (Unit 20) – The State proposed rollover
- 19.32.20 Overtime Distribution at the California School for the Deaf, Riverside (Unit 20) – The State rejected the Union’s proposal to include the School for the Deaf, Fremont in this language and proposed rollover
- 20.15.20 Post and Bid Procedure for CNA Positions, CDCR (CDCR, CCHCS, DJJ) (Unit 20) – The State proposed rollover
- 20.16.20 Post and Bid Procedure for Dental Assistant Positions, CDCR (Unit 20) – The State proposed rollover
A number of outstanding proposals remain, mostly economic issues that have been moved to the master table. We also continue our joint effort with Unit 17 to resolve and advance our issues with mandatory and voluntary overtime.
With just a few days remaining before our contract expires, Unit 20 is on standby to meet once again with the State to resolve outstanding issues. When we meet, you’ll read it here first!
To see updates on other bargaining unit contract sessions, please visit the Contract Action Center page at seiu1000.org
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