County Negotiations are Concluded!
THE NEGOTIATING PROCESS
On August 29, 2022, the SLOCEA Negotiating Teams and SLO County reached tentative agreements for successor Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) for the Trades, Crafts and Services Unit (bargaining unit 02) and the Big Unit. The Big Unit is made up of three bargaining units: Public Services (bargaining unit 01), Supervisory (bargaining unit 05) and the Clerical unit (bargaining unit 13). The parties held nine negotiating sessions beginning on April 4, 2022.
For this collective bargaining cycle, SLOCEA combined the Big Unit and the Trades Negotiating Teams for our sessions with the County, which proved to be beneficial. There were issues important to the Trades Team that were incorporated into the bargaining process for the Big Unit and likewise matters important to the Big Unit that were integrated into the Trades’ discussions.
This bargaining cycle we also utilized SLOCEA’s General Counsel Dennis Hayes as our Chief Negotiator. Executive Director Pat McNamara and I served as staff support and nine SLOCEA members collectively served on the Big Unit and Trades Teams.
Throughout the bargaining process the SLOCEA Team consistently concentrated on the need to obtain a meaningful compensation package for our members. The County appeared set on maintaining the status quo of what they have done in past bargaining cycles. Alternatively, SLOCEA emphasized the need for significant economic relief due to the spike in inflation, the loss of buying power for our members, and the degradation of net pay with consistent and on-going pension contribution increases. SLOCEA’s position was especially emphasized during our June sessions when the price of gas was skyrocketing, and inflation was significantly elevating the cost of goods and services across the board.
WHAT WAS AGREED UPON
SLOCEA and the County negotiated and agreed on the need to adopt a 6th pay step. Of the roughly 1,650 SLOCEA represented employees, more than 50% of them will receive an automatic 5% pay increase when advanced to Step 6. Eligible employees must be at Step 5 for at least one year of full-time service following the Board of Supervisors’ (BOS) MOU approval and have a current performance evaluation with an “overall” successful rating. The 6th step will be effective in the pay period following the BOS’ approval.
The County emphasized the need for equity adjustments for classifications deemed to be out of market, based on their compensation studies. SLOCEA emphasized the need to also concentrate equities on classifications that were suffering significantly with recruitment and retention issues. This resulted in a modified equity adjustment list with modest increases for classifications that were not previously slated for an equity increase. Overall, 68% of SLOCEA represented employees will be receiving an equity adjustment which will be retroactive to July 1, 2022.
The tentative agreement(s) further includes wage increases over the three-year term of the contract of 3.0%, 3.0% and 2.5% respectively. The 3% increase in year 1 is also retroactive to July 1, 2022.
In July 2022, the County implemented a 50/50 cost sharing pension rate increase of 1.08% for employees which resulted in a reduction in take home pay. Retroactive to July 1, 2022, this 1.08% contribution amount will be reimbursed to employees. Additional beneficial pension contribution language was agreed upon for the fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025.
Many employees from Public Services, Trades, and the Supervisory unit are mandated to do standby duty due to the nature of the work they do and include classifications such as Water and Wastewater Systems Workers, Facility Maintenance Mechanics, the HAZMAT/CUPA team, Social Workers, and their corresponding supervisors. The standby differential will increase from $3.00 an hour to $5.00 an hour in large part to the compelling testimony and passion during negotiations from Team members Chris Summers, Mike Johnson, and Jim Hutchinson. The change in standby pay will be effective upon BOS approval.
MOU APPROVAL DATES
This overview is not a comprehensive list of all items that were agreed upon by the parties and contained in the tentative agreements of the MOUs. To view the MOUs and a list of additional items please visit our SLOCEA Member Portal at www.slocea.org.
Overall, your SLOCEA Team was pleased with the outcome, but as is always the case in the negotiation process, there were a few areas that we didn't make the headway we hoped for. Please know that your Negotiating Teams worked tirelessly throughout the process to achieve a package that would be economically meaningful and well received by the membership.
At press time, SLOCEA is in the ratification process of counting ballots and foresees MOU approval by the members that cast their votes. If all goes as planned, the MOUs will be on the October 4, 2022, BOS agenda for approval and changes made in the MOU will be implemented in the following pay period that commences October 16, 2022. The first year 3% across the board wage increase as well as the equity increases will be effective June 26, 2022, which is the start of the pay period that includes July 1, 2022. The step 6 advancement and all differential pay changes will take effect on October 16, 2022.
SPECIAL APPRECIATION
I would like to extend a BIG Thank You to our awesome Negotiating Teams for their commitment, enthusiasm, dedication, passion, and perseverance! This was a great group of people that we felt honored to work with and get to know better. The Teams were made up of the following SLOCEA members:
Big Unit:
President Erin Stich, Clerical Unit, District Attorney Office
Vice President Emily Landis, Public Services, Dept. of Social Services
Jeremiah Damery, Public Services, Environmental Health
Chris Summers, Supervisory Unit, Public Works
Trades Unit:
Tim Faes, Parks Department.
Jim Hutchinson, Public Works (Facilities Services Division)
Mike Johnson, Public Works (Utilities Division)
Robert St. Cyr, Public Works (Transportation Division)
Kevin Sulitz, Parks Department
A very special thank you to Pat McNamara for his organization and unwavering dedicated service to SLOCEA at countless negotiation tables throughout his 8½ years serving as our Executive Director/General Manager.
Theresa Schultz
Senior Labor Representative