Our fight for a strong Union contract continues! During our bargaining session on May 5th, we discussed pay practices related to internal equity, vacation accrual, and essential employee status – specifically the County’s desire to expand requirements for employees during long-term natural disaster and community emergency events.
- Internal Pay Equity: The County looks like they are moving toward us on several proposals we made in Article 15 including 1.) inclusion of cultural competency and bilingual differentials (KSA) when calculating an employee’s pay rate after promotion and reclassifications; 2.) protecting employees who take a demotion, by retaining their step-increase anniversary date; 3.) in the past employees were only able to request 6 months retroactivity in pay after reclassification from the date of submission to the Class Compensation Unit, the County appears to be willing to move that to the date the employee initiates the issue with their supervisor and Department HR, which is typically much earlier.
- Vacation Accrual: The County is seeking broader discretion to hire new employees at higher vacation accruals than current employees. We have identified that we believe that will create very inequitable outcomes between employees. Our Union team has proposed that to be consistent with management accruals, that the vacation accrual rates for all employees with 2 to 15 years of service increase and the maximum all employees may accrue after 2 years.
- Natural Disasters and Community Emergencies: Between the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 wildfires, and extreme heat and inclement weather events, numerous issues have arisen underscoring the need for the County to provide more support to employees responding to these events and essential employees broadly. The County has sought a broadening of the definition of essential employees and employee status during long-term events. We have demanded that workers’ interests be in the center of this conversation: 1.) compensation for essential status and disaster/ emergency response for other employees, 2.) clearer standards regarding reassignments and schedule changes, 3.) clear definitions of qualifying community emergencies and disasters, 4.) a process for hardship exemptions for employees who have personal extenuating circumstances.
We bargain again with the County on Thursday, May 19th. On that day, wear green, a union t-shirt or use a AFSCME virtual background during any virtual meetings you have. Visible collective actions signal to the County that union members are watching the bargaining process and that our solidarity is strong. For more information on all of the issues we’re taking on at the bargaining table visit the AFSCME Local 88 for 2022 Bargaining Updates. If you have a question for Local 88 Bargaining team, please submit it HERE
Members from Local 88 bargaining team will be discussing certain articles that the union and county has put on the table that impacts members as it relates to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Wednesday, May 25th, 2022
12p-1pm
Please register in advance- Registration Link
https://us06web.zoom.us/
