Table Talk

News brief for Jan. 4, 2008

Members in our Schools Industry chapters must be learning something about contract bargaining, judging from the recent outbreak of contract settlements giving 1021 steam for the new year. To wit:

Workers in the Fremont Unified School District didn't just keep their health benefits and fight off takeaways. They won a 4% across-the-board pay increase retroactive to July 1, 2007, a 5% longevity increase for employees with 30+ years, and a 7.5% salary bump for Lead Custodians. Happy new year indeed.

The crew at Mendocino College settled a reopener with a 3.5% COLA plus a 0.5-1.5% "stretching" of the top three merit steps. That means a 6.2% increase for the majority of our members, with an average increase of 5.5%. All that plus no change to the college's fully paid health care benefits.

More retroactivity in the Ohlone College District, where members ratified a 4.53% salary increase effective back to July 1, 2007. In a deal effective through June 2011, the district agreed to maintain step movements through June 2009; cover the CALPERS Kaiser Family rate of $1,223.74 back to December 1; and review employee medical, dental, life, vision and long-term care benefits by June 30 of this year to maintain or improve retiree benefit coverages — a potential savings of $400,000 a year.

Throughout last year, the management of the Timothy Murphy School in Marin (with the help of the union-busting law firm Littler Mendelson) declared war on its workers and their union. They refused to bargain a new contract, unilaterally changed job descriptions, fired union activists, and refused to recognize SEIU 1021 as their new union.

What a difference in 2008. After a series of grievances, worksite actions, and unfair labor practice charges, the employer agreed to recognize 1021 and enforce the former contract until a successor agreement is negotiated, including agency shop. Five members who lost their jobs will get a severance package totaling $90,000, and the employer agreed not to challenge their unemployment claims. In addition, two workers whose wages were cut arbitrarily will receive full back pay. Members ratified the deal unanimously.

The purple tide

Not all the action was in school, however. The creative bargaining team in the City of Suisun scored a victory bigger than their numbers would make you think was possible. Here's what our 27 members there won: A 5% COLA the first year, 2-3% in each of the next two years (depending on the Consumer Price Index), and up to 7.5% in July 2010. They also got enhanced retirement options, $200,000 in life insurance, a 100% employer-paid Kaiser plan, and enhanced vacation and longevity pay for employees with 20 years.

In the Napa County Superior Court, both bargaining units (supervisors & non-supervisors) ratified a four-year deal with COLAs totaling 14% over the life of the contract. They also won great medical plans, alternative work schedules, and vacation cash-out.

The 1021 juggernaut has been rolling steadily across the North Bay. The Napa settlement comes on the heels of recent victories in the Sonoma Superior Court, the counties of Marin (& Marin RNs) and Sonoma, then Napa County and the City of Napa on the same day. In the next county to the east, Solano workers are locked in a battle they have no intention of losing. Will it never end? Nope. We're just getting started.