We did it! When we began bargaining, management came to the table proposing only takeaways. They wanted us to give up benefits we had already secured while proposing no new pay increases, but we stood our ground. It wasn’t easy. We picketed. We told our stories to the media. We went on strike. But most importantly, we stayed united and we didn’t give up.

“This TA was only possible because workers at THC stayed united. We fought back and refused to cave into management’s proposed concessions. We stood up to the city, demanding better for our workforce, clients, and community. This agreement is proof of what we can win when we stand together as a union,” said Evan Oravec, a community organizer at THC and our union’s Chapter President. 

We’ll be voting to ratify the new tentative agreement on Friday, September 2. [Voting details here].

Click here to read the full language of our tentative agreement.

Here’s a summary of what we won:

• Wages: We secured significant across-the-board wage increases, ranging from 7-35% depending on classification with an average increase for the bargaining unit of 22%, effective immediately. Workers whose positions are funded by a City department other than Homelessness and Supportive Housing will receive the same increases as workers funded by HSH in the same classification. The base rates will be increased by different amounts depending on classification, and the pay for anyone currently paid above the base will be increased by the same dollar amount as the increase to the base.
   
• Insurance: No increase to the share paid by members. Previously, we negotiated language stating that if Kaiser increases their cost by 5% during the lifetime of the contract the union and employer must negotiate over the effect of that increase. In our new contract, that amount was increased to 8.5%, giving us even more protections for our health benefits.
   
• Time off: When employees are feeling stressed out, they can request to take three mental health days off with pay to recover. We added Cesar Chavez Day and Juneteenth as paid holidays. We also won another floating holiday, bringing the total number from three up to four.
   
• Longevity bonuses: Employees will receive the bonuses at certain anniversaries of their hiring to reward them for longevity with the organization:
  • 3 years of service: $500
  • 6 years of service: $700
  • 9 years of service: $800
  • 12, 15, 18, and 20 years: $900
• Expanding our union: We were able to organize non-union employees of THC into our union, meaning that 5 positions will now be covered by our contract. These workers will receive 7% wage increases.