We’re working hard to improve our contract with Alameda County. Right now, we are re-proposing things the County has already rejected, focusing on a few areas where our contract lags behind comparable jurisdictions:

Job protections, including:

• Consistent, fair, clearly defined processes for disciplinary actions, including termination — our contract doesn’t have basic union rights around due process and just cause protections!
• Protections against AI use at work, so we aren’t replaced, asked to do more with less, displaced, or deskilled
• Health and safety provisions that protect all Alameda County workers — our contract doesn’t currently have this!
• Consistent processes and rights around telecommuting

Other major issues under discussion are:

• Pay in Alameda County for similar work vs. other employers
• Scheduling and hours of work, particularly where seniority rights are not being respected

If you have been impacted by any of these issues, your elected Bargaining Team needs to hear from YOU! Reach out to your field representative or Bargaining Team member to give your input and help us win.

We’re making progress on some issues. We have tentative agreements to:

• Increase the educational stipend to $900 per year, which now can all be used for licensing / certification renewals and reimbursements
• Boost uniform allowances under Section 26A by $100 per year
• Janitors will start receiving new uniforms, and will no longer be responsible for cleaning their uniforms
• Code Enforcement Officers will have new uniform and safety shoe allowances (boot allowance)

Other progress includes productive discussions around:

• Better protections against the County contracting out our jobs
• Improving catastrophic sick leave, including allowing workers to donate time to others to care for sick family members
• The right to take disciplinary matters to arbitration
• Support for members participating in mass mobilizations to defend our democracy
• A wage increase that helps our members keep up with the rising costs of living, and helps the County address our recruitment and retention problems

It’s going to take all of us to get this contract across the finish line!

Keep wearing your purple on your worksite’s designated days!