UPDATE: Health Plan of San Joaquin members ratify contract

Our contract with Health Plan of San Joaquin expires on June 30, 2022. Below are bargaining updates from the SEIU 1021 Health Plan of San Joaquin Bargaining Team. The Bargaining Team’s job includes: Bargaining and making decisions at the negotiations table and working with the Contract Action Team to ensure strong activity at the worksites to support the bargaining.

Members’ input and communications are vital to negotiating a fair and equitable contract. Please talk to your co-workers to ensure they receive communication from SEIU 1021. If they are not, we likely do not have current contact information on file. Please contact Field Representative Andrea Colavita Pinkham at a.colavitapinkham@seiu1021.org or 209-817-3656.

The strength of our union depends on our members’ level of commitment and involvement. All members are encouraged to participate.

Health Plan of San Joaquin Chapter Bargaining Team

Four (4) Bargaining Team Members and two (2) Alternates elected to serve on the Bargaining Team.

Bargaining Team

• Darlean Galloway, Lead Grievances Coordinator
• Christina Villar, Provider Services Representative I
• Robin Walker, Senior Appeals Nurse
• Gabriell Wilson, Social Worker

Alternates

• Germaine Curtis, Claims Analyst II
• Paia Thor, Social Worker, Case Management

Challenges to or disputes arising from a Chapter election must be submitted to the Chapter Election Committee within three (3) working days of the submission of the committee’s election report to the Chapter Board. Challenges must be submitted in writing and must cite specific violation(s) of the Chapter election rules and procedures, Chapter bylaws, or the Local 1021 Bylaws and Constitution. Challenges to the election will be considered valid only if they cite specific violations of election rules and procedures, Chapter bylaws, or the Local 1021 Bylaws and Constitution and if the alleged violation may have affected the outcome of the election. The Chapter Election Committee shall investigate and resolve challenges within ten (10) working days of receipt of the challenge.

Bargaining Update #3 – We ratified our contract – August 22, 2022 

Over ninety-eight percent of you voted to accept the tentative agreement and ratify our new contract with Health Plan of San Joaquin. The next step is for the eleven-member Health Commission that oversees Health Plan of San Joaquin to ratify the contract at its next meeting on Wednesday, September 28, 2022.

Because of the power of collective action, we secured significant gains, not only for us but for the communities we serve. A robust three-year contract with management empowers us to continue what we do best: serve the underserved.

From the first-ever cost-of-living-adjustment increases to making Health Plan of San Joaquin a desirable place to work, we can fulfill our mission to continuously improve the health of our community and advance wellness by providing healthcare value through community partnerships.

It takes people like you, with a commitment to supporting individuals and families who may be struggling with economic hardships, work opportunities, and other barriers, to make this happen.

In the face of a worldwide health pandemic and a turbulent economy, we can rise up knowing that we are here for the San Joaquin County community. Our new contract gives us the resources we need to work on behalf of low-income children, their families, and the most vulnerable citizens of our community. We play a vital role in ensuring the health and safety of our communities.

The significant highlight of the new contract is a FIRST EVER COLA:

• After ratification by the Health Commission of San Joaquin County and us, a five percent cost-of-living-adjustment increase—that is in addition to merit increases.

Other contract highlights include:

• $1-per-hour raise for those who are assigned to an office full-time;
• Renewed red circling language;
• Renewed bonus language with an increase to $1,500.

Bargaining Update #2 – We secured a Tentative Agreement – August 11, 2022 

The strength of our union depends on our members’ level of commitment and involvement. Through our bargaining session with Health Plan of San Joaquin management, we rose to new heights and secured a real material victory for us all. We finally secured a tentative agreement. A fair and just contract benefits not only us as workers but the communities we serve. We continuously work to improve the health of our community by providing access to high-quality, cost-effective health care to over four-hundred-thousand members – serving working families in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties.

The tentative agreement empowers us to get the resources we need to work on behalf of low-income children, their families, and the most vulnerable citizens of our community. With the pandemic still ongoing, we play a vital role in ensuring the health and safety of our communities.

The significant highlight is a FIRST EVER:

• After ratification by the Health Commission of San Joaquin County and us, a five percent cost-of-living-adjustment increase—that is in addition to merit increases.

Other highlights include:

• $1-per-hour raise for those who are assigned to an office full-time;
• Renewed red circling language;
• Renewed bonus language with an increase to $1,500.

If you have questions about the tentative agreement, please join your bargaining team for a Zoom meeting on Tuesday, August 16, from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. To become a union member, you can join here.

Voting for the tentative agreement will take place via email or text message from ElectionBuddy, a secure online voting software, starting at 9 am on Wednesday, August 17, and ending at 5 pm on Friday, August 19. You must be a member to vote. If you would like to become a union member, you can go here.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with Bargaining Team members Pai Thor, Christina Villar, Germaine Curtis, Darla Galloway, and Robin Walker.

Bargaining Update #1 – August 3, 2022

We are on the verge of a historic agreement by introducing cost-of-living adjustments into the contract. Yesterday, our Health Plan of San Joaquin Bargaining Team also passed a comprehensive set of proposals with the goal of reaching a tentative agreement with management at our next bargaining session on Thursday, August 11. Because of that, we made significant movements on wages and other economic issues.

The strength of our union depends on our members’ level of commitment and involvement. All members are encouraged to participate. If you have any questions, please get in touch with Bargaining Team members Pai Thor, Christina Villar, Germaine Curtis, Darla Galloway, and Robin Walker.