Economic Package for Managers and Supervisors Associated with Bargaining Unit 6:
On July 6, State President Gonzales sent out a statement regarding the release of the economic package for managers and supervisors associated with BU6. The package mirrors the compensation and benefits that rank-and-file will receive. We are very happy with the outcome and relieved it did not take litigation to be achieved. This is a huge win for us and as an organization, we are hopeful that CDCR will continue to recognize how hard its managers and supervisors work. Please contact CCSO with any questions or concerns; we want to ensure every member feels confident with our support. We are aware that certain bargaining units have not reached an agreement, and thus their affiliated supervisors and managers do not have any information about their economic package. We are communicating with CalHR for a status update on the contract negotiations and respective excluded and exempt pay letters. More information will be disseminated as soon as we receive it.
ADA Lieutenant PY:
Five prisons have received or will be receiving, an additional lieutenant position which is affiliated with the body-worn cameras. The positions will likely remain in the management pool, meaning depending on where the numbers fall within the 60/40 split, some prisons will need to be given a premium 2nd watch lieutenant position in return. Please contact Labor Manager Gilbert Valenzuela with any issues concerning this. The Office of Labor Relations has confirmed that this position will not be exempt from the 60/40 split.
Guardians Wellness Program:
Keep an eye out for the summer edition of Keynotes, which should be in your mailbox soon. The magazine features a two-page spread about Guardians, a wellness program for first responders ran by first responders. Please take time to read about this great program offered to you as part of your CCSO membership. We hope that if any of our members find themselves going through a tough time in life, they are aware of the resources available to help them when needed. The Guardians team will be touring a few central valley institutions during the week of July 19 and we hope you seek them out and welcome them. Please contact the CCSO office for more information about the Guardians program or their upcoming tour schedule.
Essential Workers Pay
CalHR released Pay Letter 21-19 last week, officially announcing general salary increases for all rank-and-file bargaining units and affiliated exempt and excluded employees. However, the pay letter did not address premium pay for essential workers which has been allocated for the State through the 2021 federal COVID-19 relief package. So far, Bargaining Unit 6 has been the only state government union to successfully negotiate for pandemic-related hazard pay, which is coming out of the State’s general fund and not the COVID-19 federal fund.
The federal COVID-19 relief package passed in March, and California received $26 billion that can be used to provide premium pay to essential employees or grants to their employers. It also provides funding to assist households, small businesses, and nonprofits, as well as money to invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure. The State will determine how to disperse the funding.
CalHR informed CCSO that once guidelines are released regarding premium pay for essential workers, the State will meet and confer with all other bargaining units to negotiate the distribution of premium pay.
We believe that ALL essential workers, each crucial in maintaining the Department’s operations during the pandemic, deserve the same recognition and compensation as Bargaining Unit 6.
CCSO will continue to monitor the essential pay issue and do everything that we can to ensure supervisors receive equivalent pay as those they supervise.
Have a great weekend!