UPE Local 1 Members
December 2, 2013
The pursuit for a fair and reasonable contract with the County of Sacramento has been a struggle for your negotiation team. As a sign of solidarity and support, Members of UPE, Local 1 have been coordinating union supported breakouts at their worksites.
It is our right to participate in union activities as prescribed under Government Code 3502, 3506. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Human Assistance have recently sent out a notice to employees which the union perceives to be intimidating and a rule by fear tactic to persuade our members not to participate in their protected right to engage in union activity.
Both departments, under the guise of customer service and "coverage", are attempting to use disciplines to discourage our members in voicing our displeasure with the County in their unwillingness to negotiate a reasonable contract. Currently, the County has a proposal on the table that if they are going to give a raise of two percent they want 1.4 percent back for additional costs associated with your current pension. What does this mean? Back in the 1990's our membership agreed to pay 100 percent of our, the employee, total cost towards retirement. Now the County wants us to pay 50 percent of the administrative cost towards retirement.
We understand that this is a new law that was signed by Governor Brown. What we do not understand is why the County of Sacramento is asking for this now? We asked this question, but have not received a rational answer. It seems that they may be the only jurisdiction of its size that is seeking this from their employees. The law gives us a right to negotiate this up until 2018. This does not need to happen as it gives the County the right to opt out and not seek this from their employees. As of now, Sacramento County Retirement System currently has an 83 percent return from investments, which in turn the employer benefits as it lowers their administrative costs. Every 1 percent SCERS earns over the investment return assumption (7.5%) equates to a downward pressure on the employer contribution rate (savings) equal to .05% of payroll. In 2012-2013 FY it hit 13.2 percent which added $785M in one year alone. This is a nice big savings for the County.
After the sacrifices we underwent to assist this County during the recession, the County has now forgotten those sacrifices. Now that the County can afford a little, they in true fashion now want more. What we are asking is for the County to have some consideration for those sacrifices and provide what little economic relief it can to its employees, so they too can recover from the same recession that took many homes, cars and has forever changed the lives of so many of its employees.
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CURRENT JOB ACTIVITIES. BE SURE THAT IT IS AT YOUR ALLOCATED BREAK AND LUNCH, BEFORE AND AFTER WORK. STAND UP AND SHOW THE COUNTY THAT WE WILL NOT BE OPPRESSED UPON!
ELECTION RESULTS
The following Board Members will be seated January 2014 at their prospective meetings.
We would like to thank all of the members that ran in this election for their participation.
008 Services Chapter
Daniel Herrera -- 20%
Jeannine Lopez -- 22%
Xiomara Watkins-Breschi -- 19%
Sarah Singleton -- 20%
LaShawnda Barker -- 8%
Laura Appling -- 11%
008 Eligibility Chapter
Danielle Brown -- White Ballot
Detria Terry -- White Ballot
Patrick Hunter -- White Ballot
Court Office Technical
DCC Deputy Clerks Chapter
Suzette Cade -- 15%
Claudio Barron -- 27%
Dai (David) Eby -- 21%
Dan Durden -- 9%
Marie Hogue -- 12%
Danyell Johnson -- 6%
Margaret Chapman -- 10%
Court Office Technical
CCC Courtroom Clerk Chapter
Geralyn Bradford-Hill -- 49%
Kelly Sullivan -- 46%
Amber Mitchell -- 5%
Court Office Technical
CRC Court Reporter Chapter
Jean Smart -- White Ballot
Brooke Ryan -- White Ballot
Court Professional Unit
Mediator Chapter
Leava Ong -- White Ballot
Nora Williams -- White Ballot
005 Office Technical
Chapter 1
Josephine Elder -- White Ballot
Edward Marin -- White Ballot
SHOW YOUR SOLIDARITY DURING
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS
The 005 Office-Technical & 008 Welfare Non-Supervisory negotiations teams are entrenched at the bargaining table with the County.
Show your support by wearing RED
Wednesday (008)
Thursday (005)
And demand from the County a fair and reasonable contract!
YOUR SACRAMENTO COUNTY CONTRACT
EXPIRED ON
6/30/2013!
You have been working without a contract for:
