On January 6^th and 7^th, both the 005 Office-Technical and 008 Welfare Non- Supervisory bargaining units met and voted to allow the two UPE negotiation teams to call a strike if the County maintains their position on the Health and Welfare reopener, salaries and Employee Retirement contribution. On January 8^th, 2014 the UPE Executive Director notified the County on the outcome of the strike vote and conveyed to them the anger and dissatisfaction of UPE members'. Bargaining for both units will resume on January 9, 2014.

Please continue in supporting your bargaining teams by wearing RED on Wednesday (008) and Thursday (005) and participating in worksite breakouts. Remember to sign the online petition at change.org and search for United Public Employees.

The latest news and updates on bargaining will be posted on the Website and Facebook within 24 hours of each negotiations session and posted on worksite bulletin boards shortly thereafter.

United Public Employees Local #1 represents 3,600 Sacramento County workers who have been working without a contract since June 30, 2013.

Since 2010, there have been no cost of living adjustments and workloads have increased. The Union has requested very modest raises and maintenance of current medical plans. The County has denied reasonable raises and demanded the right to arbitrarily change workers' medical benefits without having to negotiate. County workers cannot risk a raid on their benefits and need wages that keep up with the cost of living and allow us to support our families.

United Public Employees Local #1 asks you to join us in supporting labor peace by petitioning the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors to:

1. Negotiate upcoming health care changes with the Union and by mutual agreement.
2. Negotiate a cost of living increase that keeps up with inflation.
3. Negotiate recognition of county time in service.

Today, your 005 Board met with County management and had further discussions around financial compensation. Management offered guarantees for minimum financial increases for each of the next four years and we countered to raise that guarantee in the 2016-2017 year.

We will await word from management regarding our counter, which they will take back to the Board of Supervisors for approval.

Regarding our 008 brothers and sisters - we are in full support of their job actions; however, for your protection at this time, please do not participate in those job actions except during your breaks and lunches. Instead, show your support by hosting or participating in breakouts during lunches or breaks and wearing RED!

If and when 008 officially goes on strike, you are encouraged NOT TO CROSS THE PICKET LINE! Wait for official word on this from your board.

Due to the continued intimidation, bullying, harassment and outright lies of County management, your bargaining team is calling for today's job action to remain in effect until 7:00A.M. tomorrow morning (March 6, 2014). You, as union members, have the right to participate in job actions including walkouts, sick outs and strikes. Management is violating the law by telling you that you do not have this right and by writing you up for your participation in job actions - if this were true, they would have already filed injunctions to stop our job actions. They have not. If you remained at your worksite, leave now.

1. What do I do if I am on a call, in a meeting with a client, or in a multi-agency meeting?
   If imperative to client safety, finish your call, complete any necessary follow- up/closure paperwork that is timely, and then leave. If not safety related, finish as quickly as possible and then leave. (For call center staff: after completing a call make sure to you yourself on a not ready status.)

2. What do I do if my shift starts after a job action begins?
   Ensure that your picket captain/worksite contact has your personal cell phone number and the ability to reach you. DO NOT enter the office or begin work.

3. Do I answer my work cell phone or respond to work e-mails?
   No. A job action is a work stoppage. Do not answer phones, respond to e-mails, do home visits or work from home.

4. If I work an alternative shift (weekend, evening, overnight) and the action begins during the day, do I return to the office at a certain time?
   Communicate with your picket captain/worksite contact regarding this.

5. What if my sup/manager tells me I am insubordinate for leaving?
   You are entitled to participate in a union sanctioned job action.

6. What if I am on probation?
   To our coworkers who are on probation: your team and your coworkers recognize and respect the fact that it takes courage for a probationary employee to exercise their right to join in a union work stoppage. But past experience shows that participating may actually enhance job security for probationers with no performance issues, because management knows the union will claim illegal retaliation if a worker who participated is released from probation.

7. What do I put on my timesheet?
   YOU WILL NOT BE PAID for the time you are participating in a work stoppage. In past work stoppages, county management has typically insisted on putting it down on your timesheets as "absent without leave."

YOUR SACRAMENTO COUNTY CONTRACT
EXPIRED ON
6/30/2013!