On July 11, 2025, the County provided its first response to UPE regarding bargaining since UPE declared impasse on June 24, 2023. Instead of doing the right thing and coming back to the table, the County decided to double down on the hardship our membership experiences by choosing to stop paying 005 members in DHA the 2.5% App Reg differential, retroactively to the expiration of the contract. The affected classifications are some of the lowest-paid in the County and do not deserve to be treated this way by their employer.
The App Reg differential exists to compensate 005 workers for performing the application registration process for DHA clients, a task normally assigned to the higher-paid HSS classification. To avoid accusations of insubordination, members should continue to follow supervisor directives regarding the App Reg process.
UPE views cutting off the App Reg differential without providing UPE advance notice and an opportunity to bargain as an illegal act by the County. Even worse, the County did not notify the union or employees until employees had performed the App Reg duties for two weeks! UPE will fight this action by filing an unfair labor practice charge against the County with the California Public Employee Relations Board.
