Regarding your important fringe benefits, the Coalition of County Unions (CCU), including CAPE representatives, have already secured important gains as the CCU continues to negotiate with the County to achieve the maximum possible fringe benefit improvements this bargaining cycle.
Although the CCU has yet to reach an overall Agreement, the following benefit gains are assured for CAPE members and all CCU-member union employees:
• A New Cesar Chavez annual Holiday every March 31 starting in 2017.
• One Extra Week of Vacation Time which will accrue as one (1) extra vacation day at the completion of each service year 20, 21, 22, 23, & 24 respectively.
• More Money for Healthcare - thanks to early efforts by the CCU in these negotiations, significant additional funding for your rising health care costs has already been offered by the County. However, your CCU negotiating team is still fighting for more to try to assure none of the increased health care costs will come out of your pocket!
CCU representatives have been in negotiations over all of your benefits since April 15, 2015, and are still in bargaining with their remaining focus on three key issues:
1. As mentioned above, achieving the maximum possible increase in the "County Contribution" toward your CHOICES benefits to cover your rising health care costs.
2. Protecting your ability to continue to go to your doctors, in your preferred provider network, during the term of the contract.
3. Gaining access to the Savings & Thrift Plan (401 (k)) so that all County employees, not just unrepresented executives, have the ability to defer the maximum compensation - pre-tax - to retirement.
CCU representatives return to the fringe benefits bargaining table on Wednesday, November 4, and are ready to go around-the-clock to secure a fair agreement that protects your paycheck, protects your provider network, and furter enhances your retirement.
As with any negotiation, it remains unclear what might be achieved. However, what is certain is that like the CAPE Negotiating Teams did for your Bargaining Unit Contracts, our CCU representatives will not leave anything on the bargaining table!
We will continue to keep you informed. Please feel free to contact the CAPE office at (626) 243-0340 with any questions.