After more than a year of bargaining, the Coalition of County Unions (CCU) has reached a Tentative Agreement (T/A) with the County of Los Angeles on a successor Fringe Benefit Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This round of negotiations was particularly challenging because of the County’s mandate to lessen liability associated with the Flores v. City of San Gabriel, (9th Cir. 2016) case, specifically by reducing the cash back members received from the Choices plan.
After months at the bargaining table the CCU and the County largely agreed on a road map to resolve the issues raised by the Flores case, which included progressive caps on cash back from the Choices plan and lower than normal medical contributions in exchange for “sustainability bonuses” to offset the loss in taxable cash. However, the CCU steadfastly refused to accept the County’s inequitable offer of a $500 bonus when most SEIU Local 721 members – and all non-represented employees – had received a $1,000 bonus.
After face-to-face meetings with members of the Board of Supervisors, the Coalition ultimately was able to reach an equitable agreement that included a $500 bonus, a full paid holiday (8 hours), and an early implementation of the 2nd year increase to health contributions!
Changes to the Choices Plan
| 7/1/19 | +1.5% increase to Choices Contribution |
| 11/1/19 | +2.0% increase to Choices Contribution |
| 1/1/20 | $325 cap on cash-in-lieu take home pay |
| 1/1/21 | +2.5% increase to Choices Contribution |
| 1/1/21 | $244 cap on cash-in-lieu take home pay |
Sustainability Bonus & Step
Within 60 days of Board approval | $500 one-time bonus 8 hours of leave (holiday time) |
| (Note: $500 one-time bonus and 8-hour holiday to be credited within 60 days of contract approval.) | |
| 1/1/20 | +1% “Sustainability Bonus” |
| 1/1/21 | +2.75% “Sustainability ½ Step” |
| (Note: To be awarded only to top step employees who have completed 12 or more months in that final step of the salary range.) |
Additionally, the labor-management Employee Benefits Advisory Committee (EBAC) will collaboratively explore solutions to the anticipated gap between the negotiated Choices contribution and the cost of employee benefits.
About the CCU
The Coalition of County Unions is comprised of ten AFL-CIO unions representing more than 28,000 fire fighters, doctors, engineers, appraisers, probation officers, deputy sheriffs, building and construction trades workers and many more.
The CCU negotiates the “Coalition of County Unions Fringe Benefits Agreement” while member unions negotiate individual unit contracts for wages and working conditions.
The CCU Fringe Benefits Agreement also applies to a number of County unions not affiliated with the AFL-CIO, including the Professional Peace Officers Association (PPOA) and Teamsters Local 911.a
The following Unions are affiliated with the CCU:
•American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees Council 36 – AFSCME DC 36
•Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs – ALADS
•Committee of Interns and Residents, Service Employees International Union, Local 1957 - CIR
•California Association of Professional Employees – CAPE
•International Union of Operating Engineers Local 501 – IUOE 501
•Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building Trades Council – LA/OC B&CTC
•LA County Fire Fighters Local 1014
•LA County Lifeguard Association - LACOLA
•L.A. County Probation Officers’ Union, AFSCME Local 685 – AFSCME 685
•Union of American Physicians & Dentists, UAPD – AFSCME, AFL-CIO
