On June 18, 2019, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a successor Fringe Benefit Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Coalition of County Unions: The term of the MOU, which can be viewed here [http://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/bos/supdocs/137353.pdf], is 3 years, ending on June 30, 2021. The following details the changes to the CCU MOU:
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 | $500 one-time bonus |
| of Board approval | 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.) |
Bereavement Leave
- Added brother-in-law, sister- in-law, great grandfather, and great grandmother to the list of family members whose deaths qualify the employee for bereavement leave; and
- Added two additional days of bereavement leave if the employee has to travel 500 miles or more to the services.
Columbus Day
Columbus Day has been redesignated Indigenous People’s Day to conform with a 2017 change in County policy. Indigenous People’s Day is celebrated on the same day as Columbus Day.
New Full Understanding, Modifications, Waiver Article
Added this article to ensure that the County cannot unilaterally reopen a subject addressed in the Fringe Benefits MOU. This article requires that the Coalition would have to agree to reopen the subject
Eligibility for the CAPE Health Plans
A new eligibility requirement for participating in the CAPE Health Plans starting in 2020: The employee must be a member of a Union affiliated with the Coalition of County Unions to be eligible for the CAPE Health Plans.
Health Innovation
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.
Background
After more than a year of bargaining, in May 2019 the Coalition of County Unions (CCU) 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!
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.
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
