Major provisions: furloughs halved, layoff protections greatly expanded

Governor emboldened by court's ruling upholding unpaid furloughs
Reducing furloughs was a key demand of Local 1000 negotiators, in light of the court ruling upholding the governor's right to furlough state employees. Late last month a California Superior Court ruled that the governor could unilaterally impose furloughs during a fiscal emergency and his negotiators insisted that any furlough agreement include employees in departments of all statewide elected officials.

Layoffs only when departments eliminated or when entire offices closed
Layoffs, under terms of the tentative agreement, are limited to when a department is eliminated or when entire facilities or offices are closed. The layoff guarantee protects employees against continued fiscal cuts to state programs and is the strongest layoff protections in the history of collective bargaining for California state employees.
 
Two holidays exchanged for two paid personal holidays
Local 1000 negotiators won two personal holidays in exchange for elimination of Lincoln's Birthday and Columbus Day holidays. Fed by public pressure against state employees, elimination of the February and October holidays was a priority for the governor. The personal holidays, which are much like vacation days, will allow employees more flexibility in planning time off. The new provision gives the state the right to keep state offices and facilities open without paying premium pay.

Most employee health insurance contributions frozen at 2008 levels, Unit 3  80/20 formula established
The governor's negotiators agreed to a Local 1000 proposal increasing the state's contributions for health insurance premiums. The new contract language is retroactive to January 30, 2009 and means the state will pick up most increases in employee contributions for health insurance premiums through 2010. In addition, language that gives Bargaining Unit 3 educators the 80/20 healthcare formula in line with other Local 1000 members.

Professional development program to start with $1 million
Anticipating the need to train workers as the state faces large-scale retirement in its workforce, the tentative agreement sets aside $1 million for career enhancement. A Joint Labor-Management Trust will be created that will fund continuing education and professional development for Local 1000-represented employees.
 
Limits placed on overtime calculations
Another priority for Gov. Schwarzenegger was the elimination of all leave in the calculation of overtime. Local 1000 negotiators were able to limit this reduction; under terms of the tentative agreement employees who use a sick day cannot receive overtime in the same week until they have worked a full 40 hours, but all other leaves will continue to be counted in overtime calculations.
 
Travel per diem increased, state housing rates frozen
Other gains in the tentative agreement include an increase in business travel per diem from $40 to $55 for meals and incidentals, a two-year freeze on the rental rates for employees living in state-owned housing as a condition of their employment.

"Throughout these negotiations we had to overcome anti-public employee sentiment over our benefits as the economy worsened and private sector layoffs mounted," said Cindie Fonseca, Bargaining Unit 3 chair. "We were able to prevent the governor from implementing drastic cuts in our members' pay, benefits and job security and still preserve a number of key benefits and protections our members have fought so hard to win in previous contracts."