CalPERS Retirement Benefits Not Affected by State Budget Deadlock

Thursday, July 24, 2008

SACRAMENTO, CA The California Public Employees’ Retirement System today issued the following statement by CalPERS Board President Rob Feckner regarding California’s State budget impasse:

“The lack of a State budget has absolutely no impact on CalPERS retirees. Our retired members will continue to receive their full CalPERS retirement benefit payments as they normally do because CalPERS retirement benefits are guaranteed by State law”.

“Also, the budget situation will not affect CalPERS members who are in the middle of their retirement application process. CalPERS retirement benefit calculations are based on a worker’s highest average pay rate over a 12 or 36 month period. This holds true despite any potential changes to employee salaries”.

CalPERS pays retirement benefits to more than 455,000 retirees and their beneficiaries.

CalPERS is the largest public pension fund in the U.S. with more than $233 billion in assets. The retirement system manages retirement and health benefits for more than 1.5 million active and retired California public employees on behalf of 2,600 public employers, including the State of California. For more information, visit http://www.calpers.ca.gov.

SRMC Management Agrees to Return to Mediation

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

REDDING - The Attorney representing SRMC in negotiations with the Union said they are willing to meet with UPEC and continue to mediate. SRMC Nurses overwhelmly rejected managements last offer in June.  SRMC expressed their disappointment that the Nurses rejected their last offer but are willing to meet with union nurses again. In a letter to UPEC Negotiator Mike Lyon, SRMC Attorney Frank Birchfield said their “financial position has become more precarious… and it is highly doubtful, however, that SRMC will be in a position to offer any additional concessions”. UPEC has contacted the Federal Mediator and is waiting for mediation dates. The nurses have been working without a contract since May 31st.

City Council Wants Public Input on PERS Retirement

Pacific Grove - The Pacific Grove City Council voted 4-3 in favor of placing an advisory measure on the November ballot. The City filed a resolution yesterday with the Monterey Elections Department. The advisory vote will ask the citezens of Pacific Grove their opinion of taking the City Employees out of the CALPERS Retirement System and placing them into a 401K type of plan. UPEC was unable to obtain the exact language today and told to call back after August 8th.
The City Council had previous voted 3-4 against placing CALPERS item on the ballot in their July 2nd meeting following comments from Fire, Police and UPEC representatives. A week later the item was back on the City Council agenda for the July 16th meeting. Business Manager Chris Darker said the CIty Council is determined to do away with CALPERS claiming that the retirement system is too costly and to blame for their projected budget shortfall. 

UNION RALLY DRAWS OVER 150 SUPPORTERS

Friday, July 18, 2008

WILLOWS , CA – The Union that represents Glenn County Superior Court employees announced today that a law suit has been filed against the Court in Federal District Court in Eastern Sacramento, California.  Chris Darker, Business Manager for the United Public Employees of California, Local 792 made the announcement at a Union Solidarity Rally held in Willows, California on Monday, July 14, 2008.

The EEOC conducted an extensive investigation of the Glenn County Superior Court in Willows, California and determined that court administration had failed to promote its employee, Norma Raygoza, a Hispanic female, based upon her race in 2005. Following the determination by the EEOC, court administration finally promoted Ragoza from a Court Clerk II to a Court Clerk III in August 2007.  “Norma is an excellent employee who, because of her race, was denied a promotion for nearly two and one-half years longer than her fellow Caucasian workers”, stated Darker. Ragoza has worked for the court since February 2000.

The Union and Raygoza, assisted by EEOC representatives, met with court administration in January 2008 in an attempt to settle issues such as lost wages and benefits. The court refused to make any settlement and continued to deny any wrongdoing. “The lack of any settlement offer by the
Court clearly shows their contempt for the law and total disrespect for those of Hispanic origin”, stated Darker.

The United States Department of Justice issued a “Right to Sue” letter to Norma Raygoza in April 2008 giving her 90 days to file an action against the Glenn Courts. Raygoza has received the backing of her labor union and retained the Law Firm of Sacramento attorney Paul Q. Goyette who filed the suit in the Federal District Court for Eastern Sacramento County, California today.

The suit is filed against the Glenn County Superior Court, Assistant Court Executive Officer Janelle Bartlett and Chief Court Executive Officer Tina Burkhart. The complaint alleges the defendants discriminated and retaliated against Norma Raygoza, specifically:  1. Discrimination Violation of Title VII (42 U.S.C. §2000, et seq.); 2. Discrimination Violation of FEHA (Gov. Code § 12940, et seq.):  3. Retaliation in Violation of Title VII (42. U.S.C.  § 2000, et seq.); 4. Retaliation in Violation of FEHA (Gov. Code § 12940, et seq.)

“Our Union will not stand for racism in the workplace and as a union we will go the extra mile to ensure our members are protected against these bigots and see that justice is served. As American Citizens we have protections under the United States Constitution”, stated Darker in front of Raygoza supporters.

Hispanic Police claim bias in suit against Denver Police Department

From The Rocky Mountain News, July 16
DENVER, CO – Sixteen current or former officers, all of them Latino, are filing a class-action lawsuit alleging longtime discrimination patterns against the Denver Police Department.
The lawsuit, announced today at a news conference by the National Latino Peace Officers Association, claims minorities have not been promoted like whites, have been pushed out of the training academy and have been forced into a hostile work environment. Those who complain have had a fake bomb placed in their desk, been called traitors and have found themselves getting slower backup, it states.
Sgt. Leonard Mares played the audio of a training tape from 1979 in which an officer yelled a series of racist, sexist and homophobic statements at recruits. Some of those who were trained then are now in leadership at the force, and the pattern of discrimination has become systemic, Mares said.
“When does the training stop for non-white officers? Ten years? Twenty years? Thirty years?” Mares said. “These hurtful behaviors have always been accepted by many in the Denver Police Department.”
The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages for unpaid income, retroactive pay and unpaid severance, among other things. It also demands that the department eradicate its “unlawful employment practices” and reinstate the plaintiffs to jobs they would have held if not for the discrimination.

Federal Law Suit Filed Against Court

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Willows - Glenn Superior Court Administrators will soon land in court as defendants. The Law firm of Goyette and Associates filed a law suit in Federal Court Monday on behalf of UPEC member Norma Ragoza. Raygoza, a Court Clerk was denied promotion for 2.5 years longer than her fellow Caucasian workers. The EEOC spent over 18 months conducting an investigation of the complaint filed by Ragoza and ruled that Glenn Superior Court had discriminated against Raygoza “because of her race, hispanic.” “Norma is an excellent and loyal employee with a great written record of performance. She doesn’t deserve what Court Administrators have done to her”, stated UPEC Business Manager Chris Darker. Norma is possibly facing another 18 months before her case is finally resolved.