NLRB orders Shasta Regional to give employees their Severance Pay

Friday, August 28, 2009

REDDING - In a decision by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) dated August 24, 2009, the former owners of Shasta Regional must pay its unit employees their contractually-required severance payments.
The United Public Employees of California (UPEC) Local 792 filed several charges against the former hospital owners in November 2008 for violating their agreement with the Registered Nurse and the LVN/Technician units. 
Chris Darker, Business Manager for United Public Employees of California said, “We (UPEC) expected to get a favorable decision in this matter on behalf of SRMC employees unfortunately, I don’t think this will be settled anytime soon”. The former owners filed bankruptcy in Federal Court in September 2008.
In May 2009, UPEC also won another wage matter plus penalties on behalf of former SRMC Nurse Angela Eckelman through the Department of Industrial Relations. Eckelman had not been paid all of her wages by the former employer HPA. 
UPEC reached a settlement with SRMC’s new owners, Prime Healthcare Inc. in late February of this year and is representing the LVN/Technical Unit. 

Modoc County Sheriff’s Department Pay Issue Settled

A dispatcher with the Modoc County Sheriff’s Department contacted the Union office and asked us to look into her current pay with that Department. This dispatcher in question had been moved into a permanent Correctional Officer position because of medical issues with another female Correctional Officer who had been moved into the dispatch center. It appeared that this new position of Correctional Officer, although, temporary in nature, would exist for a minimum of one year. The Sheriff of Modoc County felt that the dispatcher in question was already getting a 5% pay incentive for being cross trained as a Correctional Officer and initially would not consider paying her the higher wage of Correctional Officer. Immediately after the Union became involved it was agreed that the employee would get not only Correctional Officer pay, but her retirement rate would be paid as a safety employee to PERS during her full time assignment as Correctional Officer.

Enjoy Some Nachos at the 2009 Labor Day Picnic!!!

Come to the 2009 Labor Day Picnic at Anderson River Park on September 7th to support the UPEC Scholarship Fund. Members of the Scholarship committee will be there working hard and selling nachos for $1.00 to help raise money for the 2010 scholarships. I would like to thank the Redding Police Officers Association for donating $200.00 to the Scholarship Fund to help make this fundraiser possible. Look for the UPEC banner and come and join us for Labor Day and enjoy some nachos while supporting a good cause. We look forward to seeing you there!

Butte County Declares Impasse

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

In an unusual move that is reflective of the unusual times we are going through at the bargaining table, Butte County recently declared an impasse in current negotiations with the Butte County Probation Peace Officers’ Association and the Butte County Professional Employees’ Association.  Both organizations are affiliated with UPEC.

The County began negotiations asking for a combined furlough and Employer Paid Member Contribution (EPMC) PERS reduction totaling about 10%.  The County has carried a proposal of -7% into impasse, but that was prior to the state’s raid on local governments last week.

The Union and the County are waiting the avail;ability of Mediator Sandra Poole, who recently played a key role in settling a contract for Bay Area Rapid Transit Unions.

Orland Negotiations Start, City Proposes Cuts to Employees

Tuesday, August 5, 2009

UPEC and the City of Orland have initiated negotiations in the midst of budget cutbacks caused by the downturn in the economy and the State’s “borrowing” of local agency sales and property taxes.  The City is requesting payroll reductions.  Negotiations are ongoing with a membership meeting occurring yesterday, Monday, August 4th. 

Trinity Units Approve Contract Extensions

Tuesday, August 5, 2009

All five Trinity County represented units, the Deputy Sheriffs’ Association Unit, the Miscellaneous Peace Officers Unit, the Management/Confidential Unit, the General Unit and the Skilled Trades Unit, have signed three-year extensions to their previous MOU’s that expired last December 31, 2008.

The extensions leave wages status quo for 2009, and then provide for a 2% COLA January 2010 and 2% COLA January 2011.  The Union agreed that employees should “vest” with service time before receiving a County copntribution for retiree medical benefits and established a vesting schedule for future hires of 5 years service to receive 25% off the County contribution, 10 years receives 50%, 15 years receives 75% and 20 years receives 100%.  The County contribution toward retiree medical premiums is equivalent to the County contribution for active employees, currently about $500 per month as it is linked to the employee only rate of PERS Choice.

Peace Officers also received a $200 annual increase in uniform allowance and Skilled Trades employees received an increase in their annual shirt allotment.