Colusa Courts Unit Settles First Contract!

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Colusa Superior Court members ratified a new 3 year agreement that makes significant progress on the issue of dependent medical premium, which was the most important issue identified by Union members when they began the bargaining process several months ago.  Prior to the agreement, the employer contributed the same amount for dependent medical premium as for the single employee premium - $353 per month.  This meant that an employee with family medical coverage paid over $900 per month for their share of the premium!

The new Agreement increases the employer’s contribution for medical premium concurrent with the 2008 premium increase in the PERS medical plans.  The employer’s share will increase $187 per month for employee only, $468 per month for employee plus one dependent and $574 per month for employee plus 2 or more dependents.  In Year 2 and 3 of the contract the employer will increase those amounts by $50, $55 and $60 per month in each category, each year, so that by Year 3 of the contract the employer will pay approximately $1,100 per month toward family medical premium instead of $353.

In order to focus on dependent medical premium, the unit took no salary increase for Year 1 and then 4% for Year 2 and 3.5% for Year 3.

In another hotly debated issue, the Union won reinstatement rights for any employee promoted and then released during the promotional probation period.  Prior to this agreement a promoted employee released on probation would be terminated from Court employment.

Congratulations to bargaining team members Kerry Wells (Acting Chief Steward), Brenda Cull and UPEC Representative Steve Allen for their hard work in winning this new Agreement!