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2005 Collective Bargaining
SLOCEA’s negotiating teams worked diligently to ensure the best possible increases—and you’ll be happy to know, they succeeded! Again! The COLA is 5.00%, and if that wasn't enough, the team was able to secure inequity increases for over 100 individual classifications. Click here for a list of the 2005 inequity increases.

Trades & Crafts: COLA increase is 4.57% (retroactive back to the July 1st pay period) MINUS up to a maximum of 1.25% for “Highest One Year” Retirement calculation. The amount that will be subtracted from the COLA for the Trades employees will vary dependent on time in service. A newly hired employee would wind up with a 3.32% COLA whereas a 33-year employee will get 3.42% because it costs less to augment the retirement benefit for the more senior employee.

“Highest One Year” is a benefit that will increase employees’ retirement stipends considerably. Prior to this agreement, the retirement allowance calculation for Trades & Crafts employees was based on an average of the employee’s highest 36 months of earnings, which meant that the full value of the prior three years of COLA increases, were not included in the retirement stipend. The new 12-month calculation has a greater impact than most people realize. By using only the highest year’s earnings, you are able to experience the full benefit of the yearly COLA increases. Highest One Year could increase pensions by over 4% depending on salary and the size of the yearly COLA adjustments.

In addition, the negotiating team was also able to attain the following for Trades & Crafts:
· Standby Pay Differential: Increased to $2.50/hour from $1.75/hour
· Uniform Allowance for Kennel Workers at Animal Services
· Pay Differential ($100/mo) for specific Fueling and Facility Maintenance Certifications
· Salary Inequity increase for Groundskeepers

“BIG UNIT” (Public Services, Clerical and Supervisory): COLA Increase is 5.00% (retroactive back to the July 1st pay period)
Salary Inequity Increases: Additional adjustments for over 100 different classifications. Individual notification will be sent to the affected classes. Click here for a list of the '05 inequity adjustments.

If the Board of Supervisors approves the tentative agreements at their October 18th meeting, the increases should be reflected on paychecks starting October 28th. For more information about this year’s negotiations or about the bargaining process in general, call SLOCEA at 543-2021 and we’ll discuss it with you.

Call SLOCEA at 543-2021 or send us an email at info@slocea.org if you would like more information about contract negotiations, bargaining units, salary inequity requests or any other topic related to labor relations.