In addition to fighting anti-Probation legislation in Sacramento – and on top of our ongoing impact bargaining regarding the County’s mandatory vaccine policy – your Executive Board has spent the last two months in virtual bargaining for a successor Fringe Benefits Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Together with thirteen (13) other unions united in the Coalition of County Unions (CCU), we have reached a Tentative Agreement (T/A) with the County of Los Angeles for a nine-month term, effective retroactively from July 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022.
This is an uncommonly short term negotiated by the parties in recognition of the unusual times we are in, reflective of ongoing uncertainty regarding the economic impact of the pandemic.
Key highlights include:
A 2.5% increase in the negotiated Choices contribution to cover most of the 2022 premium increases for the medical and dental plans available to employees that participate in the Choices Plan.
A $1,000 one-time bonus for all full time County employees ($500 for part time employees).
A $500 COVID appreciation bonus for employees who worked at least 20 hours per week on average for those who attest to “elevated risk” on the job, specifically meaning that one’s job duties required to be within 6 feet or less of co-workers, patients, County clients, or the general public for periods of 15 minutes or greater.
The addition of Juneteenth as a paid holiday for all County employees.
The ability to carry over
an additional $50 (up to $550) in unused Health Care Spending Account funds from the prior Plan Year to the next Plan Year.
Additionally, the parties have agreed to establish a Joint Labor Management Committee to study and make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors regarding paid Family and Medical Leave.
Critically, the CCU successfully fought back the County’s attempts to take away our ability to protect your benefits in the annual medical insurance renewal process for Kaiser and Cigna, and to radically change enrollment rules for the CAPE medical plans.
As this is a very short contract, we will be back in negotiations very soon with the Coalition of County Unions.