The Latest from AFSCME 2620

Mr. James Conwell MSW, a clinical social worker at California Substance Abuse Treatment Program (SATF) in Corcoran has been an advocate for not only his inmate clients but also all Health and Social Service Employees within CDCR. He is a Union Steward of AFSCME Local 2620 Bargaining Unit 19 who gives his time, energy, and ideas to improve the working conditions for workers and provide effective treatment and interventions for clients.

With that said, we at SATF State Prison would like the opportunity to show our support to Mr. Conwell as he recently was diagnosed with vascular bleeding for which he has undergone brain surgery. Given that he will need time off from work to heal and has depleted his vacation, sick and holiday time, a Catastrophic Time Bank (CTB) has been approved for him. Any donations of time to his CTB would be greatly appreciated by James and his family.

Thank you in advance for your attention, cares and donations from friends at SATF SP.

Sincerely,

Gail Penny LCSW

AFSCME BU 19 Steward

Clinical Social Worker at SATF

Catastrophic Time Bank Request

Catastrophic Time Bank Authorization

January 11, 2008

Dear AFSCME Brothers and Sisters in DMH, DDS, and CDVA,

The union recently reached a tentative agreement with the State for the Pharmacist I and the Clinical Dietician classifications in DMH, DDS, and CDVA. These are the same classifications that received salary increases in CDCR as a result of the PLATA federal court order. A letter is being mailed to our members in these classifications along with a ballot which will allow them to vote on whether or not to accept the terms of proposed agreement.

This agreement comes as the result of three separate bargaining sessions. In October of 2007 the union was called to the bargaining table by the State to discuss the PLATA classes. At that time the union was offered a salary equal to 18% below that being paid to the Pharmacist I and the Clinical Dietician classes in CDCR. The union returned to the bargaining table in November, with a counter offer of full parity for these classifications as well as salary increases for similar or related classifications in our bargaining unit. In January the State called the union back to the table. The State submitted a proposal to the union which increases the maximum of the salary range of the Pharmacist 1 and the Clinical Dietician to 10% below CDCR effective January 1, 2008 and 5% below CDCR effective January 1, 2009. The proposed salary schedule can be viewed below.

It was made clear to the Union that if we did not accept the terms of the tentative agreement the offer would be pulled back by the State and the money would come off from the table. We would then return to the offer of a salary 18% below CDCR. Given the State of the State and the current fiscal crisis, the Union took an action to secure a salary advancement opportunity for the Pharmacist I and Clinical Dietician classifications that will eventually bring these classifications up to 95% of the salary being paid to the same classifications in CDCR.

The Leadership of AFSCME 2620 is committed to providing our members the opportunity to participate in the decisions of the union. After consulting with the Occupational Committee Chairs for the Pharmacists and the Dieticians, it was decided by these leaders that you, the members, should be allowed to decide for yourself whether to accept the assurance of the proposed salary advancement or decline the offer with the hope you will receive a more substantial offer from the State. In compliance with our Constitution and in keeping with the focus of this administration, we are allowing you the opportunity to make this determination for yourself. By reaching a tentative agreement with the State, we are able to put this proposal before you, the members, for your vote.

What does a yes vote mean? A yes vote will secure the proposed salary range for the Pharmacist I and the Clinical Dietician classifications in DMH, DDS, and CDVA. The salary range will increase the maximum of the class to 90% of that being paid in CDCR effective January 1, 2008, and 95% of that being paid in CDCR effective January 1, 2009.

What does a no vote mean? A no vote means the money for the salary increases will be pulled back by the State and the union will return to the bargaining table to discuss the States prior proposal of a salary 18% less than that being paid in CDCR.

The Governor recently announced deep cuts in every State Department. California is facing a fourteen billion dollar deficit which some fiscal analysts are saying could grow to as high as eighteen billion by 2009. No matter how deserving our members may be of a substantial salary increase and no matter how far below the market rates our members are presently being paid, it is simply not reasonable to believe there will be more money coming our way in the near future. I urge you to carefully consider your decision on this matter as the agreement reached between the union and State will allow you, the Pharmacists and Dieticians, to continue to receive salary improvements during years when others likely will not. Also, when making your decision, remember that the salaries being paid in CDCR are the result of a court order and therefore considered by some to be a windfall. No matter what the reason or the cause, the salaries would not be what they are today had it not been for federal government intervention. We would not be offered the salaries proposed in this agreement had it not been for the special circumstances surrounding the PLATA case.

In Solidarity,

Nancy Swindell
President, AFSCME Local 2620

Click here to view the Salary Schedule (in PDF format).

This bill would approve the addenda to memoranda of understanding entered into by the state employer and State Bargaining Units 1, 3, 8, 18, 19, and 20 that require the expenditure of funds, as specified. The bill would further approve provisions of the addenda that require the expenditure of funds, and would appropriate $26,516,000 from the General Fund and other unallocated nongovernmental cost funds for those purposes. The bill would provide that those provisions shall not take effect unless the funds are specifically appropriated by the Legislature or already exist within available appropriations, and would allow the reopening of negotiations if the Legislature does not approve or fully fund any addendum.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

This is the bill underlying the raises within 5% for certain mental health classifications within DMH, DDS, and DVA.

The tentative Agreement reached between the State and AFSCME 2620 regarding the raises for Coleman related mental health care classes has been ratified by the members with an overwhelming vote of 361 for and 8 against.

Read the full story here.

AFSCME 2620 has reached a tentative agreement with the State regarding the implementation of the Coleman Court order of June 28, 2007. The agreement will be sent out to the affected members for ratification by vote.

Read the full story here.

Read President Nancy Swindell's letter on Coleman Raises

Click here to view the August Newsletter. Please note that Adobe Acrobat is required to view this newsletter.

We've added a new section to keep you posted on the legislative bills we are following. Click the item "Bills Being Followed" on the menu on your left to view these bills.

COUNCIL 62 LOCAL 3412 is offering T-Shirt sales to help fund the Martin Luther King Memorial Fund. For more details, view the order form (Adobe Acrobat required).

On June 28, Judge Karlton ordered salaries at DMH to be increased to 95% of those paid at CDCR. The actual classifications include psychologists, social workers, and rehabilitation therapists.

There are - and will be for some time to come - many unanswered questions about how this order will be implemented. In the coming weeks, we will meet with the state as it prepares a “pay letter” to implement the order. Because this is a court order, we cannot accept or reject it - but we can and will make our voice heard in response.

Like the salary increase ordered by Judge Henderson in the Plata case, which covers medical staff in CDCR, Judge Karlton's order waives many sections of state law governing salary placement. The state will surely use the waivers to its advantage to minimize the financial impact of the order - a penny-pinching evasion that would once again come at the expense of a long-term solution.

Read the full story here.

6/28/2007 - Read the latest on the Coleman Court case.

We've added a Press Release section and a In the News section to the site.

Judge orders state to provide plan for equal pay to DMH clinicians

AFSCME 2620 representatives President Nancy Swindell, Business Agent Pam Manwiller, and Council 57 Executive Director George Popyack attended Monday's Federal Court hearing on the class-action suit which argues that inmates are being denied their constitutional right to receive mental health treatment while incarcerated. At issue is the mass exodus of mental health and health care professionals from state mental health hospitals to jobs in the prison system.

Though it was not our case to argue on behalf of our members, we filed an Amicus brief which gave us standing on the matter. Our attorney was present and prepared to respond to any questions the court might have about our position.

On Wednesday, Judge Karlton ordered the state to submit a plan that would require that psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, and psychiatric technicians who care for mentally ill prisoners at DMH hospitals receive raises to match the salaries of their counterparts in the CDCR. The order, issued yesterday, requires that the state submit its plan within 30 days.

This is an important milestone - reached in no small part because of the many of you who have joined us in protest outside DMH locations, especially this past Monday. Now our task is to ensure that the state responds with raises that bring pay equity throughout all facilities. We are in the process of analyzing all of the aspects of the judge's order. Over the next 30 days, we need to stay vigilant to ensure that instead of looking for loopholes, the state finally meets its responsibility to provide equal pay.

DPA negotiations: despite bullying and threats, the 2620 stood strong

President Nancy Swindell, Chief Negotiator Pam Manwiller, and Council 57 Executive Director George Popyack also met with the DPA on Monday to discuss the state's offer to increase salaries paid to Psychologists, Social Workers, and Recreation Therapists, in DMH, DDS, and VA to 18% below the salaries being paid to the same classifications in CDCR. We didn't waver from the stance that you, our members, directed. We stood firm for full salary parity. Pam Manwiller was clear in stating the -18% would not solve the state's problem of mass transfers to CDCR.

The state negotiator said the offer on the table was the administration's final position, to force Pam to say we would not move on the offer. Pam was clear in stating we are representing the views and positions directed by our members. The State then informed BU 19 they would move to file “impasse papers.”

The meeting had ended. As the AFSCME 2620 representatives were leaving, the state threatened to withdraw the 4/1/2007 effective date, and to pull the offer off the table altogether. This was viewed as a desperate action by the state to get BU 19 to agree to their inadequate salary offer.

We followed the direction given us by you, our members, based on meetings and extensive dialogue statewide. We stood firm for full salary parity and would not yield to the state's antics and threats.

Click on the Newsletter link and select May 2007 to read it online
(including supplemental material available online only)

VIEW THE PRESS RELEASE HERE

VIEW THE VIDEO HERE