COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Employee and Public Services

 

DATE:

November 14, 2002

   

BOARD MEETING DATE:

December 3, 2002

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Mary Welch, Employee and Public Services Director

SUBJECT:

Memoranda of Understanding with AFSCME, BCTC and SEIU

 
 

Recommendation

Adopt three resolutions, one implementing the Memoranda of Understanding with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), one with the Building and Construction Trades Council (BCTC), and one with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

 

Discussion

The County concluded negotiations with AFSCME and SEIU on Sunday, November 10, 2002 and with BCTC on Tuesday, November 12, 2002. All three Unions have ratified the County's offer. The following summarizes the major elements in the Memoranda of Understanding which cover a forty-eight month period of November 10, 2002 through November 4, 2006:

    General Salary Increases

    Salaries will be increased by 4% effective November 10, 2002, by 3% effective November 9, 2003, by 3% effective November 7, 2004 and by 4% effective November 6, 2005.

    Equity Increases

    Equity increases for various classifications as negotiated.

    Retirement Plan
    Effective September, 2003 (or earlier if possible) the County will implement the 2%@55 benefit. Effective March, 2005, the County will implement the 2%@55.5 benefit (1/120 design). Employees will share in the cost of this improved benefit through payroll deductions as follows:

    · 1% effective 8/30/03

    · additional 1% effective 8/28/04

    · additional 1% effective 3/13/05

    · Implementation of both retirement improvements is contingent on agreement by all unions representing employees in the General Retirement Plan or on enactment of legislation enabling implementation of such benefits by individual representation unit.

    · Implementation of 2%@55.5 is contingent on enactment of legislation enabling implementation at the 1/120 employee contribution design.

    On-Call Pay
    Effective October 10, 2002, on-call pay will be increased from $3.75 to $3.95 per hour.
    Bilingual Pay
    Effective November 7, 2004, the Tier 1 bilingual pay premium will be increased from $40.00 biweekly to $42.50 biweekly. The Tier 2 premium will be increased from $50.00 to $55.00.
    Health, Dental and Vision Benefits
    Copays for the Kaiser and Aetna Plans will be increased effective January 1, 2003.
    Retiree Medical Coverage
    The conversion for each 8 hours of sick leave will be increased for Tier 1 from $150 to $160 effective November 10, 2002, and to $165 effective November 7, 2004. The conversion rate for Tier 2 will be increased from $170 to $190 effective November 10, 2002, and to $195 effective November 7, 2004.

    The amount of sick leave that can be converted monthly is increased from 8 hours to 14 hours.

    Domestic Partner Survivorship Benefits
    The parties agree to jointly support legislation for same sex domestic partner survivor benefits. Any benefit change is subject to bargaining in the next negotiations.

    Parity

    During the final year of the agreement, the parties will meet to discuss concerns the Unions raise regarding the comparability of salary. Issues which may be discussed include factors in determining salary parity and competitiveness and the County's methodology in adjusting wages where deemed warranted.

 

Vision Alignment

This item keeps the commitment of responsive, effective and collaborative government through goal number 20; government decisions are based on careful consideration of future impact, rather than temporary relief or immediate gain.

 

Fiscal Impact

The total cost of the changes is approximately $115.5 million over the forty-eight month term of the contract.