Court negotiations update - Sept. 5, 2019

On Wednesday, September 4^th, your OCEA bargaining team had our fifth bargaining session with the Court. In our last bargaining session, we provided the Court a comprehensive response to their initial proposal. Yesterday, your team and the Court had multiple proposal exchanges, and here is an update on the progress.

Your bargaining team and the Court were able to reach tentative agreement on a wide array of topics. Most notable involve the establishment of language that will provide workers with more notice over mandated transfers and changes in assignments, and a grievance process enhancement allowing court workers better access to representation.

Your bargaining team also responded firmly to the Court’s wage proposal. We reiterated what you have been telling us. WE NEED A RAISE! Your bargaining team walked the Court team through the need for base building wages for all workers. The team reiterated the economic data that shows OC Court workers are falling further behind. Ultimately, there was minimal progress in the area of wages.

We concluded our bargaining session late in the afternoon, and we will meet again on Wednesday, September 11. At our next meeting, we expect to discuss wages in more detail.

If you want to help the OCEA bargaining team, please join the Union Action Team (UAT)! The UAT is a group of OCEA members who help support the efforts of the OCEA bargaining team in their worksites. Union Action Team members are the “eyes and ears” of the union in the workplace. They inform and communicate to their co-workers updates on negotiations. UAT members participate in monthly meetings and conference calls. If you are interested in joining the Union Action Team, you can go to www.ocea.org/getinvolved. Our next Union Action Team conference call will take place on Tuesday, September 10^th at 5:30 p.m. Call information will be sent to UAT members.

Publication Date: September 5, 2017