Region 2 UpdateNegotiations Resume but Yield Little Progress
The parties remain far apart on our most important issue: wages. The Region’s proposal is still at 12% over three years. The Union’s proposal would provide a 25% pay increase over three years. CFI also introduced an innovative proposal last week that would allow individual courts to provide increases above the uniform salary range in the MOU, up to the federal pay rate, including recruitment incentives, wage offsets for increases in benefit costs, and COLAs provided to other employees. The Region has not yet responded to that proposal. The Region still refuses to provide a wage offset to address the pension contribution increases that have shrunk interpreter paychecks and additional retirement contributions that are expected in some counties. The Region says it is taking the pension issues into account in its wage offer. For an interpreter who just lost 6% in take home pay that 12% means a net increase of only 6%. The Region’s sugge stion that this is enough after years of disparate treatment is especially unacceptable to interpreter staff when so many Bay Area courts are now paying contractors 45% more than our current wage to meet their language access needs in Spanish and other languages. Remember to show the courts your support for pay parity and a fair contract by wearing red every Wednesday. Keep the momentum going and send your photos from red Wednesday to [email protected]. |