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Mar 6, 2015

CDCR Quarterly Meeting will focus on Compaction and Workplace Issues

Posted: 3/6/2015

ACSS meets on a regular basis with CDCR. Our next meeting is scheduled for March 25, 2015. At this meeting, we will be continuing discussions about salary compaction, focusing on the Office of Correctional Education excluded employee classifications. The supervisors in the Office of Correctional Education have been hit especially hard by compaction with up to a -13% gap between them and the rank and file employees they supervise. CDCR has been making strides to come to a possible solution and they are in the process of developing a recommendation to CalHR to resolve this issue. ACSS is working with CDCR to provide input in developing the recommendation to CalHR. ACSS will also continue its efforts with CalHR to advocate for action to correct salary compaction faced by our members.

In addition, ACSS has been working closely with CDCR members to evaluate several workplace issues. Recently, we created an online survey to assess the needs of a group of CDCR employees going through issues with “Administrative Officer of the Day” duties. Selected groups of members were invited to take this survey in hopes that ACSS could zero in on the most important issues at hand to tackle. The feedback we gain from the survey will be very helpful towards our efforts to ensure fairness and harmony in the workplace.

Other items to be discussed at this meeting are the upward mobility of Correctional Food Managers and Meal Ticket equity for excluded employees. These issues have specifically been raised by members, and ACSS is assisting to negotiate resolutions. If you are experiencing issues at your workplace, contact ACSS and we will listen to your needs, advise you, and attempt to resolve the issue with your department or employer. ACSS is on your side when it comes to dealing with difficult workplace issues.

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Mar 5, 2015

M19 and S19 Special Salary Adjustments

Posted: 3/5/2015

In January 2015, CalHR reached an agreement with AFSCME, which provides for special salary adjustment (SSA) increases for Rank and File members of BU 19, effective July 1, 2015. ACSS has been discussing this issue with CalHR and is advocating for Supervisors and Managers in S19 and M19 classification to receive similar special salary increase. Per CalHR there is money allocated in the Governor’s State Budget for special salary adjustment increases M19 and S19. At this moment, CalHR has not provided any information about the specific excluded classifications who will receive an SSA or the amount of the SSA. ACSS Assistant Director of Representation, Nellie Lynn, says that “We are moving in the right direction” with these efforts. These special salary adjustments are subject to the budget process and they will have to go through the 2015 May Revise. As usual, ACSS will continue to advocate for our members and update you with progress on this issue in our efforts to resolve compaction.

Read more ACSS news articles on compaction.

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Mar 4, 2015

ACSS Lobby Day Ice Cream Social

Posted: 3/4/2015


Come help yourself to a FREE cup of delicious ice cream provided by California's largest and oldest organization representing state supervisors, managers and confidential employees.

This event is open to the public.

EVERYONE is welcome!

Wednesday March 11, 2015
3 - 4 pm in the Capitol Building Basement Cafeteria

Click here for more information on Lobby Day.

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Feb 20, 2015

Mark Your Calendar! Upcoming ACSS Events

Posted: 2/20/2015

Heads up! Here are the notable ACSS events that are coming up...

February 24 - EDD Sacramento Worksite Meeting - Have lunch and learn more about the benefits of ACSS and current issues that are important to excluded state employees.

March 5 - Chapter 513 Membership Meeting (San Diego Area) - General membership meeting with an aside on Lobby Day.

March 17 - Chapter 504 Membership Meeting (Northern Bay Area and Northwestern CA)  - General membership meeting with an aside on Lobby Day.

March 11 - Lobby Day - Members join your fellow excluded employees and march into the Capitol Building to meet with Legislators and discuss issues and concerns that affect managers, supervisors and confidential state employees.

July 17-19 - ACSS Delegate Assembly - ACSS Board and Committee members discuss policy and bylaws and conduct elections.

October 10 -11 - CSEA General Council - ACSS delegates attend along with California State Retirees (CSR), California State University Employees Union (CSUEU) and California State Employees Association (CSEA) to discuss bylaws, policies, and conduct elections.

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Feb 19, 2015

Come to Worksite Meetings in Sacramento and Los Angeles!

Visit our Member Outreach Coordinators Charlotte Hoar and Maureen Douglas at their next worksite meeting in Sacramento or the Los Angeles areas! Since June of 2014, over 700  supervisors, managers and confidential state employees have attended ACSS meetings at their workplace, hosted by our Member Outreach Coordinators. At each session a free lunch is provided and attendees learn more about ACSS' benefits, representation services, your rights as an excluded employee and hear about the current issues ACSS is working on.  Whether you are already a member, or are thinking of becoming a member with ACSS, please come to our next worksite meeting. Check the ACSS events calendar for the next worksite meeting in your area.

If you would like Charlotte or Maureen to come to your workplace to host a lunch meeting, please contact them for more details:

Maureen Douglas, Los Angeles Area - mdouglas@acss.org or call (818) 268-7995

Charlotte Hoar, Sacramento Area - choar@acss.org or call (916) 326-4388

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Feb 13, 2015

HURRY! Friday February 20th is the LAST DAY to Register for Lobby Day!

Posted: 2/13/2015

Lobby Day Training: Tuesday March 10, 2015
Double Tree Hilton Hotel
2001 Point West Way
Sacramento, CA 95815
5:30pm - 8pm

Lobby Day: Wednesday March 11, 2015
The Capitol Building
1315 10th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
8am - 5pm

Registration closes Friday February 20!

REGISTER NOW!

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Feb 6, 2015

ACSS Endorses Joan Buchanan for Senate

Posted: 2/6/2015


Arlene Espinoza (ACSS President), Joan Buchanan, Frank Ruffino (ACSS VP Governmental Affairs) on 2/5/2015 at the campaign kick-off dinner.

The ACSS Board has unanimously voted to support Joan Buchanan in the California special election of Senate District 7. ACSS urges you to vote for Buchanan in the open primary election on March 17, 2015. Buchanan has been a long-time acquaintance of ACSS and has continually supported our issues over the years. ACSS believes she will stand behind ACSS and fight for the rights of excluded state employees, as a longstanding advocate of education, technology and job creation. Senate District 7 encompasses the cities of Antioch, Walnut Creek and Pleasanton. Buchanan will face off against Susan Bonilla (D), Steve Glazer (D) and Terry Kremin (D). The seat has been vacant following Mark DeSaulnier’s (D) election into Congress. Following the primaries, the top two candidates will advance to the general election on May 19, 2015. Other endorsements for Buchanan include:

Other endorsements for Buchanan include:

  • Brentwood, Danville, Livermore, Walnut Creek and Dublin Mayors
  • Contra Costa Community College District, Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District, Pleasanton Unified School District and Liberty Union High School District Board Members
  • Zone 7 Water District, East Bay Municipal Utilities and East Bay Regional Parks District Board Members
  • American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) California
  • California Teachers Association
  • California Small Business Association
  • Northern California Council of Carpenters
  • Carpenters Local Union 152
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Feb 4, 2015

Supplemental Information on Prefunding Retirement and New Health Benefit Plans

Posted: 2/4/2015

Last month, Gov. Jerry Brown made a speech revealing details of the 2015 budget. In this proposed budget, he mentioned two items that piqued the interest of state supervisors, managers and excluded employees: prefunding retirement and new health benefit plans. These proposals have the potential to impact state workers for decades to come. An article posted recently by the Sacramento Bee describes these plans in greater detail.

The proposed plan, effective Jan 1 2016, would mandate an unspecified cash contribution to offset retiree insurance benefits that employers and employees would split. Taxpayers would have to pitch in millions of dollars each year to prefund retirement benefits.

In addition, the bill would require CalPERS to offer a high-deductible health insurance plan plus a low-cost Medicare-supplement plan for retirees. Current retirees could see their insurance subsidy decline if a considerable amount of state workers opt for the high-deductible plan.

For detailed information on these bills, read the full text of the state budget bill proposals from the State Department of Finance.

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Feb 2, 2015

ACSS Board Meeting Slideshow - January 2015

Posted: 2/2/2015

Click here to play slideshow

Click here to view photos from the most recent ACSS Board Meeting that took place on January 17, 2015.  The highlight of the meeting was guest speaker Toni Atkins, California Speaker of the Assembly. Board Member Bruce Lee from Chapter 502 retired and Suzanna Nye was sworn in as his replacement. Staff, Committees and Ted Toppin, or Legislative Correspondent from Blanning & Baker, presented informative reports to the Board.

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Jan 30, 2015

Salary Increases and Adjustments for Bargaining Units 6 and 9

Posted: 1/30/2015

Even though SB 216 did not pass, the resonance of the issue of compaction has made its mark in the knowledgebase of California legislators. ACSS has made tremendous strides in the last several years shedding light and creating awareness into the issue of compaction. Five years ago, lawmakers did not know that compaction was a serious issue facing the managers, supervisors and other excluded state employees. With ACSS’ efforts, compaction is now a known and understood topic at the Capitol.  At the recent ACSS Board Meeting held in mid-January of 2015, a Committee member vocalized that “things are starting to happen [with the issue of compaction] and it’s great!” The ACSS Board members agreed.

On January 8, 2015, CalHR released Pay Letter 15-01 for a 4% general salary increase for managers and supervisors of Unit 6. In addition, on January 14, 2015, CalHR released Pay Letter 14-17A as an addition to Pay Letter 14-17 (originally released in September 2014), which announced a special salary adjustment to additional classes of excluded employees of Unit 9. These pay letters are a sign that the compaction ball is rolling and we are starting to see some resolution. Even though not all units and classifications have been addressed by CalHR to resolve the issue of compaction, these pay letters are a start in the right direction.

Immediately after the veto of SB 216, ACSS met with CalHR to discuss the next steps to address compaction. ACSS continues to work closely with CalHR, prioritizing and targeting specific classes. We expected more from the Governor on the support of SB 216 and at this time there is no specific date set to completely resolve the issue of compaction within the State of California. Nevertheless, it is still a top priority for ACSS and despite the unfortunate result of SB 216, we urge members to acknowledge the progress and successes thus far. There has been a fundamental shift in how the state deals with managers and supervisors. It is just in the last few years that the state has finally recognized that compaction must be dealt with and that ACSS is the most prominent organization to lead this monumental effort.

As usual, ACSS will continue to update you with progress on our efforts to resolve compaction.

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