We did it! After more than three years of standing strong, Riverside County SEIU 721 members overwhelmingly voted to ratify a new four-year contract that raises the floor and the ceiling for all workers, protects healthcare and retirement, and gives us more time to spend with our families.
The YES vote comes after weeks of voting via mail, online and with dozens of worksite meetings held across the county so that as many members as possible would have the opportunity to make their voices heard.
This victory is a long time coming and was only possible because SEIU 721 members refused to be pushed around. In the face of stonewalling by the County, dozens of unfair labor practice charges, and even an insulting imposed terms and conditions, we remained union strong and won a fair deal!
When we fight, we win!
Next Steps:
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors will vote on the agreement on January 28.
Top Contract Highlights:
- 4% annual merit/anniversary increases for employees who are not at the top of thesalary scale
- 2, 2 and 2.5% wage increases in years 2, 3, and 4 for topped out employees
- A $750 lump sum for topped out employees in year 2
- New, less expensive medical options through CalPERS
- Increased medical subsidies
- Increased retiree medical contribution
- 60 additional vacation hours over the life of the contract
- Elimination of the bottom three salary steps for all classifications
Awesome
And the elimination of medical flex dollars. I’m going to lose $260 each month
Same. Losing the balance of my medical benefits is an immediate pay cut for me.
I am not a fan of this agreement at all.
Nurses screwed the rest of us again.
I lose money also. What a great contract.
With the loss of flex dollars , it’s makes the 4% raise obsolete. I consider the new contract a loss .
This contract is a joke, I’m losing money!!
Thanks for your hard work !
What about the salaries of Public health nurses?
Are we going to be on the same pay scale as hospital Registred Nurses?
Thank you
Looks like the union fought really hard for people getting $1 night shift differential. That just netted me -$0.50 per hour working graveyard. Way to go guys. There’s a incentive for me to give up sleeping at night like a normal person to make $1.00 more than the people working day time.
Really wish they would have phased in the no cash back provision because it’s a cut in pay right away and will take Several years of raises to gain back what is lost. Seems to me it would have been smart to phase in that cut back like they did when changing the 8% pension rule. That was gradually phased in and did not hit everyone at once, cushioning the blow if you will.
Way to go
Not to mention that instead of the 5.4% (two steps merit increases at a time), we will now be at 4% (one step merit increases). That was not a win no matter how it was meant to look as if it was.
The imposed terms and conditions limited merit increases to 2.75%.
I’ve worked for the County for over 30 years and we’ve always had to steps merit increases which amounted to 5.4%. Now it will be only 4%. We lost out no matter how you look at it.
The ONLY WINS were for the nurses. The rest of us will actually lose money when the short-term disability kicks in. The B.O.S. is really taking it out on SEIU-represented employees. Looks like we just aren’t valued for the work that we do. Obviously, management is worthless if you need to bully your employees. When offered a “Take-it-or-leave-it” contract, my only choice is to take it. But, I sure as hell don’t have to do ANYTHING MORE than the minimum – just like my manager does. B.O.S. should of listened to the rank and file because now there is real… Read more »
It’d be REALLY interesting if they released the actual voting numbers and percentages! For vs against. But, I certainly don’t expect them to.
I was “told” 91.1 %….. there is NO WAY that many agreed, everyone I know voted no. There was no way I was going to support this. I have been paying union dues last 12 years…. and THIS is what it has gotten me. A huge cut in pay! Yeah THANKS SEIU.. They have to take our flex benefits because the BOS just got up to 17% RAISES which brings them up to $171,000 a YEAR!!!! And they are NOT allowed to refuse the raise as Jeffries has done over and over! BUT there is NOTHING for the people that… Read more »
Umm… thanks for the paycut?
The worst contract to be voted in. All we lost monies. This is not a win for us by any means.
I am a 30+ year employee of Riverside County and feel like both the County and Union sold the long time employees out. I am capped out. After several years of no raises, having my flex benefit cash back AND a 1% decrease leaves a large gap in my budget. This contract totally screws those of us in my position. IT IS NOT FAIR THAT DIFFERENT PEOPLE WILL RECEIVE DIFFERENT FLEX BENEFIT AMOUNTS! We should all get the exact same flex benefit and be able to keep what we don’t use. I have no other income and with rising rents,… Read more »
I, to, am a topped-out, 20+ year employee that has not had a raise since Nov 2016. As long as SEIU has represented me, I’ve lost money. It still continues. “Live Better – Work Union (Just not SEIU!)” is my mantra. How can anyone realistically think that this is a win for the average worker. The Psychiatrists were smart severing from SEIU. I really wish that I could sever my membership with SEIU! Thanks again for nothing….
Where is the full contract so I can read it?
It’s on the board of supervisors website. If you Google “Riverside county board of supervisors meeting 1/28/20” then click on the meeting and scroll down to Seiu you can click the hyperlink to see the contract. Seiu is hiding it on their site because it’s a pos.
I know how I can get 312.00 a year….back
What happened to the $139/month retiree medical benefit? It has been in all of the previous versions of tentative agreements. Now it’s missing.
This is the worst contract ever. Topped out employees do not see an increase until 2022, year 2. And, employees who were not topped out get a decrease from 5% to 4% annual merit increase. It is a loss in many ways. SEIU is too big and misrepresented the employees. Riverside County employees should seek out another union that will work for us.
Employees who were not topped out were receiving 2.75% increases under the imposed terms and conditions.
My understanding is topped out employees will not see a raise until their anniversary of 2022, 2 years from now.
The salary scale increases in May of 2021.
It is my understanding employees who are topped out will not see any increase until their annual of 2022.