SPECIAL BULLETIN December 16, 2010

All L.A. County Bargaining Units

CAPE Members Overwhelmingly Ratify Salary Contract Extension
Terms Compliment Benefit Contract Extension — 
Pay, benefits & working conditions protected through Sept. 2012

CAPE members’ salary contract extension ballots were tallied by an independent CPA firm on Tuesday, December 14. With 93% approval, CAPE members overwhelmingly voted to extend their Unit salary contracts (MOUs) for an additional year, as recommended by the CAPE Contract Negotiations Team.The members’ decision to extend their Unit salary contracts compliments the fringe benefit contract extension agreement previously negotiated and ratified by the Coalition of County Unions – CCU – in October.

Together, the salary contract extension – now ratified by CAPE members to be approved by the Board of Supervisors in January – and the fringe contract extension agreement, provide protections for CAPE members pay and benefits through September 2012. Members of CAPE’s negotiations team recommended ratification, primarily because they chose to return to the salary contract bargaining table in 18 months (and in unison with the CCU on the recently extended fringe benefit contract), rather than in 6 months when economic conditions are likely to be the same as they are now.

In brief, the salary contract extension keeps wages, working conditions, and grievance protections the same for an additional year. The fringe benefit contract extension agreement includes more money for our healthcare costs in 2012 (another 7.2% increase in the County’s contribution to Choices) and a temporary reduction in the County’s contribution to the Horizons deferred compensation plan. Most importantly, the extensions fully protect important benefits such as our pensions, retiree healthcare, County holidays, sick-leave buyback, and more through September 2012.

CONTRACT VOTE RESULTS

by Bargaining Unit

YES NO

Unit 131: 97% 3%

Unit 132: 100% 0%

Unit 501: 85% 15%

Unit 502: 96% 4%

Unit 511: 92% 8%

Unit 512: 97% 3%

Total 93% 7%