Politics & Government
County of Sonoma, Labor Union Reach Tentative Agreement
The tentative pact approved April 26 by SEIU 1021 employees provides a 3-percent cost-of-living raise.
SONOMA COUNTY, CA — The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and its largest union have
reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with the Service Employees International Union Local 1021. The Board will consider approving the new pact at a special meeting Tuesday morning.
The four-year agreement between March 1, 2019 and Feb. 28, 2023 provides a cost-of-living raise of three percent on May 21, 2019 and three percent on March 24, 2020. Union employees will get a two-percent raise on March 9, 2021 and two percent on March 8, 2022 with the potential to increase it up to four percent.
The county's monthly contribution to an employee's medical plan premium will increase each of the four years from $700 on June 1, 2019 to $834 on June 1, 2022.
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The county's monthly medical premium contribution for an employee plus one person will increase from $1,400 on June 1, 2019 to $1,668 on June 1, 2022.
The county's monthly contribution for an employee plus two or more people will increase from $1,980 on June 1, 2019 to $2,358 on June 1, 2022.
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The agreement also provides for the formation of a Labor/Management Retirement Committee in March 2021. The Committee will analyze county retirement benefits and develop recommendations for optimal long-term solutions that meet the interests of union employees while allowing the county to maintain market competitiveness and workforce stability,
according to the agreement.
The Committee also will address unfounded liability cost sharing, pension cost sharing and pension obligation bonds, retiree medical benefits and retiree cost of living adjustments.
"This round of negotiations was different," said Janeann Dawson, a member of the SEIU Local 1021 bargaining team.
"Our years of taking action and showing that we're united for a fair contract has led to a better round of negotiations with the county," Dawson said.
"This round of negotiations was marked by an immediate acknowledgement by the County that our members wouldn't settle for anything less than a fair contract with healthcare protections and wage increases that keep up with the cost of living," Dawson said.
SEIU 1021 employees approved the tentative pact on April 26.
— Bay City News Service
