Early in the morning of June 24, your elected Bargaining Teams reached a tentative agreement with City representatives. 

Next, we will vote on accepting it. Voting will take place online between July 1 and July 5, so be sure the Member Resource Center has your personal email address and phone number: 1-877-687-1021

If you have questions, come to our Chapter Meetings via Zoom or phone:

TUESDAY, JUNE 29

Noon
https://seiu1021.zoom.us/j/8531048337
Phone: (669) 900-6833
Meeting ID: 853 104 8337

7 p.m.
https://seiu1021.zoom.us/j/88534582591
Phone: (669) 900-6833
Meeting ID: 885 3458 2591

Tentative Agreement Highlights

• Three-year contract
• NO medical takeaways
• NO dental care takeaways
• Fair COLAs: 4% in Year 1, effective July 2021, 3% in Year 2, and 1% in Year 3
• Signing bonus of $1,000 upon ratification
• Over 6 years, the current retirement inequities for PEPRA members will be phased out, with a reopener in 2024 to reduce employee contributions faster, based on the economic health of the City
• Payroll Specialty Stipend: $500 upon ratification, $500 in January, 2022
• 3% Hazardous Substance Special Assignment: improved language to allow the department head the authority to grant payment if the work qualifies under this section
• Juneteenth Holiday adopted by Federal Government
• Possible holiday swap of Lincoln’s holiday for Cesar Chavez Day if other unions agree
• Zero Waste residential and commercial workload improvement if routes drop below 27 of 2.5% premium
• Improved Longevity Pay of 3% at 20th year of service
• Effective 7/1/2022 Improved Retiree Medical payments pending an actuarial report on affordability: additional $200 per month if approved after the study
• Protected salary continuation under Worker’s Compensation
• Distribution of contracts electronically
• Health Insurance in lieu and Uniform Allowance payment brought into compliance under the PERS guidelines, with bi-weekly payments instead of lump sum distributions

Danny Walker, Maintenance Chapter President, said, “Even with all the uncertainty around COVID and the economy, we were able to fight off attacks on our medical benefits, improve the longevity increase to help workers and help the City retain its workforce, and build a schedule to fix PEPRA. You never get everything you want, but I think we did very well, because the members had our back all the way.”

Jenny Seay, an accounting technician and President of the Clerical Chapter, said, “The costs of living here are very high, and even before the pandemic medical costs were always going up, so I’m very proud we were able to protect our healthcare and win a strong COLA over the next three years. This was a rollercoaster! It was exhausting, rewarding, draining, and exciting, but our chapter always stood behind us. They came out for unity events, they held us up all the way, and even brought food to late-night bargaining sessions. That support kept us going.  If we didn’t have that unity, we never could have done this.”