Do you want to become a leader in your union? Want to have more say in how things are done in the city? Want to reach out to your colleagues and defend your rights as working people?

SEIU 721 Stewards and Leaders are the people who make these things happen at their worksites.

Come to SEIU 721's Stewards & Leaders Council Meeting to become a worksite leader.

Saturday, March 10
9 A.M.-1 P.M.
SEIU Local 721
1545 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, 90017

By Tim Butcher
Heavy duty truck operator, City of Los Angeles.

Over the past couple of weeks, a lot of co-workers have asked me what I think about the Coalition of LA City Unions' agreement with the City of LA. And here's what I tell them: I support it.

In an article in today's LA Daily News, LA City CAO Miguel Santana explicitly states that if the Coalition of City Unions' proposed contract amendment isn't ratified, "city employees who retire after June 30 [will] pay 100 percent of the increase in their health care costs."

The City currently pays 100 percent of retiree health care costs. But if the amendment is not ratified, the City will "freeze the amount it pays for retirees' health care at current levels," according to the paper. Retirees will then have to make up the difference in the cost of health care by dipping into their own savings.

Read the full story here.

Background:
In 2009, facing a budget shortfall, the City imposed furloughs of up to 26 days per year on all City employees.

In 2010, the Engineers and Architects Association filed a complaint with the Superior Court on behalf of its members, arguing that furloughs violated the salary and workweek provisions of the applicable MOUs.

SEIU 721 also filed a court challenge to the furloughs.

Just a few weeks ago, the court handed down its decision in the EAA case, saying that the City had every right to furlough employees because the city council adopted an emergency declaration.

What This Means
After consultation with our attorneys, we no longer believe we will prevail in our court challenge to citywide furloughs. The court has given the City permission to furlough employees during times of economic crisis.

How This Affects You
When the Coalition crafted its proposed agreement, it made sure it included iron-clad language ending furloughs. The City has already made a good-faith gesture and ended furloughs, effective March 28. If the agreement does not pass, however, the City will impose at least 36 furlough days and expand the number of departments subject to furloughs.

You can read the court's decision in full here.
You can read the agreement in full here.