The problem with that is the minimum wage raises would only go to the firefighter and it would just cause compaction again in the other ranks.
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So, for reference, here are the priorities that were established at the last convention:
3% at 50 for all
56 hour work week with no loss of compensation/benefits
4850 time (it looks like this might be in the works outside of this offer)
Fix compaction
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4850 time was addressed and fixed with a side letter last month after the Governor vetoed the bill and stated “this needs to be addressed with collective bargaining”
I think the fact that this was addressed with Collective Bargaining shows progress.
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Agreed. Big win. 4850 will benefit the entire membership, although it’s a benefit that I hope nobody has to use.
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4850? I’d you can please explain. Thanks
In my mind, that would only build the case that the fundamental issues need to be addressed and we can no longer continue to kick the can down the road for future generations to deal with.
In short, 4850 ensures that an employee receives a full paycheck when unable to work due to a job-related injury. Previously, it was a percentage of your pay.
When Government Code 4850 was enacted years ago for every other fire department in the state, CAL FIRE was specifically excluded.
L2881 has been fighting long and hard for it and our members have sacrificed to obtain separate but equal treatment to 4850 time through bargaining while every other department in the state received as a matter of fact.
Not fair, but that’s life.
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Ehoss84,
Your calcs are spot on however your regular pay IS NOT paid every 28 days. OT is paid based on a 28 day cycle and regular pay is on a 30 day cycle. EPAY is done for OT and leave usage only. Little known fact, BU 8 employees don’t do a timesheet for their regular salary. In fact, if you didn’t do your EPAY you would still get your regular salary, but you wouldn’t get your EDWC or any OT. You would eventually get some unwanted attention from your boss though.
Clear as mud?
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Ehoss is a numbers guy and he knows very well how our epay and pay schedules work. I think that was all irrelevant to the point he was making and it didn’t really need to be clarified. None the less, thank you for the clarification! 
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BU8 bargained for Enhanced Industrial Disabilty Leave(E-IDL) which ensures a full paycheck. All othrr BU’s with IDL have 24 months to use 12 months of benefits from date of injury OR first lost work day. BU8 has 12 months to use 12 months of benefits FROM INJURY DATE ONLY. Except in case of burns, 36 months to use 12 months of benefits.
So if you twist your knee, do report only and nurse it along for 2 months before you decide to see a Dr, then do modified for 4 months before you have surgery and are sent home for a few weeks, you’ve lost 6 months of IDL! Other BU’s would use the day sent home as the first lost work day to start the clock.
When IDL runs out, you’d get switched to Temporary Disability(TD) which is 2/3 of your gross, for another max of12 months.
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Once IDL runs out, is where long term disability insurance would kick in, if you have a policy. Which everyone should seriously consider, it’s like $30 a month and will pay you your full salary plus the average of OT you work annually. The info is posted at most facilities, check it out if you have not.
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@IAfire
Definitely great information and I agree everybody should have the PYI, or long-term disability insurance, yet definitely check your facts on picking up a full paycheck based on those insurance policies. As being one who spent 23 months and some change on the beach due to an injury I can tell you firsthand that they do not pick up offset of your paycheck from disability or IDL, you are accurate and what they used to measure is an average of your overtime. Those policies changed by the carriers in 2019. To actually pick up the difference in your EDWC you must contribute vacation or sick leave time to receive the pay. And now with those insurance policies they only pick up a certain percentage of your base pay for a limited amount of time.
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Technically under government code it will be 4811 not 4800 or 4850
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My understanding is that the PYI program no longer pays unplanned OT and will only pay salary and EDWC. The unplanned OT portion of the benefit was quietly taken away a couple years ago and, to my knowledge, it has not been brought back. Please let me know if I’m wrong.
Still a good plan, I think, as it covers you on and off duty.
I’m hearing details will be released early next week.
With the early release of the tentative agreement details by CAL HR this has created a lot of rumors and bad information. We had a teams meeting with President Tim Edwards and State rank and file director Pete Boctor last night to clear up some confusion.
The tentative contract is passing legislation so far with no push back from the state legislature. Once the contract is passed I will begin holding chapter meetings to give you the details of the contracts as facts not as opinion. We will then vote as dues paying members to ratify or deny the contract. There will be plenty of time for questions and discussion at the meetings as I am committed to ensuring you make an educated decision.I will highlight some of the contract and address the 66hr work week below. The 66 hr work week is drawing the most attention and the in person meetings is where I will be able to explain it best but I will try to clear up some confusion.
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General Salary Increases
Effective July 1, 2022, all Bargaining Unit 8 (BU) 8 employees shall receive a general salary increase of 2.5 percent.
Effective January 1, 2023, all BU 8 employees shall receive a general salary increase of 2 percent.
Effective July 1, 2023, all BU 8 employees shall receive a general salary increase of 2 percent -
Effective the first day of the pay period following ratification by both parties, the longevity monthly pay differential will be increased by 2% for each existing tier.
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Effective the first day of the pay period following ratification by both parties, the educational pay incentive shall be increased from $75 per pay period to $150 per pay period.
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Effective the first day of the pay period following ratification by both parties, the employer and employee contribution will be decreased by one percent from 4.4 percent to 3.4 percent for OPEB -prefunding of healthcare
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Effective the first day of the pay period following ratification by both parties, through June 30, 2024, all Bargaining Unit 8 employees enrolled in a state sponsored health benefit plan shall receive a monthly payment of $260, regardless of party code enrollment. This payment shall not be considered as compensation for purposes of retirement.
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Adds a 7 day shift pattern for Forestry Fire Pilots.
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66 hr work week, let’s start with the difference between an average work week and a shift, the average work week will be shift hours worked 72, 66, 56 for example. A shift is straight 72, 48-96 for example. Work weeks do not equal shifts. If there is a reduction in the average work week hours then a shorter shift can be presented and worked.
The overall goal is to go to a 56 hour work week, this has to be done in phases, there are many reasons for these phases- hiring of personnel is the largest reason. If we went to a 56 hour work week Jan 1 there would not be enough staff to support it. That is largely the reason for a date of NOV 1 2024, the other side of this is, our current contract, if ratified, will expire July 1 2024, allowing us to renegotiate these terms of how the 66 hour work week is implemented.
With the implementation of the 66 hour work week we will work 1 less day per pay period 13 days less per year. This will result in 24 hours less of EDWC per pay period, this is concerning to most. Our bargaining team had the choice of taking our 6.5% raise Nov 1 2024 and when we lose the 24 hours of EDWC it would offset for little to no loss. The bargaining team instead asked that we receive the pay raises over the next year, this is so the pay raises compound, the 6.5% raise will actually be 7.25%. The draw back to this is we will get our money upfront and when we go to the 66 hour work week it will feel like a cut in pay, however from today’s current pay it would be little to none. The goal for the next contract would be to secure a raise that would offset the loss of 24 hours EDWC. This is the goal and direction of the bargaining team, we cannot look into the future and see what the financial climate will be so yes this is a risk. I have asked for a plan or “roadmap” to be able to present to you all during the chapter meetings. This plan may be part of future bargaining and may not have specific details.
A joint labor management committee will be developed upon ratification to start working on new shift patterns. This committee will also help develop implementation of the 66 hour work week and further the 56 hour work week as that is presented.
This contract has no take-aways or losses, it is very rare that we get raises without giving something up, not to mention the possibility of adding new positions to staff behind the 66 hour work week.
I know this is long and confusing and I hope I didn’t muddy the waters any more than they were. It is important to me that you base your decisions off of the facts and not another person’s opinion.
My vote is no
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Well, that makes it an easy no for me!
Looks like a shell game taking our EDWC and trying to make us feel better about it by giving us a meager “raise” that barely keeps up with minimum wage-much less keep up with inflation.
Still looking for someone to give me a dollar for these three shiny quarters…tell you what…I’ll make it SEVEN dimes in exchange for your ONE dollar. Who’s in?
This deal tastes worse and worse the more the details leak through the cracks of this half-baked plan.
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I don’t think it’s an easy no… there is a lot to think about.
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I’m in. Brandon will eventually give me the whole dollar plus 3 dimes to make up for it do to my college loan.
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I can just see the camp schedule go from 24, 14, 24, 10 to 12, 14, 12, 10 for one of the weeks. Lol! But have to stay at camp on nights off because commute is too far.
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