• Incident Form for Park Maintenance Workers

California's Vietnam era pay system delaying state worker wage hikes, union says. Click here to see the article

Click here to see the Unit 12 Letter to the Governor

Today, April 26, 2017, The International Union of Operating Engineers Locals 3, 39, and 501 filed a grievance against the State of California for a delayed payment of our negotiated wage increases and retroactive pay. We will keep you informed of the outcome of the filing. Click here to see the grievance details

Caltrans to Honor 187 Fallen Highway Workers at the 27th Annual Workers Memorial on April 27, 2017. Click here to see event details

As you know last Wednesday, March 15th, Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 28 (Pan), our collective bargaining memorandum of understanding (MOU) legislation.

The bill contains a wage increase, special salary adjustments for thirty seven classifications, retro pay for these increases, and an adjustment to the employer’s contribution to health care premiums, to name just a few of our economic improvements.

What we thought would be a short journey for the bill through the legislature turned out to be much longer than all of the unions covered by the legislation anticipated. On top of that, there seems to be a variety of delays in getting the State Controller’s Office to implement the payroll changes.

We had hoped to see the improvements on the April check, but from what we have been told by CalHR these may not show up on our members’ checks until June.

The reason we have been given for the delay is because of the State Controller’s antiquated payroll system and their current backlog.

Once we get a firm date for the implementation, we will put that out in an email blast and post it on our website.

In Solidarity,

IUOE Unit 12

Before any of the provisions of our new tentative agreement can be effective, it must be ratified by our Union members and the California State Legislature.

As you know, our members ratified the tentative agreement on January 27, 2017.

Now that the legislature has reconvened, our tentative agreement (M.O.U. bill) is moving through the legislature. It was passed 3 to 2 out of the Senate Public Employment and Retirement Committee on Monday on a party line vote. It is now set for a vote in the Senate Committee on Appropriations Thursday.

Once our bill (Senate Bill 28 by Pan) passes both houses and is signed by the Governor it becomes law and the ratification process is complete.

As soon as this happens CalHR and the State Controller’s Office will begin implementing the economic (raises, health care, reimbursements) provisions of the new M.O.U. The timing of this depends on when the legislature completes the process.

In Solidarity,

The International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 3, 39, and 501

We are pleased to announce that after nearly 20 months and 43 bargaining sessions (including three mediation sessions) the tentative agreement reached with the State on December 13, 2016 has been overwhelmingly accepted by our members and ratified.

The I.U.O.E. would like to thank our bargaining team members for their hard work, dedication, and perseverance during this arduous process. We would also like to thank our members who supported our fight for a fair and equitable contract by showing up at rallies and demonstrations at CalHR and other various State worksites.

Your participation and willingness to stand up and fight back has not gone unnoticed by this administration. We will continue to press forward and take a strong stand at each and every opportunity we get.

In Solidarity,

The International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 3, 39, and 501

After 20 months, over 40 bargaining sessions, three mediation sessions, and a declaration of impasse, your Unit 12 bargaining team reached a new tentative agreement with the State on December 13, 2016.

Click here to see the Tentative Agreement Summary

The ballots are in the mail for all active dues paying members of Unit 12. If you have not received a ballot by January 11, 2017, please send an email to debbie@unit12.org no later than January 16, 2017 with your name, mailing address and last four of your ssn to request a duplicate ballot.

The ballots must be received in the Post Office Box by January 26, 2017. Ballots will be counted on January 27, 2017.

Click here to read about Impasse, Mediation and the Right to Strike

Please plan to attend a Demonstration for Fair Pay on December 2, 2016. Click here to see the Demonstration Flyer for time and location details.

On Wednesday, November 2, 2016, the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) approved the Union’s request for impasse. PERB has assigned a mediator to assist the State and the Union in reaching an agreement. The parties are attempting to schedule mediation for the fourth or fifth week of November.

We will continue our fight for a fair and equitable contract.

In Solidarity,
Your Unit 12 Bargaining Team

The Unit 12 bargaining team met with the State for the third time on Tuesday, October 25th in pre-impasse mediation. The parties are still apart on the amount of the general salary increases, the amount of the employee contribution for retiree medical (OPEB), and the duration of the agreement. On Wednesday, October 26th, we resubmitted our request for impasse to the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). PERB has five days to grant or deny our request for impasse. Our fight for a fair and equitable contract continues on.

In Solidarity,
Your Unit 12 Bargaining Team

We met in mediation yesterday for the second time and we still don't have an agreement. We will be back in mediation next Tuesday, October 25th.

In Solidarity,
Your Unit 12 Bargaining Team

Read the letter sent to the leadership of the State Legislature concerning our fight for a fair and reasonable contract

We had a positive mediation session with the State yesterday. Our next mediation session is set for October 18, 2016.

In Solidarity,
Your Unit 12 Bargaining Team

The International Union of Operating Engineers and the State have agreed to participate in pre-impasse mediation in a good faith effort to find common ground and reach a tentative agreement on a new contract. The mediation date is set for Monday, September 26, 2016.

In Solidarity,

Your Unit 12 Bargaining Team
Buzz Harlow, Mike Howard, Troy Laabs, Robert Estrada, Todd Allen, Dan Christensen, and Richard Johnson

Special message from Local 501 Business Manager Edward J. Curly
Business Manager Edward J. Curly and the entire Local 501 family are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic news of the passing of Brother Jorge Lopez.  On Thursday, September 1, 2016, Brother Lopez was struck and killed by a big rig on state route 14 in Acton, California during the course of his duties working to keep our highways safe. On behalf of Edward J. Curly, Local 501 extends our deepest condolences to the Lopez family, friends, colleagues, and extended CalTrans family on the loss of one of our State of California CalTrans workers and Union member.  Brother Lopez is survived by his wife Leticia and three children.

• IUOE contributed $250,000 in the past three months to the No on Prop 53 campaign (including $125,000 from the International in Washington D.C). Money was not contributed to the Governor's account.  
  
  
• Lobbyists and business managers representing California Operating Engineers did not privately dine with the Governor nor do they plan to in the future. 
  
  
• However, we have engaged in discussions with the Governor in regard to Units 12 and 13 contract negotiations, as this remains one of California Operating Engineers' top priorities.  We continue to seek further engagement with the administration -- specifically top Governor Brown aide, Nancy McFadden -- and both legislative leaders.
   
  Furthermore, we are seeking a correction from the Sacramento Bee.