MCEA Ratification Materials

Dear Member,

Bargaining our contract this year proved to be a difficult task.  Both sides, Union and Management, came to the table with only a few proposals but we were far apart on the core issues of pay and benefits.  After a long negotiation process lasting more than 7 months we are confident this is the best deal we would be able to reach and your Bargaining Team is recommending it be ratified.  Here are the main points:

  - There will be 8% increases each year for Health Insurance.
  - No Cost Of Living Increase for the next two years.
  - Pager Pay will increase to $250 per week.
  - If laid off, the County will continue to send notice of open positions for two years.
  - We fought off the Commissioners attempt to take away your option to cash out vacation time.
  - We were also able to hold onto fully paid Health Insurance for less than full time workers.

This has been one of the most difficult economic circumstances to negotiate under and management was holding strong to a freeze on both wages and insurance.  It was not until the membership began to take action that we saw movement.  During dozens of worksite meetings, and in hundreds of phone calls, our members told us the same thing almost without exception that health insurance was their top priority.  With the average Kaiser Medical rates increasing between 7-8% and ODS cost expected to increase 12-14%, we knew reaching this goal would not be easy.  We started the campaign trying hard to get what we needed for insurance, in addition to a cost of living increase, but late in the game it became clear that both were not in the cards.

We are proud that even in these hard times we have once again protected fully paid family medical benefits for our members.  It will be a few weeks before we know the actual rate increases, but we are confident our members who use Kaiser will maintain their current benefit level and those on ODS will be able to manage the difference with small changes to their plan.

A more complete list of changes to the contract has been included along with ratification ballot and return envelopes.  If you would like to see the specific changes in each tentative agreement reached, please check out the MCEA Ratification Materials link on the Local Government News page of our website at, http://www.seiu503.org/pnplg/Default.aspx .

In Unity,

Your Bargaining Team,

Van Khieu,          Tim Sing,          Stacey Harp,          Mark Terrill,
Diana Mitzel,          Susan Smith,          John Crouch,          Maryjean Rose,
Kim Bradford,          Gary Wolf,          Jan Cotton        Joe Schaeffer




  Marion County Employees Association: 2010 TA's

  Marion County Employees Association: 2009 Contract