Public Employees Union, Local One, has been negotiating with the West Contra Costa Unified School District regarding wages, benefits, and some changes to contract language. Local One’s position is clear: Classified Employees stepped up when times were tough and gave more than their share to balance the District’s Budget. Now that the State and WCCUSD’s finances have improved, our members and their collective financial well-being must be a top priority for the District.

Local One has proposed wage increases and benefit relief to address the difficulties our members are dealing with. Many of these caused by the sacrifices they have made over the last several years. At present, the School District has stated that they cannot make any agreements prior to the WCCUSD Board of Education passing their 2013-2014 School District budget. This vote is scheduled set to take place on:

July 24, 2013, @ 5:15 P.M. at DeJean Middle School.

Local One members need to come out and show support for their Negotiation team at this meeting. It is essential to make our presence known and show the School District that Local One members plan to keep them accountable.  We have an opportunity to add to the success of the past two years, but we must remain visible and vocal.  

Governor Brown’s New Revenue Plan (Prop 30) Offers the Best

Hope for Our Kids and Communities

Overcrowded classrooms, laid-off workers, and overstretched police and public safety services.

After four years of deep cuts, the Golden State has lost its shine.  The all-cuts approach hasn’t worked, and regular, working people are paying the price.

It’s time to invest in California’s comeback.

  Governor Brown’s New Revenue Plan (Prop 30)

• Raises up to $9 billion a year for education, public safety, and healthcare.

• Asks the richest Californians to step up to the plate and make a stronger contribution to our state: only households making $500,000 or more would pay higher income taxes.

• The vast majority of the revenues raised by the Governor’s plan come from the top 1% of state income tax payers.

They’re bleeding California taxpayers of billions each year. They live in the shadows, striking schools, public safety and other essential services when we least expect it. And they’re EXTREMELY hard to kill.

As our state faces another budget crisis, many Californians are unaware of all the corporate tax loopholes and breaks that politicians inserted into law in the dead of night. The loopholes are eating away investments California should be making in education, public safety, health care and jobs. These tax giveaways lack accountability, aren’t reviewed for effectiveness and cost the state billions every year that could be used to close the budget deficit and fund universities, health care for seniors and other programs for the middle class.

If you are ever called into an interview meeting with your supervisor or manager so they can investigate a situation which might result in discipline, you have specific representational rights. These rights are summarized below:

1. You have the right to have a Union steward present.

2. If you want a steward there, you must ask for him or her.

3. If you do not know why your manager wants to meet with you, ask him/her if it is a meeting that could result in a discipline.

4. If your manager refuses to allow you to bring a steward, repeat your request in front of a witness. Do not refuse to attend the meeting, but do not answer any questions either. Take notes. Once the meeting is over call your steward at once.

5. You have the right to speak privately with your steward before the meeting and during the meeting.

6. Your steward has the right to play an active role in the meeting. She or he is not just witness.

These rights are called "Weingarten Rights" based on a 1975 Supreme Court decision (NLRB vs. J. Weingarten). As with all rights, if we do not use them we lose them.

  This statement could save your job:

My name is Renell Farley and I will be your new Office Manager for the Richmond Local One Office.  I have been transferred here from the Martinez office to serve you, and I am very much looking forward to working with all of you.  

I come to you with over 6 years of union experience as I was a former Local One member while employed as a Records Specialist for the City of Pinole.  During that time I served as Unit President for two years, and I was also on the Local One Board of Directors as well as the City Representative on the Executive Board.  I am very in touch with the needs of our members and I am excited to begin working with all of you as your new Office Manager.