County of San Diego

After a year of work in the streets, at the Board of Supervisors and at the bargaining table, the SEIU hazard pay bargaining team has finalized the COVID-19 Compensation Framework with the County. Hazard pay payments will range from $1,500 to $2,500 and teleworking payments will be $750.

Episcopal Community Services

SEIU Local 221 demanded that Episcopal Community Services provide a safe-reopening plan. Read the COVID-19 Pandemic: side letter of agreement

Grossmont Union High School District

SEIU Local 221 demanded the District provide District-paid COVID-related leave for the purposes set forth in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act after it expired on Dec. 31, 2020. Read the Memorandum of Understanding by following this link.

Superior Court of California, County of Imperial

SEIU Local 221 demanded the court extend the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Read the FFCRA extension letter by following this link.

City of Chula Vista

Chula Vista Mid-Managers/Professional Association-SEIU Local 221 demanded the City of Chula Vista extend the MOU to address impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Read the MOU Extension Agreement between MM/PROF-SEIU Local 221 and City of Chula Vista

Fallbrook Union High School District

SEIU Local 221 demanded Fallbrook Union High School District clarify its reopening procedures. Read the FUHSD and SEIU Joint communication letter and MOU by following this link

County of San Diego

SEIU Local 221 is actively negotiating with the County of San Diego about the impact of the coronavirus crisis on employees and our communities. As a result, the County has taken an important first step by agreeing to provide advanced leave credit. This will allow employees to receive an advance of up to 120 hours of sick leave if they do not have adequate accrued leave, pending approval by the Board of Supervisors. This would cover workers who have school-age children who must stay at home, either because of the school closures or because of the virus, or people who feel sick. Follow this link to read the Pandemic Advanced Credit Leave Letter of Understanding, which would apply to the following units: AE, CL, FS, HS, MM, PR, PS, RN, SS and SW.

San Diego County Library

When County management decided to implement a library “curbside pickup plan” at San Diego County Library shortly after the coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic worsened on March 18 without consulting with library staff, our union took action.
Employees in the libraries raised health and safety issues about implementing this plan during the pandemic. Employees also were concerned about this change in operations happening on short notice without training or agreeing to an official policy change. Our union sent a cease-and-desist letter with these concerns.
Follow this link to the petition to make the County safer during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our libraries are a critical resource for our diverse communities,” Librarian Leslie Masland said. “Working together through our union, we stopped management from implementing the ill-conceived curbside pickup plan, so we can focus on keeping Library workers and the communities we serve safe.”
Our union supports working with the County to maintain public services as much as possible during the pandemic. For example, San Diego County Library is coordinating staff-led virtual programming to continue serving the community safely during this time. However, the health and safety of employees and the communities we serve cannot be sacrificed to do this.
That is why our union took action to enforce health and safety protections and sent a cease-and-desist letter, follow this link to read it.
The County agreed to stop the curbside pickup because of these employee concerns. This was only possible because employees stood together in our union. We won these accommodations for workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, but members know there is still work to do. Because of this we are continuing to meet with the County about additional demands.

San Diego Housing Commission

In March, San Diego Housing Commission and SEIU Local 221 proactively initiated bargaining over the effects of COVID-19 on represented employees. The parties recognized from the start of this process that the current emergency poses great danger to the health and safety of SDHC staff and their families, as well as our clients and communities. We entered this process with mutual commitments of good faith and a shared desire to support those who do the work.

We are pleased to announce that our SEIU Local 221 Bargaining Team has successfully reached a Side Letter Agreement with SDHC guaranteeing:

• Workplace health and safety standards, including commitments to cleaning of facilities and provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Hazard pay differentials for employees who perform their jobs in-person during the COVID-19 pandemic, including additional hazard pay for those with especially dangerous jobs.
• Teleworking opportunities that include financial support to cover costs of working remotely, as well as time off options for health and family care.

Follow this link to view the SDHC-SEIU Side Letter of Agreement

Fallbrook Union High School District

SEIU Local 221 sent a letter Friday to the Fallbrook Union High School District Superintendent demanding to negotiate about the impact of the coronavirus. Your Chapter President Rose Peralta was at the table along with SEIU Local 221 Organizer Cipriano Vargas. We raised vital issues and safety concerns to ensure the well-being of our members and won on issues that we advocated for. Read the FUHSD and SEIU Joint communication letter and MOU by following this link

Imperial County, Superior Court of California

• April 6 update: Court employees demanded Imperial County Superior Court balance justice with protecting the health and safety of courthouse employees, jurors, inmates and the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the Court signed an agreement to have rotating, minimum staffing in each department. Those not required at work will be on paid leave at home. Follow this link to read the agreement. This will limit the number of people and their potential exposure but keep vital services available.
• After SEIU Local 221 contacted the Superior Court of California, County of Imperial, regarding compensation for employees required to work during court closures, our Union fought and won giving employees a choice between overtime pay (double time) or earning a floating holiday (see language below):
  “The Court plans to continue to compensate employees who would otherwise be scheduled to work, Paid Administrative Leave. Any employee required to report to an Employer facility or worksite in-person during the effective period of the Court closures **shall be paid, at the employees choice, either a floating holiday or overtime pay at one (1) times their normal rate of pay on an hour-for-hour basis for the hours they work.”**We appreciate this positive step and will continue to negotiate with Court management to ensure that employees and the communities we serve are supported in this challenging time.
• After SEIU Local 221 contacted the Superior Court of California, County of Imperial, to make sure that employees are protected during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Court announced it will be closed for non-essential operations effective March 23 through March 31.
  During the limited operations, the Court will require limited and essential staff needed to meet the essential court matters. The Court plans to continue to compensate employees who would otherwise be scheduled to work.
  Read the entire press release from Imperial County Superior Court by following this link. We appreciate this positive step and will continue to negotiate with them to ensure that employees and the communities we serve are supported in this challenging time.

MAAC

SEIU Local 221 contacted MAAC, on Friday, March 13, to make sure that represented employees are protected in this current (COVID-19) pandemic. MAAC CEO Arnulfo Manriquez sent out a memo stating that staff who are on leave will be required to use paid sick leave and be permitted to carry a negative balance. MAAC members found this unacceptable and demanded that management follow past practice and give employees paid administrative leave during this emergency as it did during the California fires.

On Tuesday, March 17, members signed a petition with three demands:

• MAAC staff be on paid administrative leave during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Spring Break stay as previously scheduled from April 6 to 12
• MAAC staff that are deemed essential will be provided remote working options

On March 18, NHA and ECS Head Start program member leaders sent a letter of support, urging MAAC management to follow the standard that has been set by schools and Head Starts in the San Diego area. These employers are providing an option that does not affect sick or vacation time.

On Wednesday evening, the MAAC CEO sent an email stating that members of management spoke to their funders about the leave policy and they would be able to pay staff administrative leave. For those that have been classified as essential staff, they will provide remote accommodations and are working toward making special equipment and training available. They changed Spring Break back to the previous date for Child Development Staff.

Although we have made progress, we are not finished yet. In the coming week, we will be bargaining with management about emergency and contingency protocols for represented employees and having Spring Break during the same time period for all staff.

Neighborhood House Association

After SEIU Local 221 contacted Neighborhood House Association insisting that action be taken to protect employees from the coronavirus (COVID-19), NHA responded that it would be closing through April 6 and providing employees will full pay and benefits during the closure. Read the entire response from NHA by following this link.