Local 1245 members at City of Shasta Lake, from left: Adam Osborn, Dennis Larsen, Ben Fisher, Cory Harper, Dave Vandermeer, and Will Gratteau, along with Assistant Business Manager Ray Thomas and Business Rep. Sheila Lawton.
Local 1245 members at the City of Shasta Lake on Aug. 8 unanimously ratified a new four-year Memorandum of Understanding. The new agreement includes the following terms:
- 6% Rubber Glove Certification: As soon as is practicable in 2012, the City shall provide employees rubber glove certification training. Upon certification, all IBEW 1245 Journeymen shall receive 6% rubber glove incentive. The 6% rubber glove incentive shall be in addition to the Journeyman’s base rate of pay. The City is to pay for all certification.
- City-paid “Member Contribution” to CalPERS: Retroactive to July 1, 2012, employees shall pay their 8% CalPERS member contribution (benefit formula 3%@60) in exchange for a January 1, 2012 retroactive 6.56% general wage increase to all IBEW 1245-represented employees.
- New Classification for “Electric Line Staking Technician”: With GIS training (to be complete with 45 days of ratification) the current Administrative Services Assistant shall be reclassified to the new classification which includes a 5% increase in pay to 80% of the non-rubber glove Journeyman Lineman rate.
- General Wage Increase: Effective July 1, 2014, the all Journeymen Lineman classifications shall receive a general wage increase equal to the average July 1, 2014 non-rubber glove wage rates for Journeymen Linemen at the following properties: Trinity PUD; Lassen MUD; Plumas Sierra REC.
- Retiree Medical: IBEW 1245 represented employees shall vest in 100% City paid retiree medical as follows: Short Term Disability: The Standard Short Term Disability Policy will be amended to permit IBEW 1245 represented employees to be eligible for short-term disability after a two-week period (formerly employees had to utilize all of their accumulated sick leave to be eligible for short term disability).
- Incumbent employees: Have the option of vesting in 100% City paid retiree medical after five (5) years of service or they may elect to vest subject to the CalPERS Retirement Health Vesting Government Code Section 22893, which allows for 50% vesting after ten years of service or 100% vesting after twenty years of service. The Section 22893 election allows for portable vesting time with other public sector employers.
- New Hires: Employees hired under the terms of the new agreement shall be entitled to 50% of City paid retiree medical after ten years of service and 100% City paid retiree medical after twenty years of service subject to Government Code Section 22893.
- Life Insurance: The Standard Life Insurance Policy will be in the amount of 1.5 times the decedent’s salary (formerly two-times the decedent’s salary).Dental Insurance: The former Principal Mutual dental policy was converted to the Ameritus policy which will deliver the same benefits as the former policy.Sick Leave for Family Leave: Current sick leave language shall be amended to include provisions for employees to utilize sick leave for spousal pregnancy related leave.
- IBEW 1245-represented employees will be permitted to purchase supplemental life insurance through payroll deduction.
- The Principal Mutual Life Insurance Policy will be eliminated for both employees and dependents.
- Internal Interview Language: Current bidding language to provide that employees who so request shall be given interview opportunities for promotion outside of the bargaining unit.
The agreement is effective July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2016. Serving on the union’s negotiating team were Assistant Business Manager Ray Thomas, Business Representative Sheila Lawton and Local 1245 Shop Steward Dave Vandermeer.