Alliance Contract Negotiations: Tentative Agreement Reached!

The SEIU Local 509 bargaining team reached a tentative agreement with the Commonwealth on Thursday, June 26. A fully signed memorandum of understanding containing all changes is being finalized and will be available shortly.

Some of the key provisions in the agreement are:

These increases will be compounded, which means the cost of living doesn’t merely grow, it grows at an increasing rate – making salaries approximately 9.3% higher at the end of this three-year contract.  

2. Throughout the next three years of the contract, there will be approximately $3.5 million allocated to job title upgrades, promotions and other economic improvements. The parties will continue to meet and mutually agree on how to distribute the money during each year of the contract.

3. More than $220 thousand allocated to the training and professional development needs of our members, based on mutually agreement between the Union and management.

4. Improved access to alternative work options.

5. Biweekly accrual of leave (including sick vacation and sick days) allowing  quicker access to using it.

6. Improved Anti-discrimination and affirmative action provisions.

7. Clearer procedures for addressing Mutual Respect issues (Art. 6A).

8. Some limits on the use of Intermittent FMLA leave. No change to continuous FMLA limits.

9. An improved recall process.

10. Minor changes to the Art. 17 classification process

11. There were also changes to many chapter supplement agreements. Those agreement will be forthcoming.

Next Steps

Your bargaining team is comprised of more than 50 members from all the state chapters. They voted overwhelming to recommend this contract for ratification. There will be a contract ratification vote on July 17. More details about the contact and voting locations will be available shortly.

Members of the bargaining team and Union staff will be holding building meetings over the next few weeks to answer questions about the contract. If you have questions, please contact your chapter president or a member of the bargaining team. If the contract is approved by a vote of the membership, then the next step is for the legislature to vote to fund the contract. We hope for that to happen in the final two weeks of July.