Pursuant to agreement reached between the district and the five bargaining units (ACE, CSEA, Teamsters, OE Engineers and FA), a joint labor-management council has been established to explore health benefits options for active and retired district employees. Its charter (download here) outlines the purpose, structure, and member obligations. The council, which has met on a weekly basis since the summer, has been reviewing information concerning health cost analyses, and the pros and cons of various benefits providers. The goal of the council is to reach consensus about the best way to provide sound health care benefits in the face of ever-rising costs. Ultimately, however, final benefits decisions will be decided by the ratification of the individual bargaining unit members.

(Updated on February 12, 2012)
Our current Agreement of 23 articles expires on Oct. 31, 2011.

• On April 13, 2011 the ACE Negotiating Team met for the first time to prepare for bargaining our ACE Agreement with the district.
• We sunshined (presented) proposals to the district on July 1, 2011.
• The following articles were initially opened:
  District:
  Article 4- Temporary Work
  Article 5- Union Rights
  Article 7- Employment Practices
  Article 8- Pay and Allowances
  Article 10- Leaves
  Article 11- Layoff
  Article 15- Classification and Reclassification
  Article 16- Disciplinary Action
  Article 17- Retirement
  Article 18- Benefits
  Article 23- Duration
   
  ACE:
  Article 5.2 as it relates to released time
  Article 7.6 Reorganization
  Article 7.12 regarding transfer of relatives/partner
  Article 8 in its entirety
  Article 10.13 Staff Development Leave
  Article 11.3 Notification to ACE regarding layoffs; Retirement Incentives
  Article 15.2 regarding notification to ACE of reclassification requests; career ladders
  Articles 15.5 and 15.6 regarding reclassification appeals
  Article 16.2.8 regarding designation of a Skelly officer
  Article 19 to incorporate “first responder” training
  Article 20 Eliminate Article 20.5
  Article 22 as to defining members
  Article 23 in its entirety
• In addition to the listed articles, the District and ACE have an interest to review, edit and clean up nonsubstantive and outdated language in the collective bargaining Agreement to facilitate clarity and the better use of the agreement.
• We have agreed to meet on the following Wednesdays during Fall Quarter 2011: Sept. 14, 21; Oct. 5, 12; Nov. 2, 6, 9.
  Additional negotiations dates to be discussed.
• Following our first meeting, the district and ACE agreed on further contract items:
  
  • Create and consolidate language specific
    to classified hourly positions
  • Clean up forms; correct typos
  • Review MOUs for currency/expiration
  • Open the entire contract to be able
    to negotiate economic issues
• The district does not want to negotiate Articles 8 or 18 (pay and benefits) until the budget news is more solid. The current contract will be in effect until an agreement is reached and ratified by the members.