It is an undeniable truth – PECG has delivered unparalleled victories on behalf of Unit 9 supervisors and managers like you.  Thanks to PECG, Unit 9 supervisors and managers have seen:

  • Salaries have gone up by more than 103% in the last 18 years, by far the largest increase in state service.
  • CalPERS pensions have been protected.
  • Our health care CoBen benefits are the highest in state service.
  • Our jobs have been protected from outsourcing.

This level of success didn’t happen by accident.  It is the result of the united strength and collective effort of 14,000 PECG members, including over 2,000 supervisors and managers, working together to achieve our shared goals.

December 18, 2023

As part of the State’s efforts to cut spending in anticipation of a record budget deficit, unfortunately, the State has now canceled the improvement to the Leave Buy-Back Program for state supervisors and managers it had announced in November.

That improvement was to have allowed supervisors and managers with leave balances in excess of 640 hours as of December 1, 2023, the option to transfer future leave accruals into a Savings Plus 401(k) retirement account.  PECG members who may have already submitted their forms to participate in the program will have those forms returned.  Savings Plus is also expected to send additional information to impacted account holders shortly.   

PECG will work with the State and Savings Plus to revive the benefit as soon as possible.  For details about the now canceled plan, please see the Weekly Update from December 1.  The password is PECGdelivers! (case-sensitive).


December 1, 2023

Thanks to the good work of PECG’s Meet and Confer and Bargaining Teams, we are pleased to report that the State will soon be adopting long overdue increases to the Meal and Short-Term Lodging ExpenseRates.   

On November 20, 2023, the State announced that improved meal and lodging rates will be provided to all state supervisors and managers(so-called excluded employees) on January 1, 2024.  PECG’s Meet and Confer Team, which represents PECG supervisory and managerial members in discussions with the State, has been pressing the State toincrease business and travel reimbursement rates for years. 

Due to multiple hard-earned “me-too” clauses covering travel expenses in the PECG Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) won by the PECG Bargaining Team over the years, the State has agreed to pass on the same increases to Unit 9 rank and file employees on January 1, 2024. 

These increases are expected to be just the start of multiple improvements to the state’s business and travel reimbursementrates. After years of PECG pushing them to do so, the State is expected to adopt the federal reimbursement rates set every year by the federal General Services Administration in the near future. PECG hopes to be able to announce the additional changes soon. 

In the meantime, the improved meal and lodging rates can be viewed here. Again, they will be provided to all Unit 9 employees starting January 1, 2024.  

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In addition, PECG is happy to announce the State has also agreed to make a significant improvement to the Leave Buy-Back Program for state supervisors and managers. 

Effective immediately, the Leave Buy-Back Program will allow eligible supervisors and managers, including Unit 9 members, an option to transfer future leave accruals into a Savings Plus 401(k) retirement account.  This option is available to excluded employees in participating departments, with vacation or annual leave balances in excess of 640 hours as of December 1, 2023. 

Details about the new option and other information can be found on the CalHR webpage here.  CalHR has also prepared these answers to frequently asked questions that will help in your decision making. 

 

February 21, 2023

Dear Unit 9 Supervisors and Managers:  

Good morning.  My name is Brian Simon.  I serve as PECG’s Supervisory Vice President and Chair of the Meet and Confer Team, which represents all Unit 9 supervisors and managers in discussions with the State on our pay, pension, health care, and every other term and condition of our employment.

In my day job, I am a Senior Transportation Engineer out of Caltrans’ Eureka office. 

PECG has delivered for Unit 9 supervisors and managers. Our wages have more than doubled over the last 17 years.  Our pension benefits have been protected from attacks. And our jobs and the work of our co-workers have been protected from outsourcing. 

Most recently, the Meet and Confer Team ensured that the PECG MOU’s pay raise, improvements in longevity and geographic pay, and all the other new and improved benefits in the MOU were extended to you and other Unit 9 supervisors and managers. 

Because PECG has delivered, our supervisory and managerial membership has grown to an all-time high.  Over 1,900 supervisors and managers in Unit 9 – 61 percent – are now PECG members. 

But surprisingly, you are currently not a PECG member.  PECG would like to invite you to become a member today.  If you join now using PECG’s online application, you can start enjoying the advantages of membership immediately. 

For only $69.50 per month, you can be a member, protect your job, and access PECG’s attorneys and labor relations experts.

Thank you for your consideration.  We look forward to serving you as a PECG member!

If you have a minute, please check out the latest edition of PECG’s SuperInformer, an exclusive publication for PECG supervisory and managerial members.  It includes my thoughts about the importance and value of PECG membership for supervisors and managers.  Please don’t hesitate to email back with your own thoughts. 

With the strong support of our supervisory and managerial members, PECG has delivered:

  • Salaries have gone up by 100% over the last 17 years.
  • Defined-benefit pensions have been protected.
  • Health care co-ben benefits are the best in state service.
  • State engineering work is overwhelmingly performed by public servants like you.
  • Members receive representation on employment/professional issues from experienced attorneys and labor relations specialists.

Join PECG today!

December 9, 2022

As reported in previous Weekly Updates, the State has issued multiple pay letters to provide the 2.5% General Salary Increase (GSI) to all Unit 9 members – rank and file employees and supervisors and managers – effective July 1, 2022 and to implement the many new and improved pay differentials that are part of PECG’s 2022-25 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).   

The vast majority of PECG members report having received the GSI and the related back pay.  The reports about the differential increases and the associated back pay are mixed – some members have received them, but quite a few have not.

If you have yet to receive your GSI, a differential increase, or the back pay associated with them – please notify your Personnel Specialist immediately.  As we have suggested many times, given the State’s antiquated payroll system, your patience will be required as the State Controller’s Office and your department work through the steps necessary to implement the pay increases you are due per the MOU.   

Speaking of the MOU, one professionally printed and bound copy is available to every PECG member who makes a request.  If you would like to receive a printed copy of the 2022-25 MOU in the mail, please complete the MOU request form by clicking here.  The website password is PECGdelivers! (case-sensitive).  If you requested a copy previously, you do not need to do so again. 

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After two years of large state budget surpluses, the non-partisan Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) now predicts a $24 billion state budget deficit in the fiscal year that starts July 1, 2023. 

The LAO’s Fiscal Outlook, released on November 16, also foresees ongoing budget challenges with estimated multi-billion budget deficits in the years ahead.     

The LAO’s assessment is largely based on the ongoing threats to the economy“The longer inflation persists and the higher the Federal Reserve increases interest rates in response, the greater the risk to the economy.” 

The forecast deficits are the result of the slowing economy and recessionary pressures.  The LAO predicts that State revenues will fall $41 billion short of what was expected to come in during the current and next fiscal year, primarily due to a large drop in personal income tax collections.   

To close the deficit, the LAO recommends that the Legislature first look to pause the many one-time budget expenditures that have been made in recent years. 

The LAO acknowledges that this is just their best estimate of state fiscal conditions at this time and that a lot could change as economic conditions evolve in the months ahead.  To read the LAO’s Fiscal Outlook, please click here.

PECG, of course, will continue to advocate for Unit 9 priorities as budget deliberations get underway with the release of the Governor’s proposed budget in early January 2023. 

November 18, 2022

Yesterday, the State issued Pay Letter 22-36 to implement the 2.5% General Salary Increase (GSI) for all Unit 9 members – rank and file employees and supervisors and managers.   

The State’s instructions indicate that the plan is to include the pay increase in the November pay warrants that Unit 9 employees are to receive on or before December 1, 2022.  As the GSI is retroactive to July 1, 2022, the pay letter also indicates that back pay will be issued for the months of July, August, September, and October in the month of November.   

But, as we have repeated many times, the State’s payroll system is decades old and unreliable.  If history is a guide, there will be implementation problems.  Please be patient while the SCO and state departments take the steps necessary to update your salary and issue your back pay.  

PECG members have also started to receive the back pay for the 2022-25 Memorandum of Understanding’s many pay differential increases that were effective October 1, 2022 – but largely did not make it into October pay warrants.  For details, please see the Weekly Update of November 4, 2022. The password to view the PECG webpage is PECGdelivers! (case-sensitive).

The State expects the differential increases will make it into November warrants and that the associated back pay for the October pay period will also be issued this month. PECG will continue to work with the SCO and state departments to make sure members receive the pay increases and back pay they are due as soon as possible. 

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PECG’s website now features a page dedicated to the 2022-2025 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between PECG and the State of California.  The MOU’s articles and sub-articles can be viewed on the PECG webpage here, or you can download the complete document as a PDF.  Both formats are searchable.  The password to view this content is PECGdelivers! (case-sensitive).

The MOU page also includes a summary of the agreementanswers to frequently asked questions, and an infographic with details on PECG’s new longevity pay schedule.

One professionally printed and bound copy of the MOU is also available to every PECG member who makes a request.  If you would like to receive a printed copy of the MOU in the mail, please complete the MOU request form by clicking here.

November 4, 2022

As reported previously, CalHR issued Pay Letter 22-30 on October 18, 2022, putting in place effective October 1, 2022, the following improved pay differentials for Unit 9 rank and file and supervisory and managerial employees:

  • Expanded Longevity Pay Differential
  • Geographic Pay Differential to provide $250 per month to Unit 9 Employees in Contra Costa County
  • Increase in Diving Pay Differential to $25 from $12 per hour
  • Increase in the Long-Term Differential to $3,000 from $1,800 per month

However, it seems many of the differential increases did not make it into the October pay warrants Unit 9 employees received last week.  PECG is working with state departments and the State Controller’s Office (SCO) to get separate checks issued for these differentials in the days ahead and to incorporate them into the November warrants of those eligible to receive them. 

And a reminder, the 2.5% general salary increase (GSI) that is retroactive to July 1, 2022, and the back pay that will come with it, will be part of another Pay Letter that will go out at some point in November – according to CalHR. 

Regrettably, there are always problems and delays when CalHR, state departments, and the SCO work through the steps necessary to implement the pay and differential increases that are part of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).  In the weeks ahead, PECG will continue to update members on when they can expect to receive the GSI, improved pay differentials, related back pay, and the other pay and benefit improvements they are due. 

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This week, CalHR issued Pay Letter 22-31, extending the $300 monthly recruitment and retention differential that was provided to rank and fileTransportation Surveyors (Caltrans) by the 2022-25 MOU to their immediate supervisors — Transportation Surveyor Party Chiefs (Caltrans).  For both classifications, the $300 differential will be paid effective October 1, 2022.

PECG’s Meet and Confer Team had also proposed to pass on the $300 monthly differential to the Caltrans senior and supervising transportation surveyors that are part of this series. At this time, CalHR has denied that request pointing to a lack of recruitment and retention problems in those classes.   

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California’s 2022 General Election is this coming Tuesday, November 8.  If you have yet to return your ballot, PECG urges members to make a plan to vote on Election Day, or be sure to mail in or drop off your ballot in time for it to be counted.  Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by November 8, 2022.  Ballots returned at a secure ballot drop box or a voting location must be deposited by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

If Election Day slipped your mind, state law allows for Same Day Voter Registration as a safety net for Californians who miss the deadline to register to vote or update their voter registration.  Visit caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov to learn more about how it works and to find a list of voting locations where you can complete the Same Day Voter Registration process and cast a ballot. 

If you are interested in PECG’s candidate recommendations, please click here.  The password is PECGdelivers! (case-sensitive).  And as always, PECG’s recommendations are just recommendations.  They are based solely on the candidates’ positions on the pay and benefit issues important to PECG members.

2022 Archive

October 7, 2022

PECG continues to work with CalHR and the State Controller’s Office (SCO) to deliver the many benefits of PECG’s new 2022-25 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as soon as possible.  As reported previously, the 2.5% general salary increase (GSI) that is part of the agreement is retroactive to July 1, 2022, and many of the other pay and benefit improvements will be in effect for the October pay period.

But for back pay checks to go out and for the other MOU improvements to show up in pay warrants, CalHR must issue an official pay letterinstructing the SCO and departments to update Unit 9 salary ranges and implement the provisions of the MOU.  As of today, unfortunately, CalHR has not issued a pay letter.

PECG’s Meet and Confer Team met with CalHR in early September to press for the extension of the MOU’s benefits to all Unit 9 supervisors and managers.  The Team has also provided additional background information at CalHR’s request.  CalHR has already agreed in writing to extend the 2.5% GSI to Unit 9 supervisors and managers retroactive to July 1, 2022.  PECG continues to work with the State to ensure that the MOU’s other pay and benefit improvements are provided to Unit 9 supervisors and managers.  

PECG will continue to press for the release of the pay letter and the timely payment of Unit 9 pay and benefit increases for rank and file employees and supervisors and managers.  But as in previous years, these things will take some time.  Thank you for your patience.

September 30, 2022

PECG is happy to report that the State has approved a new pay differential for the supervisors and managers who helped to oversee the weekly testing required by the Newsom Administration of state employees who were not vaccinated against COVID-19.  As you are aware, that program ended in non-high-risk settings on September 16, 2022

Specifically, the new Differential 459 (Testing Observer Pay Differential – Excluded Employees), makes supervisors and managers eligible to receive  $250 per month for completing the vendor-required training to become a “Test Administrator” and having performed any of the following COVID testing duties:

           •   Check in test participants

           •   Supervise nasal swab sample collection

           •   Dispose of cards and test materials

           •   Package test samples for shipping

           •   Perform and read tests

The differential is retroactive to the first day of a department’s testing program, but no earlier than July 1, 2021.  PECG appreciates the Administration’s recognition of Unit 9 supervisors and managers who stepped up to perform this difficult task. 

Of course, before any payments go out state departments will need to key in the request for retroactive payments, and the State Controller’s Office will need to generate back pay warrants.  Both steps may take some time.  Please check with your personnel specialist or your HR department for more information.   

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This week, Governor Newsom signed a bill extending the supplemental COVID-19 paid sick leave benefit for California workers.

AB 152 ensures that PECG members, and all state employees, will continue to have access to up to 40 hours of COVID-19 paid sick leave through December 31, 2022.  Previously, this benefit was to have expired on September 30, 2022.  The leave may be used by employees who are unable to work due to illness, have been advised to quarantine, and those caring for COVID-impacted family members.  The benefit remains available to use for COVID-related sick leave taken since January 1, 2022.  Please seek guidance from your department about how to access this leave.

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The PECG Nominating and Awards Committee recently reviewed hundreds of original photograph submissions from PECG members for inclusion in the 2023 wall calendar.  Several photographs were received showcasing California’s natural landmarks, infrastructure, and the important work of PECG members.  Thank you to all who took the time to make a submission.  The selected photographers and a digital preview of the calendar will be posted online soon.  In the meantime, if you would like to request a copy of the 2023 wall calendar, pocket calendar, or both please click here.  

By providing calendars only to those who request them, PECG reduces waste and saves resources that can be used to deliver other important member services.  The calendars will be mailed directly to all who request them in December, along with the 2023 PECG membership cards.

September 16, 2022

PECG’s Meet and Confer Team met on Wednesday with CalHR(representing the State) and made multiple proposals to extend the many pay and benefit improvements in PECG’s new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to Unit 9 supervisors and managers.  In the meeting, and in earlier discussions, the PECG Team made clear that providing the MOU’s pay and benefit increases is absolutely essential to recruit and retain supervisors and managers within Unit 9 departments.     

As a result, CalHR has already agreed in writing to extend the 2.5% General Salary Increase (GSI) in the MOU to Unit 9 supervisors and managers retroactive to July 1, 2022.  PECG will continue to work with the State to ensure that the MOU’s other pay and benefit improvements are also provided to Unit 9 supervisors and managers.   

As reported earlier, the timing for receipt of the back pay and other MOU improvements depends entirely on how quickly the State Controller’s Office (SCO) can make the necessary changes in the State’s antiquated payroll system.  PECG continues to press CalHR and the SCO to act quickly to provide the pay and benefit improvements to Unit 9 employees as soon as possible.     

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PECG’s new President, Corporate Officers, and the rest of the Board of Directors were officially sworn in at the PECG Annual Meeting held last weekend.  President Elect Mark Sheahan is now President.  Sheahan is a Caltrans Senior Transportation Surveyor in Sacramento.  Brad Shelton, a Senior Engineering Geologist with the Water Resources Control Board in the River City Section, is the President Elect.  Cameron Knudson, a Senior Transportation Engineer (Specialist) at Caltrans in Marysville, becomes the Past President. 

Here are the other PECG Corporate Officers that assumed office:

  • Matt Hanson – Vice President, Collective Bargaining and Chair of the Bargaining Team.  Hanson is a Caltrans Transportation Engineer in Sacramento.
  • Brian Simon – Vice President, Supervisory and Chair of the Meet and Confer Team.  Simon is a Supervising Senior Transportation Engineer at Caltrans in the Eureka Section.
  • Karmina Padgett-Gonzalez – Vice President, At Large.  Padgett-Gonzalez is a Water Resources Control Engineer with the Water Resources Control Board in the River City Section.
  • Ferdinand de la Cruz – Corporate Secretary.  De la Cruz is a Caltrans Senior Transportation Electrical Engineer (Specialist) in the Inland Empire Section.
  • Jane Pham – Corporate Treasurer.  Pham is a Caltrans Transportation Engineer in the Inland Empire Section.

PECG’s 25-member Board also includes 17 Directors representing PECG’s 17 sections around the state.  The 2022-23 Section Directors are:  Phillip Cox (Bay Area), Mark Reistetter (Bishop), Deane Burk (Capitol), Harrison Rankin (Eureka), Steven Johnson (Fort Sutter), Ramon Lopez-Maciel (Fresno), Paul Penney (Golden Gate), Reyna Baeza-Oregel (Inland Empire), Shabbir Ahmed (Los Angeles), Abraham Hessabi (Marysville), Oscar Huerta (Orange County), Kaylie Humbert (Redding), Timothy Chow (River City), Niranjen Kanepathipillai (Sacramento), Frank Contreraz (San Diego), Joseph Salazar (San Luis Obispo), and Navraj Jammu (Stockton).

The new Corporate Officers and Directors were installed on September 10 and will serve one-year terms.  PECG leaders are volunteers and do not receive compensation for their service.  Please take a moment to thank Board Members, and other PECG leaders, for dedicating their time to serve PECG and PECG members.

April 8, 2022

The PECG Meet and Confer Team has decided that the Supervisors and Managers Pay and Benefits Survey will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 15, 2022 – one week from today.

To date, over 627 PECG-member supervisors and managers – 35% of the supervisory and managerial membership – have responded.  PECG negotiates salary, benefits, and working conditions for Unit 9 supervisors and managers with CalHR through the meet and confer process.

The PECG Meet and Confer Team, made up of your fellow supervisors from around the state, will use the survey results to establish its own pay and benefit objectives for Unit 9 supervisors and managers.  If you are a PECG supervisory or managerial member, and have yet to complete the survey, please take the time to do so now.

If you did not receive the survey via email or lost or deleted it, please let us know by email to pecg@pecg.org.  And if you have trouble accessing the online survey via a state computer, please forward it to your personal computer to respond.

February 23, 2022

As a PECG-represented state supervisor or manager, PECG negotiates your salary, benefits, and working conditions with CalHR (representing the Governor’s Administration) through the meet and confer process.  You are represented by a Meet and Confer Team made up of your fellow supervisors from around the state.

PECG’s meet and confer representation has brought Unit 9 supervisors and managers negotiated pay increases of over 97% in the last 16 years.  PECG has also fought successfully to protect your CalPERS pension from constant, ongoing attacks and improve your health care and other benefits.

We’ve achieved these objectives by working together and listening to you – PECG supervisors and managers.  Today, the Meet and Confer Team wants to hear your pay and benefits priorities going forward.  Thanks to the work of the Meet and Confer Team, last year, CalHR agreed to extend the benefits of PECG’s 2021 Side Letter to Unit 9 supervisors and managers.  The Side Letter provided a 5.58% salary increase on July 1, 2021, and ended the PLP 2020 program.  What are your priorities for 2022 and beyond?

The PECG 2022 Supervisors and Managers Pay and Benefits Survey is available only to supervisory and managerial members.  Unfortunately, our records indicate that you are not a PECG member.  If you would like to have your survey tabulated with those of other supervisors and managers, please join PECG today.  This is an online survey.  You may wish to forward this survey to your personal computer, rather than a state computer, to respond.  To participate in the survey, please send an email to pecg@pecg.org.

February 18, 2022

This is a friendly reminder to please take a few moments to complete PECG’s comprehensive Bargaining Survey.  The survey results help establish the goals and objectives for the PECG Bargaining Team during negotiations with CalHR on the next PECG Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).  All bargaining survey results received from PECG members will be compiled and reviewed by the Bargaining Team, as will individual comments and suggestions submitted as part of the survey.

The MOU sets your pay, benefits, working conditions, and covers countless other items that beneficially impact your employment.  The term of the current contract ends on July 1, 2022.

This is an online survey, to participate in the survey, please send an email to pecg@pecg.org.

2021 Archive

June 30, 2021

PECG delivers thanks to the overwhelming support of our members.  The latest example is PECG’s successful extension of the provisions of PECG’s 2021 Side Letter – which provides a 5.58% pay raise and ends the PLP 2020 program – to our supervisory and managerial members.

high percentage of membership is PECG’s source of power at the meet and confer and bargaining tables, and provides the resources necessary to effectively advocate for our members in all venues – the Governor’s Administration, Legislature, courts, media, State agencies and departments, and CalPERS.

Thanks to our strong and committed membership, PECG has an unprecedented record of delivering for supervisors and managers:

  • Our salaries have increased by more than 97% over the last 15 years.
  • Defined-benefit pensions have been protected from countless attacks.
  • Our health care co-ben benefits are the best in state service.
  • State engineering work is overwhelmingly performed by public servants like you – and not outsourced.
  • Our members receive expert representation on employment and professional issues from experienced attorneys and labor relations specialists.

Would you have done as well, negotiating alone with the State of California for your own pay and benefits?  The answer is of course not.  Our success, your success, is the result of a committed membership working together to achieve our shared goals.

As a supervisor or manager, you are eligible to join PECG, but our records indicate that you are currently not a member.  PECG would like to invite you to join the over 1,700 Unit 9 supervisory and managerial colleagues who are currently members.

If you join today using PECG’s online application, we will send you all the details about the PECG 2021 Side Letter and you can start enjoying the benefits of membership immediately.

Thank you for your consideration.  We look forward to serving you as a PECG member!


June 21, 2021

PECG’s Meet and Confer Team is happy to report that CalHR (representing the State) has agreed to extend the benefits of PECG’s 2021 Side Letter to Unit 9 supervisors and managers.  The Meet and Confer Team represents PECG in all discussions with CalHR on Unit 9 supervisory and managerial pay and benefit matters.

Here is what PECG’s 2021 Side Letter will mean for Unit 9 supervisors and managers:

  • 5.58% General Salary Increase (GSI) effective July 1, 2021.
  • Ends the PLP 2020 program on June 30, 2021, by restoring 9.23% to Unit 9 employee compensation and stopping the accrual of PLP 2020 leave each month.
  • Reinstates on July 1, 2021, the 2% monthly contribution Unit 9 members have been paying since 2017 to fund retiree health care (OPEB/CERBT on pay stubs).  This payment was suspended while PLP 2020 was in place.
  • Increases by 0.5% the contribution for Unit 9 members in the miscellaneous and safety retirement categories for a period of one year (July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022).

All other pay and benefit items provided to Unit 9 supervisors and managers will remain in place unchanged, including longevity pay.  On July 1, 2021, Unit 9 members with 23 years of experience will receive a pay increase of 1.5% (for a cumulative 5.5%), as will those reaching 23 years of experience during the fiscal year.  PECG’s longevity raises at 20 (2%), 21 (3%), and 22 (4%) years will also continue as outlined in the current MOU.

Please visit the PECG 2021 Side Letter page on the PECG website for additional information.  The website password is PECGdelivers! (case-sensitive).

The PECG Meet and Confer Team thanks you for your support and PECG membership.  PECG Delivers!


February 12, 2021

PECG spends a lot of time and effort protecting your CalPERS defined benefit pension because it is the key to the retirement security of every PECG member and hundreds of thousands of other public employees and retirees in our state.

For that reason, in 2005, PECG was a founding member of Californians for Retirement Security (CRS), a coalition that represents over 1.6 million California public employees and retirees.  Over the years, CRS has successfully blocked countless statewide ballot measures aimed at destroying defined benefit pensions in California.  CRS also advocates for defined benefit pensions in the media.  The most recent example is this article – Defined benefit pensions crucial for economic health – that appeared last week in Capitol Weekly, a popular website covering California government.

The article highlights a recent report which found that defined benefit pensions have a significant and positive impact on California’s economy.  Defined benefit pensions support more than 395,000 jobs in California and create $76.7 billion in economic activity.  Every dollar state and local governments put into defined benefit pensions ultimately generates $6.40 in economic output across the state, boosting the local economies in the communities where retirees live.  The report further points out that the security of defined benefit pensions produces a steadying impact on the economy in down times.  Retirees continue to spend regularly, even as high unemployment and economic uncertainty depresses other consumer spending.  Please read the entire article here.  The author of this piece is PECG’s Executive Director Ted Toppin, who was elected CRS’ Chairman in 2018.

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In December, PECG released a new flyer – PECG Delivers! Our Collective History of Success – to let new and long-time members learn more about PECG’s history and just how we came to deliver competitive compensation, pension protection, high health care reimbursement rates,  job protection, and professional representation to Unit 9 employees.  You can read it again here.

Today, we want to share another new handout – Supervisors and Managers Have Always Been Instrumental to PECG’s Success – to remind supervisors and managers about the instrumental role they played in PECG’s founding and the importance they continue to play today in our success.

In sum, in 1963, state engineers and related professionals, frustrated by lagging pay and the outsourcing of their work, came together to discuss the need for an entirely new organization dedicated to addressing  these problems.  Many of the people at the table advocating for PECG’s creation were supervisors and managers.  To their great credit, they knew that to get results, PECG needed to represent all state engineers – supervisors, managers, and rank and file employees – to bring the maximum “collective effort” to bear to address the problems they faced.  Of course, that is as true today as it was 58 years ago.  That is why PECG, unlike most other state bargaining units, continues to represent and deliver for state supervisors and managers.

Please take a minute to read the new flyer here to learn more about PECG’s history and our effective advocacy for significant pay and benefits gains for supervisors and managers.

The flyer is also an excellent recruitment tool to encourage Unit 9 supervisors and managers to join PECG.  Remember, PECG awards members $200 for successfully recruiting each new supervisory or managerial member.  Here is the PECG website link that allows new members to join in a matter of minutes.  Together – PECG Delivers!

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PECG offices will be closed Monday, February 15, in observance of Presidents’ Day.  We hope that you have a great three-day weekend.

2020 Archive

July 9, 2020

PECG members have voted overwhelmingly to ratify the new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with CalHR (representing the State) by a margin of 97.8% to 2.2%.  The PECG Bargaining Team thanks you for the vote of confidence and your support throughout negotiations conducted under difficult circumstances.

In late June, the MOU was approved by the Legislature as part of AB 119 and signed by Governor Newsom.  With ratification by PECG rank and file members, all of the provisions of the new MOU are in place.  CalHR will now develop pay letters instructing the State Controller’s Office to incorporate the provisions of the agreement into the July payroll for Unit 9 employees.

As reported last week, PECG’s Meet and Confer Team will continue to work with the State to ensure that the most favorable aspects of the PECG MOU will be extended to our supervisorial and managerial members.  An update on those discussions was sent to PECG supervisor and manager members last Friday and can be viewed here.  The website password is PECGdelivers! (case-sensitive).

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With the 2020 tax day (now July 15) less than a week away, perhaps you are desperately searching for your W-2 form for 2019.  The State Controller’s Office (SCO) can help.  Recently, SCO launched Cal Employee Connect to serve all civil service employees in California.  This secure self-service portal allows PECG members and all state employees to view, print, and electronically save their own W2, leave balances, direct-deposit earnings statements, and more.  You can access Cal Employee Connect here.  Please try it out and let us know what you think.  PECG will pass on any of your suggested improvements to the website to the SCO.


July 3, 2020

Over the last two weeks, PECG’s Meet and Confer Team has been working with CalHR (representing the State) to ensure that the most favorable aspects of the PECG MOU will be extended to our supervisorial and managerial members.  This week, CalHR released guidance which provides some, but not all, of the answers to what Bargaining Unit 9 supervisors and managers can expect in their paychecks at the end of the month.  CalHR’s guidance can be found here.

Not surprisingly, CalHR is extending the Personal Leave Program – or PLP 2020 – to Unit 9-affiliated, and the vast majority of other, supervisors and managers in state service.  Under PLP 2020, supervisors and managers will see a 9.23% reduction in salary and receive two personal leave credits per month in return.  PECG is working to get more information about the terms and conditions that will apply to the PLP 2020 leave provided to supervisors and managers.  The only direction provided for supervisors and managers in the CalHR guidance is that “PLP 2020 leave shall be administered in the same manner as other leave, with priority given to elimination of PLP 2020 leave accumulation” and “PLP 2020 leave shall not be cashed out except on separation of state service.”

On the positive front, and to help mitigate the PLP 2020 reduction in take home pay, the 2% monthly OPEB payment for retiree health care will be suspended for all Unit 9 supervisors and managers.  Unit 9 supervisors and managers in the miscellaneous and safety classifications will also see a .5% reduction in their CalPERS contribution this month.

Supervisors and managers in Unit 9 will also be eligible to accrue vacation and annual leave above the 640 caps commensurate with the amount of PLP leave days they receive under the program.  That means that effective this month, the vacation and annual leave caps for Unit 9 supervisors and managers will go up by 16 hours – to 656 hours – and will increase by another 16 hours every month that the PLP 2020 is in place.  Raising the caps will allow supervisors and managers to build and bank their vacation and annual leave.

The CalHR guidance also extends to all BU 9 supervisors and managers the option to elect up to three days of Voluntary Personal Leave Plan (VPLP) a month, as provided in the new PECG MOU.

PECG continues to urge CalHR to extend the longevity pay raises to those reaching their 20, 21 and 22nd year of state service in the fiscal year to BU 9 supervisors and managers.  The CalHR guidance says only that special salary adjustments approved in some MOUs, such as PECG’s longevity pay, will be paid, leaving the detailed answer to future pay letters.  Your Meet and Confer Team will continue working with CalHR to ensure this and other provisions of the PECG MOU are extended to our supervisors and managers.

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On behalf of PECG’s Board and staff, please have a safe and happy 4th of July weekend.


January 28, 2020

PECG’s comprehensive Supervisors and Managers Pay and Benefits Survey will be emailed to PECG’s supervisory and managerial members this Thursday morning, January 30.  As a PECG-represented state supervisor or manager, you are represented by a Meet and Confer Team made up of your fellow supervisors from around the state.  This survey provides you the opportunity to express your priorities for improvements to Unit 9 supervisory and managerial salaries, benefits, and working conditions.

The survey results will help the PECG Meet and Confer Team establish its pay and benefit priorities for Unit 9 supervisors and managers when it meets with the State in the weeks ahead.  All survey results will be compiled and reviewed by the Meet and Confer Team, as will individual comments and suggestions submitted as part of the survey.  PECG encourages you to please take the time to complete the survey when it lands in your inbox on Thursday.

2019 Archive

August 29, 2019

Today, August 29, 2019, is the deadline to switch back to the Annual Leave program if you want to be able to participate in the new Family Care Leave benefit for state supervisors and managers.

This new benefit allows supervisors and managers to take up to six weeks of partial or fully paid (if supplemented by annual leave credits) leave to bond with a new child or care for an ill loved one.  There is no cost to participate.

However, the program is available only to those enrolled in the Annual Leave program.

State policy normally requires employees to wait 24 months before switching from Vacation/Sick Leave to the Annual Leave program.  However, to allow supervisors and managers to immediately take advantage of the new benefit, CalHR is allowing supervisors and managers who changed to the Vacation/Sick Leave program within the last 24 months to convert back to the Annual Leave program.  But act now, today is the last day to submit your request.  Please contact your Human Resources Office immediately for more information.

For the details about the Family Care Leave benefit, please click here and scroll down to the section headed: NDI Family Care Leave.


August 23, 2019

The PECG Board of Directors voted unanimously to endorse Henry Jones’ reelection to the retired member seat on the CalPERS Board of Administration.  Jones currently serves as the Board President.  The retiree representative is one of six positions on the 13-member board that is elected by CalPERS members.  The retired member position represents all CalPERS state, local government, and school retirees.

Jones first won the seat in 2008 and PECG has endorsed him in each of his three previous campaigns.  He has been a strong supporter of retirees and all CalPERS members.  Prior to retiring, Mr. Jones was the Chief Financial Officer for the Los Angeles Unified School District.

If you’re a retired member of CalPERS as of July 1, 2019, you are eligible to vote in this election.  A ballot package will be mailed on August 30, 2019, and the voting period will be from August 30 until September 30.  Your ballot must be received by mail, telephone, or online by 11:59 p.m. PST on September 30, or it will not be counted.

Needless to say, the CalPERS Board of Administration is important.  CalPERS administers your retirement benefits and your health plan.  To best protect both, PECG encourages you to support Henry Jones’ reelection!

For more information on the CalPERS retired member election, click here.

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PECG leaders and staff met last week with Caltrans Acting Director Bob Franzoia and other members of his leadership team.  PECG reported that we have seen a slow-down in Unit 9 hiring.  In fact, there was a net loss in Unit 9 employees at the department in June and July.  We noted as a reminder that the recently adopted state budget provides for 127 net new Capital Outlay Support (COS) positions in 2019-20.  With current attrition rates, that would require the department to hire 500 to 600 COS staff during the fiscal year.  Caltrans confirmed that they are also seeing a slowdown in hiring and agreed with our estimate of the number of hires that would be necessary to meet budgeted staffing levels.  Caltrans explained the lull is a result of moving away from mass hiring events to more selective Caltrans district-centered hiring this year.  Caltrans reported that they had used this consolidated approach recently in District 4 and are in the process of hiring about 100 Unit 9 engineers and related professionals in the next few months.  They hope to use this approach to meet the specific staffing needs in other Caltrans districts over the next year.

PECG noted our frustration with the fact that there are still hundreds of PECG members who have not received their full back pay for the 2018 4.5% general salary increase (GSI).  Caltrans staff expressed their frustration as well and assured us that they have taken all of the necessary steps to correct the issue on their end.  From Caltrans’ perspective, at this point, this is an issue that must be resolved in the State Controller’s Office.  We reported, on a more positive note, that the 2019 4% GSI and increase in the experience differential have been implemented much more successfully.  PECG will continue to follow up on the payroll problems experienced by members until they have all been resolved.

PECG and Caltrans leaders previously discussed the department’s organized work groups to examine, update, and modernize their policies on telecommuting, alternate work weeks, and other workplace flexibility options.  We reminded them that flexible work schedules reduce congestion, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and are consistent with California’s broad effort to address climate change.  The department confirmed they are still working to update their policies.  They also reported that they hope to implement an alternate work location or satellite office policy by the end of this year or early next year.  We asked to see the alternate work site proposal before it is rolled out and stated that telecommuting and alternate work schedules must also remain options for employees.

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PECG leaders also met with the management team at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) late last month.  The Senior Telecommunications Engineer salary inequity issue was at the top of the agenda.  In 2014, Senior Telecommunications Engineers were denied the 10.1% raise extended to other PECG-represented supervisors and managers.  After an incremental pay adjustment, the Senior Telecommunications Engineer salary is still 5% below where it should be.  PECG has asked CalHR to address this inequity at every opportunity.  In the meeting, PECG requested that Cal OES – the largest employer of Senior Telecoms in state service – be a strong voice of support within the Administration to provide the Senior Telecommunications Engineers the additional 5% raise they are due.  Cal OES management said they were aware of the issue but made no commitments.

At PECG’s urging, CalHR recently updated Pay Differential 421 so that it applies to all state departments and agencies that perform emergency response services after a governor-declared emergency.  The differential provides double-time pay for the first two weeks of emergency response work and time-and-a-half for each week thereafter for supervisors and managers.

PECG asked if Cal OES has, or will, make Pay Differential 421 available to its own supervisors and managers working on emergency response and clean up around the state.  Cal OES management is aware of the differential and is working on an analysis about extending it to Cal OES employees.  They promised to provide PECG additional information when it becomes available.

PECG leaders shared that Cal OES Unit 9 engineers have expressed some concern that technicians will be directing the work of engineers on upgrades to the state’s emergency response system.  PECG noted that would be an inappropriate assignment of work.  Cal OES responded that they do not plan any changes to work roles or assignments.  The department needs to catch up on current technology and the technicians will perform their customary role of installing the system.  PECG asked to see any documents or work plans that outline the roles of Unit 9 members, technicians, and consultants working on the project.


July 29, 2019

Congratulations, PECG is happy to report that the 4% general salary increase (GSI) that is part of PECG’s 2018-20 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been extended to all Bargaining Unit 9 affiliated supervisors and managers.  According to the State Controller’s Office, the raise will be included in your July pay warrant.  

This is the second of two general pay raises you will have received as a result of the collective efforts of PECG and our current MOU.  Previously, all PECG-represented employees received a 4.5% GSI retroactive to July 1, 2018.

Also of note, effective July 1, 2019, employees with 21 years or more of state service will receive a 3% differential above their base salary.  Employees whose worksites are located in the San Francisco – Bay Area continue to be eligible for the geographic pay differential of $250 per month.

These pay increases are made possible thanks to the overwhelming support of our membership.  In fact, nearly 60 percent of senior engineers and related professionals are PECG members because they know PECG is dedicated to what’s important:  improved pay, protecting our pensions, affordable health care and other benefits, stopping the outsourcing of our work, and providing expert professional representation.

With the unified support of members, PECG Delivers!


July 12, 2019

We are happy to report that the new PECG-supported Family Care Leave benefit for state supervisors and managers that was included as part of the recently approved 2019-20 State Budget is now reflected in official CalHR policy.  For the details, please click here and scroll down to the section headed: NDI Family Care Leave.

In sum, effective July 1, 2019, the benefit allows state supervisors and managers to take up to six weeks of partial or fully paid (if supplemented by leave credits) leave to bond with a new child or care for an ill loved one.  This new benefit is provided at no cost to supervisors and managers and is available only to those enrolled in the Annual Leave program.

State policy normally requires employees to wait 24 months before switching from Vacation/Sick Leave to the Annual Leave program.  However, to allow supervisors and managers to immediately take advantage of the new Family Care Leave benefit, CalHR has announced a one-time open enrollment period to allow excluded employees to elect to enroll in Annual Leave again right now.  Supervisors and managers who changed to the Vacation/Sick Leave program within the last 24 months, but would like to change back to the Annual Leave program, have until August 29, 2019 to do so by submitting a written request to their department.  Please contact your Human Resources Office for more information.

2018 Archive

ECG is happy to report that CalHR (representing the State) has officially confirmed that all of the provisions of PECG’s new MOU will be provided to all rank and file and supervisory and managerial employees in Unit 9.  Here is what the MOU will mean for every Unit 9 member this year:

  • 4.5% General Salary Increase (GSI).
  • 2% state experience pay differential for Unit 9 employees with 20 or more years of state service.
  • $250 per month geographic pay differential for Unit 9 employees whose worksites are located in any of the following high-cost counties: Alameda, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara.
  • Dozens of other new and carry over economic provisions and job-related benefits.

All of the economic benefits are also retroactive to July 1, 2018.

According to CalHR, all of the economic benefits provided by the new PECG MOU will likely appear in the November pay warrant that all Unit 9 employees will receive December 1.  Separate checks providing back pay from July 1, 2018 for the Unit 9 raise, experience and geographic differentials if applicable, and other economic benefits provided by the MOU are also expected in November.

This MOU is the product of the united strength and collective effort of over 10,000 PECG members working together to deliver competitive pay, protect pensions and health care benefits, and ensure engineering and related jobs are protected from outsourcing.  The PECG Bargaining Team and the PECG Meet and Confer Team could not have reached this agreement without the support of PECG’s loyal members.  Thank you for your membership and support.


October 12, 2018

Governor Brown recently announced plans to expand the State’s Paid Family Leave benefits program to California’s 40,000 state supervisors and managers.  Under the plan, CalHR, the State Controller, and the Employment Development Department will work jointly to make the benefit available to excluded employees effective July 1, 2019.

Supervisors and managers who elect to receive Annual Leave (instead of vacation and sick leave) can take up to 6 weeks Paid Family Leave and receive up to 50% of their average weekly salary.  This can be supplemented with available leave credits to provide up to 100% income replacement.  This new benefit also allows employees to take leave to care not just for themselves, but for a newborn, recently adopted child, or seriously ill family member.  We expect to receive more details from CalHR in the coming months.


September 28, 2018

Just a reminder, CalPERS’ annual health care Open Enrollment period for the 2019 calendar year ends October 5, 2018.  If you would like to switch your CalPERS health plan, enroll in a CalPERS health plan if you don’t currently have coverage, and add or delete dependents — you must do so by next Friday.

To view Open Enrollment options and benefit changes, please click here.  Thanks to the PECG MOU, Unit 9 employees receive the highest health care reimbursement percentage in state service — the 85%/80% formula.  In 2019, the state’s monthly contribution according to the 85%/80% formula will increase to $620 for employee only, $1,206 for two-party, and $1,555 for family coverage.  PECG-represented supervisors and managers are covered by CoBen which provides a combined employer contribution for health, dental, and vision care.  The CoBen monthly state contribution effective January 1, 2019 will be $668 for employee only, $1,293 for two-party, and $1,673 for family.

To view the new 2019 health plan premiums which take effect in January and the out-of-pocket costs for Unit 9 employees for each plan, please visit the PECG website.  The new members only password for the PECG website is Fall18 (case-sensitive).


September 14, 2018

CalPERS’ annual health care Open Enrollment period for the 2019 calendar year started September 10 and continues through October 5, 2018.  During this time, you may switch your CalPERS health plan, enroll in a CalPERS health plan if you don’t currently have coverage, and add or delete dependents, as necessary.

To view Open Enrollment options and benefit changes, please click here.  Please review these materials carefully as the premiums for individual plans vary considerably.  Also note that some plans have withdrawn from specific regions, closed access to certain providers, or raised co-payments.

Thanks to the PECG MOU, Unit 9 employees receive the highest health care reimbursement percentage in state service – the 85/80 formula.  This means that after determining the weighted average premium of the four most utilized CalPERS health plans, the state pays 85% of the premium amount for a Unit 9 employee and 80% of the additional premium costs for family members.  In 2019, the state’s monthly contribution according to the 85%/80% formula will increase to $620 for employee only, $1,206 for two-party, and $1,555 for family coverage.

PECG’s Informer #6 in August included the new 2019 health plan premiums which take effect in January and the out-of-pocket costs for Unit 9 employees for each plan.  That Informer can be accessed on the PECG webpage here.

PECG-represented supervisors and managers are covered by CoBen which provides a combined employer contribution for health, dental, and vision care.  The CoBen monthly state contribution effective January 1, 2019 will be $668 for employee only, $1,293 for two-party, and $1,673 for family.

The Open Enrollment period for State dental and vision plans is also September 10 to October 5, 2018.  To make changes to your dental or vision plan, please contact your department’s personnel office.  All changes made during Open Enrollment become effective January 1, 2019.

2017 Archive

October 5, 2017

PECG recently held a formal Meet-and-Confer session over pay and benefits for PECG-represented supervisors and managers with the Governor’s Department of Human Resources (CalHR).  PECG met with the Governor’s representatives now as many of PECG’s proposals would require funding in the State Budget.  The Governor’s Department of Finance and CalHR are now preparing the Governor’s proposed budget for 2018 – 2019, which will be released on or before January 10, 2018.

Of the 21 State Bargaining Units, only PECG’s rank-and-file contract for Unit 9 ends on June 30, 2018 – meaning that any salary increase for July 1, 2018 has not yet been determined.  Your Meet-and-Confer Team proposed that PECG-represented supervisors’ and managers’ salaries should be increased on July 1, 2018 to eliminate any salary lag reflected in the latest PECG/CalHR Salary Survey.  The Salary Survey is updated each year to calculate the weighted average salary lag (or lead) between state engineers and engineers employed by certain local jurisdictions.  If PECG’s proposal is accepted, the State would raise salaries by at least the amount of the salary lag reflected in the salary survey after it is updated early next year.

Last year the state implemented an “enhancement” to the leave buy back program which allowed only supervisors or managers over the 640 hour cap (as of December 1, 2016) to transfer the cash out of leave to a Savings Plus 401k or 457 as part of the leave buy-back program.  PECG proposed that for 2017-2018, all PECG represented supervisors and managers should have the option to transfer cashed out leave to a Savings Plus 401k/457 – not just employees over the vacation/annual leave cap.

PECG proposed that the State increase the long term assignment and long term differential rates.  These rates to cover rent and utilities have not increased since 1999.  PECG’s proposal would update the rates to match the federal government’s long term lodging rates.

The Meet-and-Confer Team also proposed that the 120 PECG-represented employees who did not receive the full 10.1 percent salary inequity receive that full amount.  We noted the recent strong departmental management support for increasing the salaries of the PECG-represented employees who did not receive the increase.

We continued a discussion with CalHR about arduous pay and the process for departments to provide this additional pay to supervisors and managers.  The Meet and Confer Team also reiterated a proposal for operational availability compensating time off for certain Department of Water Resources supervisory employees working on the State Water Project.

As the State Budget process begins to take shape, we’ll keep you apprised of items impacting our pay and benefits.

The PECG Supervisory Meet and Confer Team appreciates your continued support.

Steve Lee
PECG Corporate Vice President, Supervisory

2016 Archive

December 21, 2016

PECG recently held a formal Meet and Confer session over pay and benefits with the Governor’s Department of Human Resources (CalHR).  Among the proposals made by PECG was a 2 percent salary increase for all PECG-represented supervisors and managers effective July 1, 2017.  We made the proposal now so that CalHR would recommend inclusion of funding for this increase in the Governor’s proposed State Budget which will be released in early January 2017.

We thanked CalHR for implementing the leave buy-back last year at 80 hours as proposed by PECG in December 2015.  We also discussed the new option for 2017 which allows supervisors or managers over the 640 hour cap as of December 1, 2016 to transfer the cash out of leave to a Savings Plus 401k or 457 as part of the leave buy-back program.  We questioned why the Savings Plus 401k/457 option is available only to supervisors and managers over the 640 hour cap.  PECG urged CalHR to allow all supervisors and managers the option to transfer to a Savings Plus 401k/457 in the future.

The Meet and Confer Team proposed that the 130 PECG-represented employees who did not receive the full 10.1 percent salary inequity receive that full amount.  We noted specific department management support for increasing the salaries of the PECG-represented employees who did not receive the increase.

We discussed arduous pay and the process for departments to provide this additional pay to supervisors and managers.  The Meet and Confer Team also proposed operational availability compensating time off for certain Department of Water Resources supervisory employees working on the State Water Project.

As CalHR responds to PECG’s proposals and as the State Budget process continues, we’ll keep you apprised of items impacting our pay and benefits.

The PECG Supervisory Meet and Confer Team appreciates your continued support and wishes you and your families a wonderful Holiday Season.

Steve Lee
PECG Corporate Vice President, Supervisory


October 4, 2016

Dear Colleague,

The Governor’s Office, through CalHR, recently announced that most state Supervisors and Managers received a 3% raise effective October 1, 2016.  This is their first pay increase since July 2015.  As PECG members, we received a 5% salary increase on July 1.

PECG’s Supervisory Meet-and-Confer Team continues to emphasize in meetings with CalHR that we should receive at least the salary increases received by the rank-and-file.  The recent Policy letter states clearly that the raises for Supervisors are “tied to the rank-and-file employees they supervise.”  Thus, CalHR and the Governor agree with PECG’s proposal.

Some of the supervisors and managers who received the smaller increase, a few months after our increase, are members of the Association of California State Supervisors (ACSS).  ACSS is the group that employees can join when they promote out of SEIU, Local 1000 positions.  Although PECG works collaboratively with ACSS on issues of mutual concern, because we provide specialized and effective representation, we encourage eligible supervisors and managers to join PECG.  PECG not only provides expert individual representation when needed, but we are the voice for issues affecting the pay, benefits and working conditions of engineers, architects, land surveyors and related professionals.  Our latest 5% raise is a clear example of the benefits of being represented by PECG.

PECG’s Meet-and-Confer Team will soon be meeting with CalHR to develop the employee compensation funding pieces that will be part of the Governor’s proposed 2017-2018 state budget.

Thank you for your membership and continued support.

Steve Lee
PECG Vice-President, Supervisory


September 15, 2016

Dear Colleague,

As I conclude my term as your elected Vice-President Supervisory, I am pleased to report on the latest developments.  As you know, all PECG-represented supervisors and managers received a 5% salary increase effective July 1, 2016.  Most other supervisors and managers did not receive a raise at all, and no one received more.

PECG’s Meet-and-Confer Team will meet with CalHR this fall to ensure that funding for at least a 2% increase is included in next year’s budget.  We also will seek an increase in pay for the remaining supervisors and managers who did not receive the full 10.1% salary increase effective in 2014.

When we meet with the state, we will remind them of a time, not too long ago, when it was okay to provide additional items to the supervisory and managerial team.  It has been 15 years since we received $50 or $100 to our 401k/457 accounts.  Previously, cashing out vacation or annual leave was exclusive to supervisors or managers.  As that is no longer the case, the PECG Meet-and-Confer Team will work to find new ways for CalHR to recognize us, beyond the additional hour of vacation or annual leave.  If you have any ideas, please contact your local supervisory Section representative or a member of the Meet-and-Confer Team.  Contact information is available at www.pecg.org or through any PECG office.

There is one piece of legislation pending on the Governor’s desk that I want to highlight.  PECG supported Senate Bill 950 (Nielsen) which would provide arbitration for certain excluded employee grievances.  Arbitration of grievances instead of filing lawsuits has proven to be an effective and economical labor relations tool.  While the Administration may not be inclined to provide PECG and other supervisory organizations these rights, PECG has urged the Governor to sign the bill which would lead to a fair resolution of disputes and would save the state (and PECG) money as opposed to going to court.

I would like to congratulate all the recently elected Corporate Board members and Section leaders.  In particular, I wish my successor, Steve Lee, all the best.  As a former President of PECG, we are in good hands under his leadership.  I will stay involved in PECG activities and will continue to advocate for supervisors and managers.  As my time as your Supervisory representative comes to an end, I want to thank you for your continued membership and support.
Sincerely,

Cathrina Barros
PECG Corporate Vice President, Supervisory


July 1, 2016

Dear Colleague,

Last week, PECG held a formal Meet and Confer session over pay and benefits with the Governor’s Department of Human Resources (CalHR).  PECG reiterated the request for a 5 percent salary increase for all PECG-represented supervisors and managers.  Late yesterday, CalHR officially informed PECG in writing that all PECG-represented supervisory and managerial employees will receive a 5 percent general salary increase effective July 1, 2016 and that a pay letter will issue “in the near future” putting this increase into effect.  A $1 increase in the Shift Differential is also expected to be included in the Pay Letter.  PECG will push for the salary increase to be included in the July pay warrants and will keep you apprised of the status through the Weekly Update.

At the Meet and Confer session, we also thanked CalHR for implementing the leave buy-back program this year at up to 80 hours, depending on available departmental funding, as was proposed by PECG in December 2015.  We discussed the need for increases in reimbursement rates for long term assignments and differentials and made a new proposal that certain DWR supervisors and managers be eligible for the Operational Availability program while working on the State Water Project.

The Meet and Confer Team again requested that PECG-represented supervisory and managerial employees who did not receive the full 10.1 percent salary inequity receive that full amount.  We noted specific examples of department management support for increasing these salaries.  CalHR indicated that at present there are no plans to adjust any of these salaries.  PECG and the Meet and Confer Team will continue to press for increases in these classes with CalHR and the departments utilizing the classes.

Finally, PECG pushed for an answer from CalHR over the proposal for retroactivity for the salary increases withheld from 2008 until 2014.  When CalHR said in December of 2015 they had “no interest” in retroactivity, PECG made a proposal to provide leave credits in lieu of salary.  Last week, CalHR responded that it was “not in a position to make retroactive adjustments” and felt that the Administration had already properly addressed the salaries of PECG-represented supervisory employees.  CalHR declined PECG’s proposal to address retroactivity with leave credits and stated that “no additional action” regarding retroactivity will be taken.  The Meet and Confer Team disagreed with CalHR’s position and decision.

The PECG Supervisory Meet and Confer Team appreciates your continued support.

Cathrina Barros
PECG Corporate Vice President, Supervisory

2016 Archive

December 4, 2015

Earlier this week, PECG held a formal Meet and Confer session over pay and benefits with the Governor’s Department of Human Resources (CalHR).  Among the proposals made by PECG was a 5 percent salary increase for all PECG-represented supervisors and managers effective July 1, 2016.  We made the proposal now to ask that CalHR recommend inclusion of funding for this increase in the Governor’s proposed State Budget which will be released in early January 2016.

At the Meet and Confer session, we thanked CalHR for implementing the leave buy-back last year at 40 hours as proposed by PECG in November 2014.  For this fiscal year, we proposed that up to 80 hours of leave buy-back be allowed – which is the amount included for PECG’s rank-and-file employees in the new Unit 9 MOU.  We also discussed the need for increases in reimbursement rates for long term assignments and differentials.

The Meet and Confer Team proposed that PECG-represented employees who did not receive the full 10.1 percent salary inequity receive that full amount retroactive to July 1, 2014.  We noted department management support for increasing the salaries of the PECG-represented employees who did not receive the increases.

PECG and CalHR also discussed retroactivity for the salary increases withheld from 2008 until last year.  When CalHR said they had “no interest” in retroactivity, PECG made a proposal to provide leave credits in lieu of salary.  We await CalHR’s specific response to this proposal.

Today, we had a meeting with all Section area Vice President Supervisors to update them on these topics in addition to the latest PECG is working on for our supervisory and managerial membership.  If you’d like additional information, contact your Section VP Supervisory or one of your Meet and Confer Team members.

The PECG Supervisory Meet and Confer Team appreciates your continued support.

Cathrina Barros
PECG Corporate Vice President, Supervisory


September 4, 2015

Dear Colleague,

I am happy to report on some positive developments.  As of July 1, 2015, all PECG represented supervisors and managers received a 3.3% salary increase, while most other state supervisors and managers received a 2.5% increase.  While a small difference, it was significant to the Supervisory Meet-and-Confer Team that we receive at least the raises received by the rank-and-file so that we did not fall back into a situation where our senior rank-and-file colleagues were paid more than us.  Our 3.3% increase will count toward our highest year compensation for retirement purposes without being delayed.

You have likely heard the news that PECG’s rank-and-file Unit 9 Bargaining Team and CalHR, representing the Governor, have reached agreement on a new Memorandum of Understanding which will run through June 30, 2018.  The new proposed MOU includes a 5% increase on July 1, 2016 and another 2% increase on July 1, 2017.  The new MOU calls for the rank-and-file to begin paying 0.5% of salary (pre-tax) beginning July 1, 2017 to pre-fund retiree health care, increasing to a total of 2% of salary by July 1, 2019.  The agreement must be approved by the Legislature and by PECG’s rank-and-file membership.

Many supervisors and managers have asked whether we will receive these planned raises and whether we will be subject to the same pre-funding of retiree health care.  PECG’s Meet-and-Confer Team will meet with CalHR to ensure that funding for at least a 5% increase is included in next year’s budget.  Other likely topics include the Administration’s plan for pre-funding retiree health care, retroactive salary inequity pay, and full salary inequity pay for the remaining supervisors and managers who did not receive the full 10.1% salary increase effective July 1, 2014.  If you have any other issues or concerns you would like considered, please contact your local supervisory Section representative or a member of the Meet-and-Confer Team.  Contact information is available at www.pecg.org or through any PECG office.

In closing, I would like to congratulate all the recently elected Corporate Board members and Section leaders.  In particular, I wish my successor, Cathrina Barros, all the best.  We are very fortunate to have such capable people willing to volunteer their time to represent our interests!  As my time as your Supervisory representative comes to an end, I want to thank each and every one of you for the support and encouragement you gave me over the last three years.

Sincerely,

Alan Escarda
PECG Corporate Vice President, Supervisory


May 20, 2015

Dear Colleague,

Late last week Governor Brown released the “May Revision” to his proposed State Budget.  The May Revision makes no significant changes to the funding for state employee compensation which he proposed in January.  This means the Budget as proposed contains funding for a 3.3 percent salary increase effective July 1, 2015 for all PECG represented supervisors and managers.  While the salary increases will not be certain until approved by the Legislature and implemented by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR), we appreciate the Administration including the funding at this level as other supervisors and managers are scheduled to get slightly smaller salary increases of 2.5 percent effective July 1.

The proposed salaries were also a topic of our recent Meet-and-Confer session with CalHR.  In addition to reiterating our proposal for the 3.3 percent increase, PECG noted that salaries for supervising and managerial engineers should flow from the joint salary survey conducted by PECG and CalHR.  At the Meet-and-Confer session, we thanked CalHR for implementing the leave buy-back at 40 hours as proposed by PECG in November 2014.  Allowing 40 hours of leave to be cashed out is an increase from the 20 hours allowed last year, and a higher amount than offered to most of the rank-and-file employees allowed to cash out leave.  We also discussed the need for increases in long term assignments and differentials.

The Meet-and-Confer Team made specific proposals to provide employees who did not receive the full 10.1 percent salary inequity adjustment with that full amount effective July 1, 2014.  As of now, CalHR says it does not plan to adjust those salaries for the 19 remaining classes of PECG members.  PECG is continuing to press for departmental support to adjust salaries and will be following up with impacted members on a class by class and department by department basis.

PECG and CalHR also discussed retroactivity for the salary increases withheld since 2008.  While PECG’s position has long included full retroactivity from the time the inequity was created, CalHR resisted the notion of monetary compensation for six years.  PECG and CalHR are continuing the discussion over what, if anything, can be done related to retroactivity for the salary inequity.

Finally, CalHR did not make any proposals or presentations regarding the Governor’s plan to have state employees to begin to contribute toward retiree health care or any other health care issues.  While PECG expects a proposal from CalHR in this area related to supervisors and managers, as of yet the details of the proposal and the timing of when the Administration seeks to implement changes in these areas remain unknown.

The PECG Supervisory Meet and Confer Team appreciates your continued support.

Alan Escarda
PECG Corporate Vice President, Supervisory

2014 Archive

August 20, 2014
AT LAST! Your long-awaited salary increase becomes reality!

Dear Colleague,

All employees in PECG-represented supervisory and managerial classes (SO9 and MO9) will receive substantial salary increases effective July 1, 2014.  In most cases, the raises will be 10.1% or slightly more.  (Most other supervisors and managers in state service received 2% increases.)

This has been a long, hard six-year battle to correct a pay inequity which occurred in 2008 under the Schwarzenegger Administration. Fixing this problem has been a top priority for PECG for the past six years.  We appreciate your support and patience and the assistance of several state department heads and CalHR in helping us achieve success.  We also thank the Brown Administration for resolving a situation they inherited from the prior Administration.

This is how it came about.

In 2005, 2006, and 2007, Seniors in Unit 9 received salary increases of 7.7%, 12.4%, and 14.1%.  This resulted from contract negotiations with Governor Davis’ Administration, based on a salary survey of engineers in comparable positions in California’s larger cities and counties. PECG-represented supervisors and managers received the same increases, meaning that their salaries increased by 38.1% over that same three year period.  As supervisors and managers are not in a bargaining unit and are not covered by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or contract, their pay and benefits are negotiated through a meet and confer process with PECG, with the final decision made by CalHR, the Governor’s negotiators.

In July 2008, Seniors in Unit 9 received a 10.1% pay increase.  While there was money in the State Budget to provide this increase to PECG-represented supervisors and managers, Governor Schwarzenegger refused to authorize the expenditure of the funds.  This initiated a long, six-year effort by PECG to correct this salary inequity which created a system in which Seniors in the bargaining unit received a 10.1% higher salary than supervisory Seniors, sometimes in the same classification.  In some cases, supervisors were paid less than the employees they supervised!

PECG sought to convince two Governors and the Legislature to approve the funding and provide the increases in subsequent years.  We pursued formal Administrative Hearings, support from other organizations, and other avenues to achieve the goal.  Many of you wrote letters and signed petitions.  Several state department heads (notably Caltrans and the Department of Water Resources) supported PECG’s efforts.  Everyone agreed that there was a salary inequity, but getting approval for the funding to correct it during several years of an economic recession was a serious problem.

Finally, Governor Brown agreed to include funding in his State Budget proposal last January.  This was the start on the road to success.  Legislative committees included the funding in draft State Budgets during the spring.  The Governor’s May Revise, updating his January proposal, continued to include the funding for the increases for PECG-represented supervisors and managers.  When the State Budget passed and the Governor signed it, the last step was for CalHR to send Pay Letters to the Controller, instructing him to include the increases in the paychecks.  On July 8 and August 20, the Pay Letters were sent to the Controller.

The salary increases will be included in the checks for the September pay period.  The raises are retroactive to July 1, 2014.  The July and August pay period increases will be paid in a separate check in September.

Most of the 2,600 PECG-represented supervisors and managers will receive a 10.1% salary increase, effective on July 1.  The only major exception will be the 71 Transportation Surveyor Party Chiefs who will receive a raise of 6% to place them 5% above Transportation Surveyor Range D, the highest paid employee they supervise. To find out the raise for your classification and salary range click here: Pay Letter 14-17.  Be aware that the percentage shown in the Pay Letter is in addition to the 2% reported in the July 8 Pay Letter, compounded.  For example, a 7.93% increase in the Pay Letter on top of the previous 2% increase is a compounded total increase of 10.1%.  A few classes are not listed in the Pay Letter, which we are pursuing with CalHR.

It has been a long and difficult process to correct this inequity.  The PECG leadership appreciates the support and patience of the PECG membership.  The goal of correcting the salary inequity has now been achieved.

Cathrina Barros                                Alan Escarda
PECG President                               PECG Vice President Supervisory


July 30, 2014

Dear Colleague,

A couple of weeks ago we informed you that your long-awaited salary adjustment would take effect July 1 and would be implemented through two Pay Letters from CalHR, instructing the State Controller to include increases in your paychecks.  The first of those Pay Letters was issued on July 8, providing a 2% increase to you, which will be included in your July paycheck.

The second Pay Letter, implementing the remainder of the inequity increase, has not yet been issued by CalHR.  This appears to be due to administrative problems in ensuring that all increases are calculated correctly for Supervisors and Managers related to Unit 9 (SO9 and MO9 designations) as well as some others in state service. Since the second Pay Letter has not been issued, your July paycheck will only reflect the 2% increase.  CalHR has assured us that the problem is administrative, not a delay due to financial or policy considerations, and that the second Pay Letter will be issued before the cut-off date in mid-August for August paychecks.

If that occurs, then your August paycheck will reflect the full inequity increase.  As it was effective July 1 and was not reflected in your July paycheck, the difference will be included in the August paycheck or a separate check.

When the second Pay Letter is issued, we will send you another update and will link the Pay Letter.

Be assured that PECG is working continually with CalHR to implement these inequity increases.  If your July paycheck does not include the 2% increase, please notify us and we will pursue the matter with CalHR.

Thank you for your continuing patience and support in resolving this long-standing inequity.

Cathrina Barros                                Alan Escarda
PECG President                                PECG Vice President Supervisory


July 14, 2014

Dear Colleague,

The Legislature has passed and the Governor has signed a State Budget which includes funding for  long-awaited inequity increases for PECG-represented supervisors and managers.  The final step is issuance of a Pay Letter from CalHR (representing the Governor) to the State Controller, instructing him to include the increases in the paychecks.

CalHR is using a two-step process.  First, a Pay Letter was sent to the Controller on July 8, implementing a 2% increase for all supervisors and managers in state service. This will be followed by a second Pay Letter covering PECG-represented supervisors and managers to authorize the additional increases.  CalHR anticipated the second letter would be issued in time for the increases to be included in the July paychecks.  At this point, it appears the letter may not be finalized and sent until late July or early August.  If that occurs, CalHR has assured us that the authorized increases will be retroactive to July 1.

We are working with CalHR in an effort to expedite the process so this long-standing issue can finally be resolved as soon as possible.  Thank you for your continuing patience and support of PECG’s efforts.

Cathrina Barros                                  Alan Escarda
PECG President                                 PECG Vice President, Supervisory


May 14, 2014

Yesterday Governor Brown released the “May Revision” to his proposed State Budget.  The May Revision makes no significant changes to the funding for state employee compensation which he proposed in January.  This means that the funding to address the salary inequity for PECG-represented supervisors and managers remains in his proposed budget, which the Legislature will now consider.

The next step in the process is for the Legislature to pass the Budget bill in June.  The funding to address the salary inequity for PECG-represented supervisors and managers, to take effect on July 1, 2014, has been approved by the necessary budget subcommittees.  This means that unless there is an unexpected change, the salary adjustments will be part of the Budget bill voted on by the Legislature.

Although the details are still unclear, it appears that the currently proposed funding is sufficient to correct the full inequity for Senior supervisory employees, while at the managerial level, the increases may be less than the full raises received by rank-and-file employees in 2008.  As details emerge, PECG will continue to advocate for providing the entire pay adjustment to all PECG-represented supervisors and managers.

Normally, under the “highest year compensation” formula, a salary increase is fully credited when calculating a pension one year after the increase is implemented.  The Administration has proposed, in a “trailer” bill, which is a companion bill to the Budget, that full credit for pension calculations be delayed by another year or two for a small portion of the July 1, 2014 salary increases.  PECG does not support any delay in pension crediting, but the same procedure was used last year when other state employees received raises in excess of a general salary increase.

PECG will continue to be actively involved as the final Budget for the upcoming fiscal year, along with any related trailer bills to the Budget, are passed and sent to the Governor for his signature.

The PECG Supervisory Meet and Confer Team appreciates your continuing support as we seek to resolve this long-standing inequity.

Alan Escarda
PECG Corporate Vice President, Supervisory

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