Three-quarters of the state´s bargaining units now have agreed to defer wage increases in a bid to reduce pending layoffs.
The savings are still less than a fifth of the billion dollars in layoffs or deferred raises called for in the budget. Even if all 21 bargaining units agree to the deals cut now with 15 bargaining units, it will save the state less than half what Governor Davis had hoped.
New agreements with 11 bargaining units cover 111,000 employees represented by the California State Employees Association, Professional Engineers in California Government, California Union of Safety Employees, and California Association of Professional Scientists. All the unions are deferring 5 percent raises for a year, in exchange for other benefits.
This post was last modified on 01/31/2009 4:53 pm