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HOPE Services: Tentative Agreement Reached!

We’ve Reached a Tentative Agreement!
Vote ONLINE Jan. 21, 7 a.m.-Jan. 22, 7 a.m.

After long and hard-fought contract negotiations with HOPE Services, we have reached a tentative agreement. It has taken a lot of work by our union brothers and sisters at the bargaining table to get there. We also want to thank our CATs (Contract Action Team Members) in their fight for a contract that will be fair and equitable for all of us.

With this contract, we will be able to build power for the future and make sure that we can defend our Union and workers’ rights at HOPE Services. We will hold two informational meetings together with management on Thursday, January 14, and Tuesday, January 19 at 3 p.m. Our bargaining team is recommending a YES vote.

An online vote will take place from Thursday, January 21, 2021, 7 a.m. to Friday, January 22, 2021, 7 a.m.

You will see your pay raises in your paychecks as soon as management is able to process them after the vote.

IMPORTANT NOTES IN PREPARATION FOR THE ONLINE VOTE:

  • You must be an SEIU 521 union member to vote.  Activate your UNION MEMBERSHIP no later than January 19, 2021: http://bit.ly/SEIU521HOPEmembership. On a computer, simply download the PDF file, save it on your desktop, open it using the free Adobe Acrobat Reader, fill out the information, sign and date the document, then save it and attach it to an email and send it to database@seiu521.org. On an iPhone, click on the share icon, save to files, open your files folder, locate the PDF, open it and fill it out; use the pencil icon to sign; click on the share icon; choose your mail app, and send an email with your attached signed and dated document to database@seiu521.org. Alternatively, you may print, fill out the document, then scan it, attach it to an email and send it to database@seiu521.org. Please make sure to select the UNION MEMBERSHIP option.
  • We must also have a correct subscribed personal email address and/or cell phone number for you on file so that an online ballot can be sent to you via email or text message. We also require your permission to text you. Update your contact information here no later than January 19, 2021: https://www.seiu521.org/signup

Tentative Agreement Highlights
We came to an agreement on 28 sections including the following:

  1. Section 2 – no discrimination for sexual orientation
  2. A 4 hour-release time for the steward council per month.
  3. A labor-management meeting once a month to discuss any issues that may arise.
  4. Performance evaluations are ONLY for educational and learning experience.
  5. If job descriptions change, we, the Union will meet and confer with management.
  6. Personal files will be available upon request.
  7. Job postings will be put online.
  8. Our Union can send up to three (3) emails per month to our represented employees using Hope’s internal email service.
  9. Section 8 – Two (2) days have been added for bereavement leave.
  10. Severance pay will be given in case of a layoff.
  11. The qualification for Working Out of Class is now 5 days.
  12. A 30-day notice for any job transfers
  13. Improved grievance process
  14. Investigations can now be done during working hours with notice.
  15. Our Union can now use HOPE’s facilities to hold our Union meetings.
  16. Wage re-opener set for December 2021.
  17. Employees who meet the minimum qualifications for a promotion/transfer/other position must be interviewed by management if they apply. If they are denied, the employee gets to have a meeting with management to discuss why they were denied.
  18. Meet and Confers with our Union are now required for any unilateral labor changes by management.
  19. A 30-minute time slot for New Employee Orientation for our Union
  20. Pay realignments (see image below)

Pay amounts showed in the above table for Exempt Classifications are paid twice a week. DOS means once the contract is ratified by our SEIU 521 union membership.

As you can see, we accomplished many protections for our Union activities, job changes, and workers’ rights.

NOTE: Next year there will be a wage re-opener in December 2021, and we will discuss step increases (as noted above – item 16).

To ensure we get the best pay scale, we need to stand in solidarity and join as members of our union to show management that we are united and strong! Activate your membership today: http://bit.ly/SEIU521HOPEmembership

In unity,

Your SEIU 521 HOPE Services Bargaining Team