Deal nets raises for thousands of state workers

Tens of thousands of state workers will be getting raises after officials representing California’s largest state employee union and the state reached a tentative deal that will guarantee workers an increase of 4.5 percent over the next three years.

As part of the agreement, the head of Service Employees International Union Local 1000 says if the state reaches certain revenue targets, workers will get a 2 percent raise in July of next year. That increase would be followed by an additional increase of 2.5 percent in July of 2015.

But if the state misses those revenue targets, union workers would not get a raise until July of 2015, but the increase in pay that year would be the full 4.5 percent.

Besides the pay raises, union president Yvonne Walker said in a statement that the tentative deal also includes a guarantee of no furlough days and preserves health care and retire benefits:

“We have achieved each of the four top priorities identified by our members. … Protecting retirement security, preserving our 80/20 health benefit premiums, no new furloughs or PLP days and a wage increase for everyone.”

A spokesman for the state Human Resources Department confirmed a tentative agreement has been reached but declined to discuss details.

The deal will have to be ratified by union members before it goes in effect. Union officials say ratification ballots and summaries of the tentative agreement will be mailed to all Local 1000-represented employees during the week of June 24.