Negotiations continued this week between the UAPD Bargaining Team and representatives from the State of California. Major issues are still on the table, with recent talks focusing on the furlough plan, the on-call program, the DSS bonus plan, and voluntary personal leave. UAPD continues to fight for the best possible package for all represented doctors, despite the budgetary limitations that have followed us into 2009.
To date, the State has not proposed laying off any of our represented members, and at the table we continue to emphasize the importance of keeping our bargaining unit intact. We believe the work of the State requires more doctors, not fewer, and that laying off our members would be the worst possible way to trim the budget. We have also made clear that take-aways, in salary, health care, or any other part of the contract, are a similarly unacceptable way to make ends meet. With those principles in mind, we will return to the Bargaining Table again next week and provide another update soon after. In the meantime, feel free to contact your steward or labor representative with any questions.