By ACSS Communications on
2/6/2010 6:11 PM
Sen. Abel Maldonado, who won 4-0 support of the Senate Rules Committee on Thursday, goes before the Assembly Rules Committee Monday for confirmation as next lieutenant governor. ACSS wrote letters of support to the Senate Rules members, and Labor Rep Tom Considine appeared on Maldonado's behalf. Maldonado also needs the approval of both houses of the Legislature. However, if the Legislature does not act by Feb. 21, Maldonado automatically wins the office.
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By ACSS Communications on
2/5/2010 9:36 AM
State Worker blog: An initiative that would reduce the majority required to pass a budget from two-thirds to half plus one has been approved for signature gathering. The proponents need nearly 700,000 signatures to qualify for the November ballot. Read the Secretary of State's notice here.
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By ACSS Communications on
2/5/2010 8:53 AM
Sacramento Bee political columnist Dan Walters predicts the budget crisis will worsen. We begin with a $20 billion deficit and only a fraction of the federal bailout money the governor was seeking. The hypocrisy of our legislators doesn't help, Walters writes in a second column.
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By ACSS Communications on
2/4/2010 8:29 PM
With a 4-0 vote, the Senate Rules Committee on Wednesday approved the nomination of Sen. Able Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) for lieutenant governor. Gov. Schwarzenegger nominated Maldonado to fill the position after former Lt. Gov. John Garamendi won a seat in Congress. ACSS Labor Relations Rep Tom Considine, who lives in Maldonado's district, spoke in support of the nomination. Maldonado meets frequently with state workers in his district and is interviewed on two ACSS videos praising state workers. Maldonado now must be approved by the entire Senate. The term ends this year. To continue to hold his office, he will have to run for the position in November.
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By ACSS Communications on
2/3/2010 4:47 PM
From the Sacramento Bee: A San Francisco Superior Court judge ruled today that the Schwarzenegger administration didn't break the law in eliminating two paid holidays -- Lincoln's birthday (traditionally next week) and Columbus Day in October.
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By ACSS Communications on
2/3/2010 10:08 AM
The Sacramento Bee today published three cogent letters to the editor responding to an editorial that supported the governor's proposed pay cuts. The writers are not supervisors but their messages offer excellent food for thought. Scroll to see: "Good government isn't free"; "5 percent boost isn't 'modest' "; and "Bring back personal leave days." A fourth letter on pensions, "Pension cost exaggerated," was written by CSEA Retirees President Roger Marxen. To write a letter to the editor of The Bee, click here. Not every letter is published, but it's still helpful to let the editorial board know your opinion.
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By ACSS Communications on
2/3/2010 9:12 AM
As if state workers hadn’t been hit hard enough: If the state budget doesn’t pass by June 15, your salaries could legally be cut to minimum wage. There is only one way to protect your paychecks: Support AB 1699. This continuous appropriation bill, by Assemblyman Ed Hernandez, authorizes the state to pay its employees their full salaries until a new budget is signed. As an ACSS member, you must urge your legislators to support this bill! It’s very important to reach as many legislators as possible because the bill requires a two-thirds majority to pass. Since it’s an urgent measure, it would go into effect immediately.The simplest way to write your legislator is to use the “Contact Your Legislators” section of this Web site. If you’ve accessed this link before, your representatives’ names will display. If not, type in your address and they will appear. Click on the “contact” tab for each rep and use the email link to send your thoughts.
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By ACSS Communications on
2/3/2010 7:19 AM
If you are a member of ACSS and you haven't completed our furlough survey yet, please click on one of the links here and take it as soon as you can. The ACSS board approved possibly pursuing legal action related to the furloughs, and our chief counsel needs this information to develop this action. If you have problems with the survey, please let us know. We have been getting great response, but we need as much information from as many members as possible.
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By ACSS Communications on
2/3/2010 6:44 AM
The Senate Rules Committee begins hearings today on whether to confirm Republican Sen. Abel Maldonado as lieutenant governor. Maldonado, of Santa Maria, represents a district with a Democratic plurality. He broke ranks with his Republican colleagues to approve the 2009-2010 budget, and he has been supportive of state workers. ACSS President Arlene Espinoza wrote a letter to the Rules Committee members endorsing Maldonado's nomination, and Labor Rep Tom Considine, a constituent and friend of Maldonado, will testify.
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By ACSS Communications on
2/2/2010 11:09 AM
Calling the state's collective bargaining process "dysfunctional," an editorial in The Sacramento Bee this morning urges the Legislature to cut state employees' pay by the 5 percent the governor is proposing. The editorial says the cuts are "a reasonable sacrifice." It also supports requiring state workers to contribute an additional 5 percent to their retirement system, calling the move "worth risking a court challenge." The editorial is in response to a Legislative Analyst's report backing the pay reductions.
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By ACSS Communications on
2/1/2010 12:40 PM
We will now be posting brief minutes of chapter meetings on our Web site. They are being logged under the "Newsroom" tab under Chapter News. We hope the exchange of information will benefit all chapters. Thank you to the members who are providing the information!
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By ACSS Communications on
1/28/2010 3:04 PM
State Worker column: A mailing snafu at CDCR has caused layoffs to be delayed a month. Cost to the state: $7 million. And federal mail regulations may have been violated.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/28/2010 11:30 AM
The Sacramento Bee reports this morning that the Legislative Analyst's Office is recommending that lawmakers go along with the governor's proposal to cut state employee pay, saying the state's fiscal distress warrants the action. Read the LAO report here.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/27/2010 6:27 AM
At its January board meeting, the ACSS board of directors unanimously agreed to pursue possible legal action related to the furlough of its members. We've developed a survey to help our chief counsel gather information for this potential lawsuit. You may have received this survey in your email; if not, please click on the survey link and answer a few questions here. The survey is short and your answers will be kept confidential. Please note: As referred to in the survey, "self-directed" furlough means you could choose the days you took your furlough time off rather than having those days determined for you (such as the first three Fridays the governor has now ordered).
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By ACSS Communications on
1/22/2010 2:33 PM
Sending emails to your legislators or the governor, or national representatives, is easy with our "Contact Your Legislators" button, at left. When you press the button, you get a form asking for your address or Zip code. Once you've filled in the information, the email links to your representatives automatically appear. Write your reps today to tell them how you feel about the burdens the governor has placed on you and all excluded employees!
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By ACSS Communications on
1/22/2010 2:29 PM
During 2010, ACSS members will be reimbursed for mileage used on behalf of the organization at 50 cents a mile. ACSS follows the federal guidelines for mileage reimbursement. To access our ACSS information blog items, click on "Info for Members" under "Blog Topics" to the left of the home page. Our information items are collected there for easy review.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/22/2010 10:08 AM
The Secretary of State's office has OK'd three initiatives that would cut public pensions to begin the signature-gathering phase to qualify for the November ballot. The State Worker blog item contains informational links.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/22/2010 10:01 AM
Fourteen unions and state worker associations, including ACSS, wrote a letter to legislative leaders asking them to support AB 1125, which would require state workers continue to be paid their full salaries if the budget is delayed. The State Worker looks at the grim issue.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/22/2010 9:37 AM
A San Francisco judge has ruled against the California Association of Professional Scientists in its furlough lawsuit against the governor, saying that CAPS didn't present sufficient evidence to show the governor had abused his discretion.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/20/2010 2:23 PM
After a "wild ride" last year, with stock markets plunging early in the year, CalPERS reports it earned an 11.80 percent return on its investments for 2009. The market value of CalPERS' assets has come back by $46 billion.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/19/2010 3:57 PM
CalPERS will hold two daylong discussions on the future of public pension plans: Jan. 29 at the Sacramento Convention Center and Feb. 12 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Local, state and national retirement experts will discuss solutions that balance the need for reasonable retirement benefits with economic and fiscal realities.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/19/2010 2:24 PM
California citizens may apply to serve in the new Citizens Redistricting Commission to redraw the state's legislative and Board of Equalization boundaries. The deadline is Feb. 12. Information and a link to apply are online. Previously, lawmakers drew district boundaries, but voters in November 2008 authorized the citizens commission.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/18/2010 6:32 PM
The just-published Winter 2010 Today's Supervisor has been posted on this Web site under the "Newsroom" tab. Did you know your license plates were made at Folsom Prison? On the cover, you'll see a rare glimpse of the inside of the busy, colorful prison license plate factory, overseen by board member Carlos Chavez. You can read about this and other prison industries inside.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/18/2010 5:40 PM
The ACSS board of directors, at its quarterly meeting Jan. 16, unanimously adopted a strategic plan that will guide the organization, the chapters and the members into a more dynamic future. We will report on this plan in various formats in the weeks to come. In the meantime, check out our PowerPoint outline.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/17/2010 8:10 PM
The governor won one Friday: The San Francisco appeals court ruled that state Controller John Chiang cannot restore correctional officers to full pay for the time they work -- despite the fact an Alameda judge ruled in December that the "self-directed" furloughs at prisons violate labor law. The debate will continue: The CCPOA has until Thursday to file more arguments.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/17/2010 7:56 PM
In her column this week (at left), ACSS President Arlene Espinoza exposes the dishonesty in the governor's Jan. 8 letter to state employees and calls for ACSS members to write the governor and tell him how you feel about the unfair burden he has placed on his state's management team. Send copies to your legislators and please copy ACSS as well. We would like to share some of your remarks.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/14/2010 5:52 AM
For a brief round-up of some pertinent state worker issues, see this morning's State Worker blog: A food-for-thought letter on the mathematics of the governor's proposed pay cut; the controversy over Controller John Chiang's vow to pay correctional officers; Assembly committee approval to allow BOE workers to move; the $500,000-plus payments, so far, to one law firm to fight the furlough lawsuits.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/12/2010 1:37 PM
ACSS will respond strongly to the governor's Jan. 8 letter to state employees in which he outlines his new program to cut state workers' compensation. The furloughs will go away, as planned, but in its place state workers will lose 5 percent of their salary to a pay cut and another 5 percent to retirement contributions. Layoffs also are possible. For a statement from ACSS President Arlene Espinoza, go here.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/12/2010 1:24 PM
ACSS President Arlene Espinoza was one of 13 signers on a letter to (then)-Asembly Speaker Karen Bass and Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg supporting AB 1125. The bill, by Ed Hernandez, calls for the state to pay state workers their full salaries if there is no budget in place by the June 15 deadline. Without this bill, the governor could reduce state workers' pay to federal minimum wage until the budget passes. Read the bill here.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/11/2010 7:10 AM
In the wake of its latest trouble – scary elevators – the head of BOE has persuaded legislators to co-author a bill authorizing his agency to leave its building for a safer one. The BOE building has been plagued with leaks, floods, mold and falling windows. A Sacramento Bee story is here. The proposed bill, AB151, is here.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/11/2010 7:04 AM
State workers are calling the governor's proposal to trade furloughs for pay cuts a "terrible deal."
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By ACSS Communications on
1/11/2010 6:29 AM
The Assembly Budget Committee has released its summary of the governor's proposed 2010-2011 budget. The bullet points addressing compensation/benefits for state workers are on page 39 (small-file pdf document).
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By ACSS Communications on
1/8/2010 4:17 PM
Declaring a budget emergency, Gov. Schwarzenegger today proposed ending the furloughs June 30 as planned but trading them for a combination of cuts that add up to 10 percent: a permanent 5 percent pay cut and another 5 percent toward retirement benefits. The latter move would double the amount state workers contribute toward their retirement. The proposal means state employees would get some immediate relief -- 10 percent cut instead of the current 14.2 percent -- but could lose a small amount of their retirement income. Departments also are being asked to cut their personnel budgets by 5 percent. Sacramento Bee story here. The text (and video) of the governor's speech are here. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg's response to the governor's speech is here.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/7/2010 12:31 PM
The Capitol Weekly gives a sneak preview of how the governor might target state workers in his budget speech tomorrow. Whatever his plan, the article says, state workers will "continue to feel the squeeze." Some rumors: The furlough will end but may be replaced by layoffs and a 5 percent pay cut. The pay cuts would affect retirement contributions and ultimate pensions. The governor cannot cut pay; that step requires bargaining agreements. The state budget shortage for the next 18 months is estimated to be nearly $21 billion.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/6/2010 12:16 PM
Here are a few more links to information related to Gov. Schwarzenegger's state of the state speech this morning: governor's press release; a statement on the governor's tax and pension reform plan; governor's jobs and economy plan.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/6/2010 11:44 AM
In his final state of the state speech today, Gov. Schwarzenegger urged lawmakers to reform the state pension system, creating a two-tier system that would change only for new hires. Pensions for current employees could not "legally and morally" be changed, he said. He also proposed a constitutional guarantee California would never spend more money on prisons than schools and said he supported a simple majority, rather than two-thirds, vote to pass a budget. Read a Sacramento Bee story here. The governor is expected to present his budget on Jan. 8.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/4/2010 7:12 PM
Examiner.com, of San Francisco, reports a commissioner of the Social Security Administration issued a statement praising the recent rulings by the Alameda Superior Court that the governor's furloughs are unlawful. The commissioner said the furloughs cost the states money. Specifically, the furlough of Disability Determination Service employees costs the state $849,000 a DAY in administrative funding and $420,000 a DAY in needed SS benefits. SSA funds 100 percent of DDS employees' salaries and overhead costs. There's more: Read the full statement here.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/4/2010 1:33 PM
The Sacramento Bee has published a database of whom in state government interest groups lobbied and how much they spent doing it for the first nine months of 2009. Their total outlay? $206 million.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/4/2010 1:13 PM
DPA is announcing a special dental open-enrollment period from Jan. 4 through Feb. 4 to allow state workers to add same-sex spouses to their dental plans. The couples must have a valid marriage license. If the same-sex spouse is not enrolled by Feb. 4, coverage will not be offered again until the next open-enrollment period. Read the DPA memo here (pdf). Read our earlier blog post on the eligibility of same-sex couples for state benefits here.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/3/2010 9:46 PM
From its Web site, SEIU Local 1000 gives its reaction to the ruling Thursday that the governor's furloughs are illegal.
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By ACSS Communications on
1/3/2010 8:31 PM
State unions fear the governor may order massive layoffs in the wake of court rulings that the furloughs were illegal. A Sacramento Bee editorial says the possibility of layoffs means "there's no reason to celebrate" the ruling.
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By ACSS Communications on
12/31/2009 5:18 PM
From The Sacramento Bee: An Alameda Superior Court judge has ordered that furloughs be stopped for members of three public-sector unions, including SEIU, In part, the judge said the emergency necessitating the furloughs was the failure to pass the budget and, therefore, the furloughs should have been discontinued when the budget was passed. The governor's office says he will appeal the ruling. We will update this story as we have more information. Until then, Bee reporter Andrew McIntosh would like to talk to state workers about this ruling; contact him at amcintosh@sacbee.com. Link to the rulings here (the three are separate): SEIU; UAPD; CASE. (Original story was replaced with update Jan. 1.)
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By ACSS Communications on
12/29/2009 9:41 AM
The CalPERS board at its December meeting tightened rules regulating board interaction with CalPERS staff concerning investment proposals. The board also gave its president the authority to discipline board members whose actions violate policy and is requiring members to attend anual training to detail their responsibilities.
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By ACSS Communications on
12/28/2009 2:49 PM
Darrell Steinberg, Senate President Pro Tem, told The Sacramento Bee Capitol Alert last week that the first place he'll look for cost savings next year is the state prisons. He supports reserving state prisons for those who committed violent and serious crimes and letting those convicted of less serious crimes do their time in other jail systems. He also said he hopes to eliminate ineffectual tax credits and close tax loopholes. The state is facing a $21 billion deficit over the next 18 months.
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By ACSS Communications on
12/24/2009 9:24 AM
The State Worker column this morning speculates on ways the governor could retract his plan to extend furloughs for state workers. Some are less fanciful than others.
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By ACSS Communications on
12/23/2009 12:04 PM
In breaking news, The Sacramento Bee is reporting that the governor's 2010 budget plan will keep furloughs for state workers and include layoff options and perhaps shifting some general fund workers into positions financed with other revenues. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said he hopes to "curtain the number of furlough days and shift the burden of cost savings away from state employees." Gov. Schwarzenegger will present his budget plan the first week of January. (This link was updated to an expanded story Dec. 24.)
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By ACSS Communications on
12/18/2009 9:52 AM
Members of same-sex couples who married in states where same-sex marriage is legal and who are dependents of a CalPERS member will be eligible for state health, vision and dental coverage beginning Jan. 1. Read full story here. Read the text of SB54, authorizing the coverage, here.
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By ACSS Communications on
12/17/2009 12:08 PM
Updated story from The Sacramento Bee: An Alameda Superior Court judge has ruled the furloughs are illegal for state correctional officers whose pay is reduced but who have to wait to take their time off. The CCPOA had argued that the furloughs violated a labor law that stipulates compensation at 24/7 facilities be paid within a given pay cycle. The decision doesn't invalidate the furloughs but requires the officers be paid back wages. Three other furlough cases are awaiting decision.
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By ACSS Communications on
12/17/2009 11:57 AM
With many families hurting financially this year, the state controller's office has launched a new Web site, "Your Finances, Your Future," to help Californians make better decisions about managing their money. The site promises to help you improve your personal financial skills, save more, plan better for big purchases and avoid too much credit card debt, among other topics. State Controller John Chiang notes that his own immigrant family endured financial challenges during his childhood.
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By ACSS Communications on
12/17/2009 7:33 AM
The CalPERS board Wednesday approved an increase in the state's contribution to the pension fund that is far lower than the governor wants, forcing the governor now to plead his case to the Legislature.
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