State managers, supervisors and confidential employees are finally getting their issues heard by decision-makers in the state Legislature.

On April 18, Arlene Shriner Espinoza, ACSS’ Board Director and a DMV Manager III, testified in an emotionally charged hearing of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4, that state excluded employees for over 20 years have been an “afterthought” when it comes to salary and benefit considerations. In fact, she told the committee, that in order for her to get a raise in salary, after six years of no salary increases for most state managers and supervisors, she would have to demote. And she’s not alone, she told them.

“This system is broken,” she said with strength in her voice and commitment in her heart. “It's not just an issue of not having a pay raise in six years. It is now an issue that many of the states excluded employees make LESS money than the rank and file employees we supervise. In some cases this applies to the second level of supervision as well.

“Our world is upside-down,” she emphasized. “But you can fix it,” she added.

“ACSS is requesting that this committee create a separate line item in the budget that would be exclusively for excluded employees. Historically, the money budgeted in Line Item 9800 is used for rank and file bargaining, leaving little or nothing for increases in supervisors and managers’ compensation. We are asking you to give excluded employees an immediate 5 percent pay increase to help correct some pay inequities.

“The recent implementation of the Plata lawsuit in the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Department of Mental Health has caused a major impact to the career ladders of these departments. This has subsequently eroded the management teams of other agencies such as the Department of Developmental Services. Many staff members of DDS have left for these other departments where they can make an additional $25,000-$30,000 each year.

“Right now, the only way many of us can obtain a pay raise is to demote. And even this is problematic because some departments have blocked supervisors and managers from demoting. Many departments have supervisory and management positions they can’t fill because rank and file employees have no desire to promote, because it means taking a cut in pay and having more program and personnel responsibilities.

“In departments such as DDS, excluded employees are charged with administering programs that are federally funded. If the state doesn’t have the staff to get the jobs done, then California can’t claim these funds, thus losing the federal revenue.

“DPA’s primary focus for the past 24 years has been on collective bargaining for rank and file employees. Although DPA is also responsible for determining salary and benefit levels for excluded employees, they, admit that these leaders continue to be an ‘afterthought’ or, more precisely, they are given no thought at all.

“As a board member of ACSS, I attended a meet and confer with DPA in October 2005. Joining ACSS was Assemblyman Jerome Horton. At this meet and confer, DPA Director Mike Navarro explained that it is difficult to provide a pay raise for excluded state employees when there is only one pool of money and DPA must participate in collective bargaining.

“DPA’s ignoring of state leaders’ salary and benefit needs is a major problem that must be fixed. There is no process that state managers and supervisors can depend on to provide them with appropriate salary and benefit increases. However, one way to correct this situation is to initiate a separate line item strictly for excluded employees in state service.

“In the next five years when approximately 70 percent of the state’s excluded work force is in the process of retiring, who will manage the work force, ensure continuity in state programs, or enforce the Legislature’s laws and policies?”

When Arlene Shriner Espinoza concluded her testimony, the committee chairman, Assemblyman Rudy Bermudez, said his whole committee was very appreciative of her presentation, promising that the idea of a separate line item in the budget would certainly get full consideration.

ACSS will continue to promote this separate budget line item for excluded employees' salary and benefits. This is a clear and timely solution to a very longstanding problem.

Join your ACSS colleagues in asking your legislator to support this proposal. Write an e-mail or a letter identifying yourself as a constituent and asking the lawmaker to support this idea.