Breaking News!  -  Following our last round of negotiations with Shasta County which included impasse, mediation, fact finding and a first-ever strike, Union members in our 900+ employee General Unit recently approved a new 3-Year contract.

The settlement was a compromise mixture of improvements and concessions.  Highlights include:

• Year 1 a 4% salary increase
• Year 2 a 3% salary increase
• Year 3 a 3% salary increase
• Classic PERS employees to pay 1% of the employer PERS contribution, increasing from the current 7% to 8%.
• Standby pay to increase from $2.50 to $3.00 per hour.
• Holiday overtime for Service Officers assigned to the jail to be 1 1/2 for the entire 12 hour shift, increased from 8 hours.
• Future dependent medical premium changes whether increased or decreased will be split 50/50.  Single employee medical will continue to be an 85/15% split.
• Importantly, and a key element of the settlement, Shasta County agreed to apply concession cost savings to reduce OPEB or PERS unfunded liability to improve the long-term financial health of the County.

The bargaining team, led by UPEC Negotiator Ron Copeland, UPEC Vice President Twyla Carpenter and UPEc Board member Pam Powers are to be congratulated for their tenacity in bringing this proposal back to the members for consideration and approval.  This deal will improve base pay 10% in the next 24 months for those members planning retirement in the near future!