CFI - California Federation of Interpreters

"What's the buzz?" is the new monthly newsletter. Here is the issue for December, in PDF format. Clck here to view

November 14, 2006

Region 2 Bargaining Update - Close but no settlement

What we thought was meaningful progress in recent meetings has seriously bogged down over a new development that could result in unequal pay for employees. The issue is this: the Judicial Council has under consideration a raise in independent contractor rates. The independent contractors are asking for the federal rate, which would constitute a 26% increase. Read more...

November 7, 2006

Judicial Council Subcommittee considers raise in contractor per diem. Read CFI’s Nov 7, 2006 presentations and position...

The California Federation of Interpreters is both a professional association and a labor union. We have independent contractor members in our professional division. As part of the Newspaper Guild/Communications Workers of America, we represent the more than 800 unionized interpreters statewide who are employed by the trial courts. Our dual role gives a broad and unique perspective on the issue before you today, and we appreciate the opportunity to address you. Read more. Download PDF

October 10 & 24, 2006

Region 2 Bargaining Updates (Oct 10 & 24, 2006) on proposed change in unit
work and progress on wages...

On Monday the union met with the Region 2 Management committee for our fifth meeting of re-opener bargaining. As is our custom, we took a good deal of time and care to craft proposals that we felt would address management’s concerns regarding our wage proposals. Read more...

Region 2 Bargaining Update #4

In our fourth bargaining session last Wednesday only the slightest progress was made as the union and management continued dialogue and exchanged proposals on wages and other open items. Read more...

What's the buzz?

"What's the buzz?" is the new monthly newsletter. Here is the issue for September, in PDF format. Clck here to view

July 22, 2006 Region1 Meeting

It was standing room only as interpreters from all over Los Angeles gathered for a sober meeting to consider the administrations’ last offer and take a strike authorization vote. The strike authorization was approved with 95% support. Many more interpreters who could not attend sent messages of support for the bargaining committee’s decision to reject the offer. Stay tuned and in touch with your courthouse stewards.

Click here for more info

The Los Angeles Superior Court is now hiring independent contractors who have worked the minimum number of days under the law and who therefore, qualify for employment. Please go to the following website for more information. The bulleting and supplemental application for the As-needed position for those that have met the 45-day requirement was posted on the Court's public web page at www.lasuperiorcourt.org Click on Employment, then click on Employment Opportunities, then click on Court Interpreter.

Please print and fill out the applicable form (PDF) and send to CFI as indicated.

Form A is for employees represented by CFI in one of the four regional bargaining units. No payment is necessary as dues are paid through payroll deductions. Membership in this category includes professional division and union membership.

Form B is for independent contractors, students or others interested in the profession who wish to become members of the professional division of CFI. There is an annual fee as described on the form. Professional division membership includes discounted rates for our continuing education events and the option to be included on our referral list.

Interpreter Training in Puerto Rico!!
July 15 & 16, 2006
Click here for details (Word DOC)

Membership Status

CFI negotiates and enforces the contract with your employer that sets the terms and conditions of employment. CFI also advocates in the Legislature and with the Judicial Council on the budget and other issues that impact the profession of court interpreting in California. Read more... (PDF)

Bargaining Update
Region 1 - Perfidious Pettifoggery

In an effort to come to an agreement as quickly as possible, the Region I bargaining committee made a reasonable counter-offer on salary, increased vacation time and assignment policies. Read more... (PDF)

[HTML text format...click here]

AB 2227 Passes Assembly Judiciary Committee

CFI is sponsoring legislation authored by Assemblymember Judy Chu to give members of the profession a greater voice and input on court interpreting issues regulated by the Judicial Council. The Assembly Judiciary Committee passed the measure on April 25, 2006. This is the first step in the legislative process. Read more here...

EEOC Recognizes Court Interpreters as Professionals

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently acknowledged that court interpreters are professionals under the EEOC definition and as such must be reported by their employers as a professional job category (see reverse for EEOC determination). This determination by the EEOC was in response to a request by interpreters in Region 4 who researched the issue and sought the determination. Read more here...

Click here for details...
(loads 2.5 MB PDF file)

As you all know- we are preparing for a strike and the Courts are aware of that. The Region is predicting when and for how long and there are many unfounded rumors.

For more details and photos, click here.

November 10, 2005

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 2 - CONTRACT REACHED AND RATIFIED

Thanks to interpreters all over the state who sent in support cards and strike pledges! Attached is an update from Region 2 which reached a contract settlement after the Courts moved on important issues.Read more...

October 19, 2005

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 2

Why is Region 2 the last Region without a contract and without benefits for court interpreters? We have been able to reach an agreement and have ratified contracts with all other regions of the state because the Courts came to the table willing to bargain and with something to offer. Read more...

REGION 2 COURTS VIOLATE LAW

Three separate complaints have been issued by the Public Employment
Relations Board against the Region 2 Courts (Bay Area). The complaints
cite 45 individual violations of the law that constitute unfair labor
practices including retaliatory treatment of employees for exercising their
rights under the law, illegal use independent contractors and non-certified
interpreters, failure to bargain in good faith, unilateral changes
without notice or bargaining and interference with the union's right to
represent employees. The complaints are a preliminary finding that evidence
exists sufficient to move the cases to a hearing. Additional charges filed by
the union are pending and several new charges are being investigated.
To read the full text of the complaints...

PERB COMPLAINT MARIN
click here to download PDF

PERB COMPLAINT SF
click here to download PDF

PERB COMPLAINT ALAMEDA
click here to download PDF

September 25, 2005

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 2

Many of you have been asking what is new with our contract negotiations. The short answer is nothing. The mediator said she sees no point in reconvening until one of the parties has a new proposal that will move us toward settlement, so we will have another session when either party has a new proposal to make. As reported in our last update three weeks ago, at our last mediation session of August 30, your bargaining team made a good faith settlement proposal to the Region 2 Courts.Read more...

August 20, 2005
REGION 2 UPDATE

The Region 2 meeting on August 20, 2005 was very well attended.
Find out the preliminary results of our survey...
Click here to download PDF

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 4

As you know by now, your Region 4 bargaining committee went through the mediation process with the courts on Tuesday August 2, 2005. Mediation was scheduled after the negotiations deteriorated and came to a standstill over a couple of issues including the minimum four-hour session pay, the date of expiration of the contract, and a proposed pay cut for new employees. Read more...

August 3, 2005

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 4

Yesterday, at the Judicial Council Offices in Burbank, both parties reached a tentative agreement on the whole contract. It was another long day, though not as long as some other sessions we have had, but by the close of business all remaining articles were signed. Read more...

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 4

Your bargaining committee attended its last scheduled bargaining session in Riverside yesterday with every intention of bringing you, our members and colleagues, the first labor contract negotiated between interpreters and the courts in Region 4. In spite of our best efforts, which included a long caucus afternoon and evening the day before, extensive conversations with the CEO of our local, Doug Cuthbertson, and intense research and preparation, we are extremely disappointed because our best intentions were not well received by management.

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 1

At the stroke of midnight, at the start of Bastille Day, an enormous wrong was righted in Los Angeles. On July 14, 2005, in a stuffy courtroom turneconference room in the Criminal Courts West building, the judges of this d county, of California and of the nation finally acknowledged that court interpreters have the same rights and privileges as all other workers and signed the first labor agreement ever with interpreters in the history of the state. Read more...

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 2

After two days of bargaining last Thursday and Friday, July 14th and 15th, your committee made a little bit of progress and a commitment to keep on chugging for a fair contract. Marta Duncan from Santa Clara and Muriel Falak from Sonoma joined the committee in negotiations and got a taste of what goes into bargaining. Read more...

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 2

The first bargaining session after our strike included: An agreement on a key provision that gives protections concerning the assignment of interpreter work to bargaining unit employees; accord on an article calling for at least one day of training with an experienced interpreter before a new employee is thrown into a courtroom situation; a concession by the court that will provide interpreters with equal work or pay if the home court denies a full- or partial-day cross assignment opportunity; and one gigantic blowup. But more on that later. Read more...

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 3

The week of June 27 meant a furious bargaining schedule in all regions with the deadline for a contract just days away. In Region 3 the parties met June 28. An inexperienced Angela Nicholson, yet another lawyer for the Administrative Office of the Courts, took over the chair as Chief Negotiator in this Region. Ms. Nicholson appears at least to be more efficient than Larry Menth and has been more reasonable on some issues. Read more...

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 4

Probably the most surprising aspect of the negotiations in San Diego on Monday and Tuesday was that an enraged Union bargaining team was able to maintain its composure in the face of the Court’s intransigence. Read more...

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 1

In two days of tough bargaining last Thursday and Friday, Union and Court negotiators finally reached agreement on an article covering interpreter assignments and on a recognition and jurisdiction clause. The two key agreements clear the way for the two sides to concentrate entirely on economics in the final two days of negotiations. Read more...

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 3

Bargaining is going forward as both sides met on June 3 and 10. A huge step forward was taken when the Courts finally gave us the information that has been requested for months about Retirement and Health Benefit plans in the Counties of Region Three. Courts across the region have very good plans- in particular the defined benefit retirement plans in each county are the best type of retirement benefits available. Read more...

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 1

In productive sessions on Monday and Tuesday this week, Union and Court negotiators nearly completed setting the stage for the final act of their 10-month bargaining drama. Leaving the best - and most contentious - issues for last, the two sides hammered out agreements on five non-economic contract articles, and moved closer on several others. Read more...

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 4

Bargaining this week was a mixed bag in which the Court changed lead negotiators, presented its first offers on pay and benefits, and made some rather draconian proposals covering other contract items. Read more...

May 27, 2005

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 3

Dear Region 3 Bargaining Unit Member:

Your bargaining committee and Region 3 met again on May 25, 2005 and we finally received a comprehensive proposal from the Region for a first contract including benefits and salary. Read more...

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 4

On Thursday May 26, your bargaining committee met with representatives of the Region 4 Regional Committee. Both sides went back to the table to try to hash out their differences over the critical article on Employment Status. Your bargaining committee spent hours working to craft language on a counter proposal that is inclusive so that as many interpreters as possible are eligible for benefits based on how much they work and their years of service. Read more...

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 1

Union negotiators vowed to "shake the money tree" after a May 11 and 12 bargaining session in which the Court rejected virtually all of the Union 's counter proposals on economic issues. As is characteristic of these negotiations, a tense exchange over economics was short of bombast and rhetoric but long on purpose and resolve with both sides drawing lines in the sand. Read more...

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 4

On Thursday May 19, and Friday May 20, 2005 your Region 4 Bargaining Committee met with regional representatives of the courts two days after holding successful call offs in courts across the Region and after interpreters overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike in the event it becomes necessary. The tone of this meeting was quite different than any previous meeting to date. Read more...

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 2

We are glad to report that on Tuesday, May 18, 2005, as promised, the Region
2 management committee finally gave us their proposal for salary and
benefits -after having our comprehensive contract proposal in their hands
for more than eight months. Read more...

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 4

After months of stalling, lack of significant progress at the Region 4 bargaining table, and illegal changes in the workplace by court administration, court interpreters emphatically declared their frustration with the process by staging a region-wide work action. Interpreters called off en masse and did not show up for work on Tuesday May 17, 2005... read more

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 4

In an amazing display of arrogance and lack of respect for the bargaining process and the Union 's team, today the courts in Region 4 came to the table empty handed. The Region offered no new proposals, and no new counter offers to our previous proposals. The courts' committee attempted to cover up their lack of preparation by making a half-baked and apparently improvised "presentation" on benefits. They did not bring any written literature nor did they bring anyone from Human Resources who would be knowledgeable about benefits. Instead, the court representatives gave a very general oral description of the pension systems in each county. When they could not answer the questions from our team they kept referring us to websites for which they did not have the address. Our committee found the Region's behavior offensive and insulting...read more

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 2

ARBITRATOR RULES IN UNION 'S FAVOR IN MILEAGE ARBITRATION
SAYS: THE COURT'S INTERPRETATION OF THE LAW "MUST FAIL"

In another big arbitration win for the Union (the first was the reinstatement of a fired employee), an arbitrator ruled that eliminating mileage reimbursements for interpreters who became employees under the Trial Court Interpreter Employment and Labor Relations Act violated the law. The arbitrator ordered the courts in Region 2 to repay mileage plus interest for the two year period during which the courts eliminated mileage compensation for these employees, also known as Court Interpreters Pro Tem (CIPT). The back pay award will amount to tens of thousands of dollars...read more

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 4

Progress, always an elusive creature in these negotiations, made only a token appearance at the bargaining table yesterday.

From the onset, the day did not look promising to the Union team. The only new proposals we received from management were for jury duty leave, important but hardly earth moving, and military leave, a subject we hadn't even bothered to make a proposal on because it is covered so well by federal and state law...read more

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 1

The Court today presented the Union bargaining team with a full economic counter, including proposals on wages; health benefits; pension; vacation; sick leave; and holidays... read more

BARGAINING UPDATE
REGION 4

Another bargaining session was held on March 30 in Santa Ana. The meeting took place in an atmosphere of cordiality without any issues being brought up by either side that would create tensions at the table. There was modest progress made at the table which resulted in reaching temporary agreements...read more

SUPERVISORS DECLARE WAR ON L.A. INTERPRETERS
THE UNION FIGHTS BACK HARD

Even as things seem to be progressing well at the bargaining table, Los Angeles Superior Court Interpreter Supervisors have been making interpreters' lives a living hell. Read more...

Region 4 Bargaining Update

An otherwise productive day of bargaining got off to a rocky start on March 14 when court lead negotiator Larry Menth angrily objected to instructions he found on the CFI liaison instruction sheet. Menth, reading from the document, was especially upset over the phrase: "Okay folks, it's now time to take things up a notch." Read more...

Region 2 Bargaining Update #10

Last Thursday March 17 the Union met with Region 2 for what we hoped would be a very productive session. Why were we so hopeful? Well, after Larry Menth, Region 2's Chief Negotiator, flat out rejected 14 articles of our proposed MOU, we decided, rather than throwing a "my ego is bruised" two-year-old style tantrum, to take a good look at those articles, as well as all the other pending articles and try to come up with a package that would resolve issues on both sides of the table. Read more...

Region 2 Bargaining Update #10
Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

The Region 2 Bargaining Committee is wondering if you all like roller coasters. Our last update informed you that management wanted to eliminate important articles from our contract and had come to our bargaining session with no additional counter proposals. Read more...

REGION 4 NEEDS REALITY CHECK
UNION PRESSES TO MOVE FORWARD

On February 25, 2005 the Region 4 bargaining committee once again met with representatives of the courts. This time Larry Menth, lead negotiator for the Region 4 courts started off the meeting by passing five new counter proposals across the table. Read more...

February 21, 2005

REGION 1 BARGAINING UPDATE JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2005
THE BEAT GOES ON

Twice over the past few weeks representatives of Region One and CWA-CFI have met to continue negotiations for a first labor contract for court interpreters. Much to everyone's surprise, the meetings have been proceeding at a lively pace, raising hopes that the contract will be ready for ratification by June 2005. Read more...

February 18, 2005

Region 2 Bargaining Update #9
A day without an interpreter
Monolingual administrators don't get it

Your bargaining committee met with Management on Thursday, February 17. Once again, Management did not have any counterproposals on substantive issues such as salaries and benefits. Instead, Management announced they were rejecting fourteen of our proposals outright, among them team interpreting and pre-appearance interviews, training for new employees, hiring preference for employees over independent contractors, and premium pay for overtime. Read more...

February 17, 2005

Region 3 Bargaining Update
Time to Step Up the Pace of Bargaining

The parties met for contract negotiations again on February 9, 2005. Tentative Agreements were reached on a couple of basic employee rights articles and several others were discussed. Read more...

February 8, 2005

Region 3 Bargaining Update
Negotiations Slow But Moving

The pace of bargaining in Region 3 is slow but gaining momentum. Bargaining sessions have taken place every two weeks during the last few months, first in Sacramento, then Stockton, and now in Modesto on an ongoing basis. Read more...

February 7, 2005

Region 4 Bargaining Update

Modest progress was again made in bargaining on Friday, February 4 in a meeting between management and interpreter negotiators that ranged from cordial to fractious. Read more...

February 5, 2005

Region 2 Bargaining Update #8

Pressure in the Field Yields Results
Despite a discouraging start to bargaining this year, we have learned an important lesson: Our members (You) are dedicated to getting a fair contract, and Management knows it! Read more...

January 24, 2005

It's not exactly a freight train yet, but negotiations in Region 1 continue to gain momentum.

To date, the interpreter bargaining team has reached tentative agreements with the court on 11 articles of the proposed MOU. That's more than in any of the other three regions. The fact that the agreements are over more mundane subjects like bulletin boards, paycheck errors, personnel files and procedural matters does not deter the interpreter team from optimism. Read entire article...

Congratulations to interpreters in Region 4 for their contribution to making all four rallies in the region a huge success. The rallies were held in order to motivate Region 4 to stop stalling and to begin bargaining in good faith. Read more...

January 12, 2005

Region 1 Bargaining Update
UNION WINS WRONGFUL TERMINATION ARBITRATION

In Los Angeles, CFI-TNG/CWA has won its first arbitration! An interpreter who was terminated must now, according to an arbitrator, be reinstated to his previous position. Further, the court must pay 50% of his back pay without deducting any earnings the interpreter made during his time away from court. Read more...

January 12, 2005

Region 4 Bargaiing Update

For the first time since these negotiations began last October, some real progress was seen at the bargaining table in Santa Ana today. We're still far from a contract in Region 4, but the Court's attitude today - reflected in real honest-to-goodness proposals - gave bargaining team members their first glimmer of hope that an agreement might be reachable without a major job action. Read more...

January 11, 2005

On Monday, January 10 th, 2005 , The Region 2 Bargaining Committee kicked off the New Year with the first Bargaining session of the year. The Union 's full committee was present. On the management side, two committee members were absent. Read more...

They spend hours in courtrooms converting even the most obscure English idioms into Spanish, Vietnamese and Farsi, but many interpreters in Southern California are frustrated that their skills haven't translated into benefits and pay raises. Read entire article...

Interpreters working in the San Bernardino County Superior Court system say they provide a constitutionally mandated service that's badly needed across the state. Read entire article...

Superior Court interpreters translated their unhappiness about employment contract talks with court officials into a picket line Thursday as about a dozen people marched with signs outside the Vista Courthouse. Read entire article...

The Union and Management had an ambitious agenda set for the last bargaining session of 2004 on December 16. The day started with Management agreeing to the language in our proposed article defining the purpose of our contract. Both committees then exchanged a number of counterproposals and broke for an extensive caucus to discuss them. Read entire article...

Something is very wrong in Region 4.

Things are not all champagne and roses elsewhere, but court negotiators in the other regions seem to understand that the old days are over and appear to be making legitimate efforts to bargain fair contracts. Their proposals may not be perfect, but at least they move us in the right direction. Read more...

Region 3 Bargaining Update
Management No Shows- Bargaining Goes Nowhere
The Management Team for Region 3 was missing members at our November 19, 2004 Region 3 bargaining session. Management showed up unprepared and left early, in a repeat performance from the previous day's Region 2 bargaining session in San Francisco. Read article...

Union Makes Deal with Region 3
After months of hashing out the same issues, the Union won significant movement from Region 3 on key issues, making possible a negotiated agreement to address the shortage of employees and the disincentives courts have built into the employment system. Read article...

Regions 1, 2 and 4: "Survey of Interpreter Losses":
Are you earning less because of cuts in mileage, night court and excess pay? Are you getting too few assignments when contractors are working? Has your court made it hard for you to cross assign to other counties?

If the answer is yes on any of these issues, please print and return this survey. You may be eligible for reimbursement for you losses. We have arbitrations set in Regions 1, 2 and 4 and need to know who has been affected by these issues. Click here for the survey.

NO WORK CALENDAR
Help us enforce the law and hold the courts accountable.

Not getting work every day? In some courts contractors and unqualified interpreters are being used when employees are available. Print the "No Work" calendar and keep track of days that you are not offered work in your home court, or other courts if you are available for cross assignments. Send us a copy every month and we will see if contractors worked on those days. Click here for the calendar.

Region 2 Bargaining Update
Your Region 2 Bargaining Team met with the Region last Thursday. Picking up where we left off two weeks before, the Region's Chief Spokesperson Larry Menth continued posing questions to clarify the substance and intent of our contract proposal. The Region also presented counter proposals to four non-controversial articles. Read more...

In yet more examples of professional solidarity, certified court interpreters up and down California have staged raucous rallies demanding a fair labor contract. Read more...

September 27, 2004
REGION 4 SEPTEMBER 2004 CFI-BACI-CWA BARGAINING UPDATE. The kick-off bargaining session for Region 4 took place on September 21 in Santa Ana. This comes on the heels of two successful rallies attended by hundreds of interpreters statewide, one in Northern California and another in LA. Interpreters have been waiting a long time for this moment, and we finally have a chance to have a say about our profession. Read more...

September 15, 2004
REGION 1 MEETING AND CONFERRING (AT LAST!)
Facing none of the usual preening but just a reinforced bargaining team, representatives from the California Federation of Interpreters-Communications Workers of America got down to the business of cutting a contract with court management last Wednesday, September 15. Read more..

Cross Assignment System - Is it Working?

The Judicial Council has established four Regional Coordinator positions in part to help coordinate cross-assignments for interpreters who want to work outside their home court. We have received many complaints from pro tems who are interested in receiving cross assignments but find they aren't getting offers or are restricted from accepting them by their home courts.

We encourage interpreters interested in working for "away courts" to call the regional coordinators listed about your availability or with questions you may have about cross assignments. Please also contact us with information about how the cross assignment systems is working- or not working- for you. Send emails about cross assignments to mlaranguren@mediaworkers.org.

Regional Coordinators:

Zoe Christopher
Interregional Coordinator
415-865-8816

Sherry Goodman
Regional Coordinator, Regions 1 and 4
818-558-3022

Elizabeth Tam
Regional Coordinator, Region 2
415-865-4270

Lisa Werblun
Regional Coordinator, Region 3
916-263-1371

May 27, 2005

February 17, 2005

Region 3 Bargaining Update Time to Step Up the Pace of Bargaining

January 24, 2005

Region 3 Bargaining Update
Time to Step Up the Pace of Bargaining