May 23, 2005

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.

Unfortunately, we are far from impressed with what is being offered.

Interpreters would not receive a raise in pay or even a cost-of-living
adjustment and in each county would receive the benefits already negotiated
there by other unions. About half the Bay Area counties provide interpreters
in a regular half-time position full benefits, while others provide
pro-rated benefits for such positions. Therefore, there would not be
regional parity in benefits were we to accept their current offer.

The Region is offering no benefits or raises of any kind in any Court for
those working less than
half-time. And so far they are unwilling to take years of service before SB
371 into account for salary and benefits levels.

It is important for all of us to keep in mind that salary and benefits
cannot be agreed upon independently of how assignments and cross-assignments
take place, or of several other aspects of the contract as a whole.

We will shortly present them with a counterproposal closer to what
interpreters deserve and are worth. Management still does not seem to
understand that it is in the courts' interest to make this profession
attractive to highly skilled and educated interpreters, and that we have not
worked so hard for so many years just to gobble up some crumbs thrown to us.

Although progress is being made in negotiations and discussions are candid
and fruitful, there is much to be done in terms of educating management and
others, showing our members' resolve, and of course, plenty of work to hash
out the details of a fair and workable contract.

Your Bargaining Committee:

Union Representative: