CFI :: Region 1 Bargaining Update

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.

It was a moving and memorable moment, more so because up to the last hour no one - neither management nor CFI representatives were certain that an agreement could be reached. As always, monetary issues threatened to hold up the deal. Interpreters argued among themselves and with management on the need for further benefits for members, and the cost that would entail to the administration. Management for its part held firm to its position that no cash outlays would be coming, as doing so would set an expensive precedent for other union contracts that must soon be negotiated. Behind these struggles, an attentive California Judicial Council in Sacramento kept track of the tussle, fearing for its own pet projects threatened in the state legislature because of opposition from interpreters and their allies. Also, the judges of Los Angeles County and their representative, Head Clerk John Clark, were hourly apprised of the movement and the price of the negotiations.

Finally, in the waning hours of July 13th, in a marathon session that had begun at nine that morning, management made a series of proposals for salary, benefits, employee status, sick leave and vacation pay, continuing education, leaves of absence and cross assignments that interpreters could accept. It was less than we had dreamed of but certainly more than most had hoped. Exhausted and numbed by the titanic effort and the implications of their actions, interpreters closed the deal and shook hands with management. At the closing, Court Counsel Yvette Pena stated, with grudging admiration, "Disneyland has nothing on you guys." I guess that means we're an E-ticket.

For all of the members of the CFI Negotiating Committee, this has certainly been a memorable ride. Some of us have worked for more than ten years to see this day come to pass. Soldiering on in spite of scorn, condemnation, and fierce, fierce opposition from management and benighted colleagues, the California Federation of Interpreters has achieved what so many thought was impossible; in the process it has transformed the profession, giving it the dignity, power and prestige it always deserved. Now it's up to all interpreters to live up to expectations and to advance the cause of the profession, making sure this contract is only the first step in our struggle for independence, in the spirit of the historic events on this day in France in 1789.

All CFI members in good standing are urged to attend the Ratification Meeting this Sunday, July 17th at 3:00 pm at CFI Headquarters at 12215 Telegraph Rd., Suite 210, in Santa Fe Springs to receive more details and to vote in support of this contract. AD ASTRA PER ASPERA. Publius