Bay Area Courts
The Last Region

October 19, 2005

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.

• In Region 1 (Los Angeles) the Courts agreed to strong professional standards provisions and fair assignment practices.
• In Region 4 (San Diego, Orange Co, Riverside, San Bernardino) the Courts agreed to 3% step increases every 12 months for the term of the contract and a week of paid leave in the bank.
• In Region 3 (Central Valley) the Courts also agreed to 3% step increases, strong language on employee priority for assignments and premium pay and continued flexibility in work hours.

In Region 2, despite significant compromise and concessions from the union bargaining team, management has been unwilling to work out solutions to key issues or offer alternatives. The Region rejected our settlement proposal and made no counter, leaving us in a stalemate since August 30. Region 2 interpreters met on Sunday Oct. 10 at the CFI statewide conference and reaffirmed their strike vote taken last May (see article on reverse).

This Region has the most severe shortage of certified interpreters in the state and the highest cost of living. The Bay Area Courts need to expand their vocabulary because their approach so far- "just say no" - will not get us to "yes."

On October 13, 2005 a Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) regional director strongly recommended that the parties come back together and attempt to resolve pending unfair labor practice charges in the context of a contract settlement. The PERB officer said she would contact the mediator and both sides expressed a willingness to meet if possible before the end of October.

Please stay in close contact with your courthouse liaisons and the bargaining team and stay tuned for further updates.

Your Bargaining Committee:

Union Representative: