The quarterly CAPS Board of Directors’ Meeting was held last Saturday, August 24, 2019. Motions undertaken by the Board of Directors included:
- Approving of the Minutes of the May 18, 2019 Board Meeting.
- Approving CAPS’ endorsement of 69 incumbents seeking reelection, and one open seat candidate for the 2020 election, the list can be found here.
- Approving clarifying changes to the CAPS Policy Manual regarding Payments and Reimbursements (The updated Policy Manual can be found on the Members-Only Section of the CAPS Website.
- Approving four new CAPS Local Representatives: Matthew Palmer, Associate Hazardous Materials Specialist (CDCR – Chowchilla); Mia Roberts, Environmental Scientist (CDFW/OSPR – Fairfield); Sammantha Mello, Environmental Scientist (Central Valley Water Board, Sacramento); and Taranjot Sahota, Environmental Scientist (Water Boards Region 5, Sacramento). If YOU are interested in becoming a CAPS Local Rep, click here.
- Voting to support and allow the Representation Committee to move forward with the CAPS Referral Program, which will provide a small recruitment incentive to existing CAPS members who recruit new CAPS members. More information about the referral program will be released as the program moves forward.
- Authorizing the annual CAPS sponsorship of the Sacramento Regional Science & Engineering Fair Foundation (dba NorCal STEM Education Foundation), which provides members all over Sacramento the opportunity to earn mentoring leave each year, and allows us to interact with tomorrow’s State Scientists.
- Authorizing the Budget Committee to move the CAPS General Fund into an account that provides FDIC insurance for the entirety of the fund, following the recommendation of CAPS’ annual audit.
Additionally, a copy of the Quarterly Report that is provided to the Board and presented during the meeting is available online in the Members-Only Section of the website. This was the last meeting of the current Board of Directors, the next meeting will feature the 2019-2021 Board of Directors, in their first official meeting as the new board.
CAPS Bargaining Team Met with CalHR’s Labor Relations Officer.
The CAPS Bargaining Team met on August 23 with the interim Labor Relations Officer (LRO) for Unit 10 from CalHR. The LRO, Jacquelyn Sanders, met with the Team for an introduction to CAPS and to discuss a few open issues. The Team informed her of CAPS’ establishment in 1984 to promote the interests of professional scientific classes in state service; of the Like Pay Like Work case and resulting salary increases for Supervisory classes; and of the current inequity that she has the opportunity to address with the incoming Bargaining Team should she remain the assigned LRO. Additionally, the Team informed Ms. Sanders that the lodging reimbursement rates across the State do not meet the needs of traveling State Scientists and that many times members are denied Excess Lodging verbally, and thus, are unable to appeal them – the Team requested that CalHR work on this issue now. The Team advocated for the Family Care Leave expansion to be applied for all Unit 10 Scientists and noted that parental leave will likely be an important topic for the next round of bargaining. Finally, a discussion was held regarding Section 7.7(B)(3) of the MOU and a side letter was signed to ensure that Overtime Meal Allowance, previously Section 6.1(H), will continue to apply to State Scientists, should they need it.
News Briefs
A report shows Trump’s water plan would hurt California salmon. The government hid it – Los Angeles Times
Federal officials suppressed a lengthy environmental document that details how one of California’s unique salmon runs would be imperiled by Trump administration plans to deliver more water to Central Valley farms. The July 1 assessment, obtained by The Los Angeles Times, outlines how proposed changes in government water operations would harm several species protected by the Endangered Species Act, including perilously low populations of winter-run salmon, as well as steelhead trout and killer whales, which feed on salmon.
California state workers are giving up a raise. New contract reflects pension debt concerns – Sacramento Bee
Its impact might be minor, but a state union’s offer to give up part of a raise to reduce pension debt is notable for what it might signal. The California Association of Highway Patrolmen, which represents about 6,700 uniformed CHP officers, recently reached a four-year agreement with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration that diverts about a half-percent of a 3.5 percent raise to go toward pension debt. The agreement is unique because it specifies the diverted money – about $25 million over four years – will go toward reducing the long-term unfunded debts for California Highway Patrol pensions.