Fellow interpreters,
Our union completed several long days of negotiations and mediation these past two weeks. We were unable to come to an agreement with the state related to compensation and presented our case to an arbitrator on 8/20 & 8/21. We presented to the arbitrator our rationale for our proposals to rate increases, appointment minimums, and the expansion of late cancellation and no-show payments. The fate of article 6, Economic Compensation, is in the arbitrator’s hands now. We will have their decision by 9/24.
The following are areas where we achieved gains:
Article 5 documentation:
Expanded the information that will be viewable when considering accepting an appointment;
Expanded the information that will be available on invoices after an appointment has completed;
Lengthened the notification period of background check renewal.
Article 7 Economic process:
Expanded the information provided on pay stubs for each remittance.
New articles:
Personally Identifiable Information which provides protections to your personal information;
Industrial Insurance Coverage which acknowledges that you contribute to and have access to the state’s workers compensation program.
And most significantly the inclusion of L&I interpreters to the CBA. Meaning that L&I interpreters will have:
Union recognition;
union management meetings;
a grievance procedure;
all other provisions of the CBA.
We appreciate the calls you have made to the governor on our behalf and the difference it made in negotiations. We will communicate the arbitrator’s decision as soon as we receive it.
In Solidarity,
HCA/DCYF/DSHS Bargaining Team:
- Norma Verduzco;
- Barbara Robertson;
- Gabriel Oseguera;
- Magda Enriques;
- Masuood Muhammed;
- Quan Tran;
- Arnulfo Ramirez;
- Ismael Mohamed;
- Cora Leigh.
L&I Bargaining Team:
- Quan Tran;
- Luis Borgford;
- Norma Rios;
- Leticia Mares;
- Arnulfo Ramirez;
- Masuood Muhammed;
- Barbara Roberston;
- Magda Enriques;
- Laila Valencia.