CAPE Members Ratify 6% Pay Raises

Retro-active pay increase of 2% to be implemented following approval by County Board of Supervisors – November 14, 2013

All six of CAPE's Los Angeles County bargaining units have overwhelmingly ratified the tentative salary contract agreement that provides for a 6% total across-the-board cost-of-living-adjustment pay increase for all LA County CAPE-represented employees.

The pay-raise agreements were secured by the CAPE negotiating teams representing the Professional Engineers, Engineering Technicians, and Appraisers bargaining units during formal bargaining with County negotiators in September.

Please scroll to the bottom of the page to see the Unit by Unit CAPE Contract Vote Results.

New Contract Term:      
10-1-13 through 9-30-2015

Pay Raise Dates:           
10-1-13            2%
10-1-14            2%
04-1-15            2%

County officials have already been notified of the ratification by all CAPE bargaining units. Before the first 2% pay raise can be implemented, the formal contract language must be written and agreed-on between CAPE and County management representatives. Then the final contracts must be approved by the County Board of Supervisors.

The first 2% pay raise will be retro-active to October 1, 2013.  However, we have been advised that due to the process described above as well as the current labor dispute over fringe benefits, the pay increase is not likely to hit paychecks until early next year.

CAPE members did our part by ratifying the tentative agreements without delay. We expect County management to follow a similar path by working with CAPE to ensure the long overdue pay raises for County professional employees are implemented as soon as possible.

Fringe Benefits Contract Efforts Continue:   After more than five months of negotiations between the Coalition of County Unions (CCU) and Los Angeles County to secure a fair fringe benefits contract agreement, progress has stalled on the County's threat to withhold any increase to the County's contribution to Choices to cover health care premium cost increases until County employee unions agree to changes in retiree health care coverage.

The stalemate on fringe benefit negotiations has also prevented SEIU Local 721 members from achieving an agreement on their salary contracts, which is combined with their fringe benefit terms. CAPE and Coalition of County Union (CCU) leaders have combined efforts with SEIU representatives to demand that County officials return to the bargaining table with a more reasonable approach that does not compromise retiree health care benefits.