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Velisha L. Haddox Bureau Chief of Human Reso

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Velisha L. Haddox Bureau Chief of Human Reso BUREAU OF HUMAN RESOURCES VELISHA L. HADDOX BUREAU CHIEF 118 North Clark Street, Room 840 Chicago, Illinois 60602 (312) 603-3300 TONI PRECKWINKLE Date: July 10, 2021 PRESIDENT Cook County Board of Commissioners To: Honorable Commissioners of the Cook County Board BRANDON JOHNSON From: Velisha L. Haddox 1st District Bureau Chief of Human Resources DENNIS DEER Subject: Confidential Communication regarding Negotiations with 2nd District SEIU Local 73 BILL LOWRY 3rd District After receiving no specific counter proposals from SEIU for nearly a week, STANLEY MOORE yesterday, the County received an off-the-record proposal from the Union 4th District through the Federal mediator. SEIU’s proposal varied little from its prior DEBORAH SIMS proposals with the most significant change being lower across-the-board 5th District increases (or COLAs) for lower wage workers. SEIU’s proposal still left the parties well over $2 million apart for the first year of the contract alone. DONNA MILLER 6th District In response, the County presented in writing, the off-the-record terms of st ALMA E. ANAYA settlement it offered SEIU on July 1 . That offer, described in more detail 7th District below, represents $500,000 more in wages, targeted toward lower wage earners, than the County’s last, best, and final offer presented on June 28th. LUIS ARROYO JR The County’s last, best, and final offer, presented on day four of the strike, 8th District provided SEIU-represented employees with the same pattern of wage PETER N. SILVESTRI increases and health insurance contributions agreed to by other bargaining 9th District units plus over $5.2 million in additional upgrades and pay adjustments, detailed below. In total, the County’s package represents 8.5% in COLA BRIDGET GAINER increases, one-time bonus payments and pandemic pay, plus nearly $5.8 10th District million in upgrades and pay scale adjustments. JOHN P. DALEY 11th District Specifically, in addition the economic pattern, the County has offered the following: BRIDGET DEGNEN 12th District Upgrades for the Facilities Management and Cook County Health LARRY SUFFREDIN (CCH) Service and Maintenance Employees to the X scales, which, in 13th District addition to resulting in immediate raises above the across-the-board increases, allows these employees to reach the top of the pay scale in 10 SCOTT R. BRITTON years rather than 20. Further, for those already at the top of the scale, 14th District the County’s offer included adding .5% to the top step to ensure an KEVIN B. MORRISON increase for all Facilities Management and CCH Service and 15th District Maintenance Employees above and beyond the across-the-board increases. JEFFREY R. TOBOLSKI 16th District SEAN M. MORRISON 17th District Modifications to the CCH wage scales to increase the difference between the 8th and 9th steps to 2% and the difference between the 9th and 10th steps be 5%. Modifying all other scales making the last step a 5% step. Upgrading the CRNA scale representing an approximately 40% increase in pay. Upgrading 34 Health Advocates with 10 or more years of seniority by placing them on Step 7 of the wage scale allowing them to progress through the scale annually on their anniversary dates. Upgrading Medical Technologist I, II, or III who possess the minimum qualifications for Medical Lab Scientist to that position and placing them at Grade 18. Upgrading Sanitarian I’s from Grade 15 to Grade 16. Upgrading CRW 1s at the Sheriff’s office to CRW 2s and paying them at Grade 16. Upgrading Clerk Vs at the Clerk’s Office. Upgrading Recorders at the Clerk’s Office currently on Grade 13 to Grade 14. Upgrading all District Maintenance Supervisors at the Department of Transportation and Highways from Grade 21 to 22. At Animal Control adding Certification Pay for Euthanization at $75 per month. At CCH, increasing on-call pay to $5.00 per hour. At CCH, increasing the current Hazard Pay for CMTs and ERTs by $0.75 for a total of $1.25 and extending hazard pay to MHSIIIs at Cermak/JTDC. Increasing Bilingual Pay to $100 per month. Increasing Tuition/Education Benefits pool from $20,000 to $40,000. Agreed to allow advanced step hiring. Our hope is that SEIU will accept this offer, the majority of which was previously offered June 28th with further upgrades for lower wage workers offered in settlement of the strike on July 1st. It is important for our employees, who are SEIU members, to return to work, as they are losing 2% of salary per week - especially given the generous package the County has offered. In the event SEIU does not accept our offer, however, the County continues to extend its offer to submit the parties’ dispute to interest arbitration which would allow the employees to immediately return to work while a neutral arbitrator jointly selected by the parties resolves the dispute. .
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