We’ll keep this short. The parties continue to make progress on other areas of the contract, but the issues you care about most remain on the table. It’s been one month since CASE presented CalHR with a salary proposal that appropriately values the service Unit 2 legal professionals provide Californians. They have yet to provide a response. The Bargaining Team has not eased up its efforts however and continues to make the case for CASE using data from the current landscape: the impact of historic inflation, the difference between your salaries and your public sectors peers, and the real consequences of high vacancy rates to both morale and mission.
Talking about bargaining. We’ve received some questions about how best to frame CASE’s ongoing negotiations for better salary and benefits when discussing Unit 2’s needs with supervisors, managers, or friends and family. The message is simple, and you can help us send it: California is the nation’s leading laboratory of public policy and innovation. Saving the world starts here and the effort always goes through a courtroom. Who do you want there fighting for you?
The State should share CASE’s goal of securing a successor MOU that protects Californians – their natural resources, opportunity, livelihoods, health, and safety – by ensuring a stable roster of the best and brightest legal minds in California. The Governor cannot meet the moment if he doesn’t appropriately value the people fighting each day to protect California’s values.
Accomplishing that goal requires an MOU that:
- Provides salaries competitive with federal and local agencies,
- Restores the appropriate salary relationship between Attorneys and ALJs,
- Provides meaningful family leave benefits for all, and
- Preserves maximum telework flexibility for all Unit 2 legal professionals
Many members of the public live by a “what have you done for me lately” mentality and don’t understand the importance of public service. CASE, however, can easily demonstrate what our members have done for them lately – and continue to do for them every day. Which brings us to . . .
Time to amplify. Many Californians likely don’t know why they should care about state attorneys’ salaries and benefits. You can help us make the #case4CASE by amplifying the importance of your work – and its impact on the daily lives of Californians – by sharing CASE social media posts highlight our members and their work. If you’re on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram, check out our new series “What California Loses if it Loses Me.” These stories center the valuable service provided by Unit 2 legal professionals and imply the dire consequences to the state if they take their skills somewhere else. By focusing on the people and the work, rather than the numbers, we’ll draw support from those benefiting from your talent and experience.
The teams return to the table Tuesday.