Why Join ESC Local 20 at PG&E?

DCPP PROFESSIONALS JOIN ESC LOCAL 20

A PROFESSIONAL UNION FOR PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES

THE RIGHT TO NEGOTIATE – A VOICE AT WORK

ESC Local 20 already has an extensive (150 pages+) contract with PG&E covering over 100 job classifications, representing 40 years of negotiated improvements. ESC Local 20 members elect a committee to negotiate the contract with management, and it is not finalized until ratified by a vote of all the employees covered by the contract. If you join ESC Local 20, you and your coworkers will bargain specific items particular to your group. When the next general contract negotiation comes up, you will join together with all the other members of ESC Local 20 to negotiate wage raises, new policies, etc.

PROTECTION FROM UNILATERAL CHANGES

Many major companies in recent years have unilaterally changed policies for white-collar employees:

• IBM converted its pension plan to lump sum
• Verizon eliminated its management pension plan
• United Airlines cut management salaries by 30% since 2001.

Of course unionized employees are not immune to management cut-backs, but at least management has to negotiate with them before making changes. Although unionized employees in the airlines also had to make concessions, they were able to negotiate more favorable terms than non-union employees.  Unionized pilots, machinists, and even engineers are now negotiating to get back what they lost.  And note that unionized employees at Verizon still have their traditional pension, while non-union employees do not.

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

Having a fair process to resolve disputes is one of the most significant benefits of being in a union. If you have a disagreement with management, our resolution procedure moves up through several levels of management before finally going to outside arbitration, if necessary. This means that your managers don’t get the final say.

This is true for performance reviews as well.  There is no “forced ranking” for ESC represented employees.  Every employee is considered on their own merits, and if you disagree with your supervisor over your review – especially if it materially affects your compensation, possibilities for advancement, etc. – you have the right to challenge that review through the grievance procedure.

We try hard to resolve issues with local managers – and the knowledge that the ultimate level of appeal is to an unbiased arbitrator outside of PG&E helps both sides to reach agreement. ESC Local 20 has filed and won many grievances on a variety of issues, including:

• Individual Discipline
• Scheduling Procedures
• Transfer Rights
• Promotions and Demotions
• Overtime and Pay

PAY PROGRESSION

Many non-union employees feel that they cannot advance in their pay band. All too often, wage increases at PG&E happen along with adjustments to the pay band; the result is that although your pay has gone up, your position in the pay band has not changed. STIP bonuses can be substantial, but they don’t raise your base pay.

The union system is different. All union-represented employees are guaranteed to reach the top of their pay band, provided they have adequate performance evaluations. This is because union employees get an annual Progressive Wage Increase. This increase is in addition to the annual General Wage Increase, which moves up your pay band while maintaining your position in the band. In other words, ESC represented employees get 2 raises a year. The PWI moves employees upwards in the band from year to year, so that everyone reaches the top.

Many ESC Local 20 represented employees have language which guarantees they reach the top of their scale in 5 years. Other ESC Local 20 employees have language which requires them to pass a test in their field before advancing to higher levels of pay.

When you and your coworkers join ESC Local 20, you can negotiate a pay system which you feel is fair and fits your needs.

OVERTIME

Many employees ask whether they will be paid overtime if they become union represented. The answer is that you can negotiate your own solution.

Some groups who have come into ESC Local 20 have opted to become regular hourly employees eligible for standard overtime. The ESC Local 20 contract overtime provisions are time and a half after 40 hours in one week, and double time after 12 hours in a row or after working 6 days in a row.

Many groups such as Distribution Engineers, Project Managers and most professional engineering groups have negotiated systems where they keep flexibility over their schedules, but are paid for working additional hours. DE’s do not get charged sick or vacation time unless they leave work for at least 4 hours. But overtime hours worked are paid only at their regular hourly rate, not time and a half or double time.

CAREER ADVANCEMENT

Have you wondered what it takes to become a Senior Engineer, or Senior Specialist, (whatever your classification)?  Why is it that some very valuable employees receive job titles like “Expert” or “Consulting Engineer” or “Principal”, while others toil in obscurity, without the recognition they deserve?  It can seem like only those who toot their own horn get ahead.

ESC Local 20 believes that all employees should have equal opportunity for career advancement.  Not everyone will get promoted, but processes for promotion should be fair and transparent.  If you didn’t get promoted, you should at least know the reason, and also know what you need to do in order to get promoted in the future.

ESC Local 20 has several different modes of advancement for different groups of employes:

• By passing a test or a training program.  Example: Estimator to Senior Estimator.
• Automatic promotion to next career stage based upon years of experience. Ex: Associate Project Engineer to Project Engineer (3 years) to Senior Project Engineer (8 years).  Non-PG&E experience also can count.
• Bidding upon openings, based primarily on seniority: Ex: Sr. Estimator bidding for ADE position.
• Competitive application for openings, where candidates are reviewed by a joint panel of union members and supervisors, and the most qualified is chosen (not necessarily the most senior).  Ex: Principal Land Planner; Industrial Power Engineer.