REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
July 13, 2021
FROM
DIANE RUNDLES, Director, Human Resources Department
SUBJECT
Title
Memorandum of Understanding with the California Nurses Association
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the California Nurses Association representing the employees in the Nurses Unit and Per Diem Nurses Unit for the period of July 17, 2021 through October 25, 2024.
2. Approve the following classification actions as described in the Classification Actions Summary (Attachment A) in accordance with agreed upon language in the MOU:
a. Establish the classifications and salaries for the new classifications as detailed in Attachment A, and;
b. Approve re-allocation of positions as detailed in Attachment A.
(Presenter: Diane Rundles, Human Resources Director, 387-5570)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Create, Maintain and Grow Jobs and Economic Value in the County.
Improve County Government Operations.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The total increased ongoing costs for this agreement is estimated to be $8.1 million in 2021-22 (partial year), $15.6 million in 2022-23, $22.3 million in 2023-24, and $25.1 million in 2024-25. This will result in an increased ongoing use of Discretionary General Funding of $603,875 in 2021-22, $1.2 million in 2022-23, $1.7 million in 2023-24, and $1.9 million in 2024-25. Approval of the necessary budget adjustments is not requested at this time, but will be included on a future quarterly countywide budget report presented to the Board of Supervisors for approval.
The total increase in one-time costs for lump sum payments and the vacation cash-out option is approximately $714,300 in 2021-22, $90,600 in 2022-23, $93,200 in 2023-24, and $252,800 in 2024-25.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Representatives of the County, under direction of the Board of Supervisors, commenced negotiations in February 2021 with representatives of the California Nurses Association (CNA) on a successor labor agreement to the County and CNA’s previous agreement. After approximately five months of negotiations, the parties were successful in reaching a successor labor agreement for employees in the Nurses Unit and Per Diem Nurses Unit. The proposed agreement includes the following:
• A 3% across-the-board wage increase effective August 14, 2021; a 3% across-the-board wage increase effective July 16, 2022; a 3% across-the-board wage increase effective July 15, 2023; and a 1% across-the-board wage increase effective July 13, 2024.
• A salary restructure to address internal and external equity/compaction for certain classifications, effective August 14, 2021.
• Established/updated certain provisions to improve the recruitment/retention of correctional nurses, such as, increasing the recruitment bonus, a remote assignment differential, and equity increases.
• Step advancements in 6-month increments for the Nurses unit, consistent with other MOUs, and a restructure of the Per Diem Nurses Unit Step schedule, effective September 25, 2021.
• A COVID-19 Retention Bonus and a COVID-19 Bonus Leave bank for certain eligible employees.
• An increase to certain differentials and certification pay provisions, and new differentials.
• Automatic enrollment in the County’s deferred compensation plan with a 1% employee contribution unless the employee declines participation within 30 days; establishes a County matching contribution of up to 0.5% for employees with more than two years of completed service.
• An increase to the Medical Premium Subsidy for all coverage levels effective each year of the agreement.
• An increase to the County contribution to the retirement medical trust and a 5% increase to the sick leave cash-out formula, effective August 14, 2021.
• A one-time lump sum incentive of $435 to Nurses Unit employees and $200 to Per Diem Nurses Unit employees, effective August 14, 2021.
• Continuation of the Vacation Leave cash-out during the term of the MOU.
• Clarification of the Float Policy for non-Arrowhead Regional Medical Center departments.
• A process by which the parties shall meet and confer to establish clinical ladders at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center.
• Maintain that if low patient census conditions exist, which require the County to implement measures to deal with such conditions, the parties shall meet and confer regarding the impact of addressing those conditions.
CNA has notified the County that the Nurses and Per Diem Nurses Units ratified the proposed MOU. Therefore, the proposed MOU will, if approved by the Board, constitute a successor labor agreement between the County and CNA covering wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment through October 25, 2024.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Cynthia O’Neill, Principal Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455) on July 2, 2021; Human Resources (Diane Rundles, Human Resources Director, 387-5570) on July 2, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on July 2, 2021.