After 13 bargaining sessions over last 6 months, the UAPD Bargaining Team reached a tentative agreement with Santa Cruz County on January 31, 2017. The new contract went into effect in March after being ratified by by the UAPD membership and approved by the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors.
The new agreement provides:
- A new top salary step (4% increase from the previous step) effective the first full pay period after Board of Supervisor approval.
- Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for all classifications of 2.5%, 2.75% and 2.75%.
- Equity adjustment for psychiatrists of 2%, 2%, and 1.75%.
- A new board certification differential of 2.5% effective April 7, 2018.
- Additional money for CME reimbursement.
- Doctors will be eligible for a quality incentive of up to 5% of base hourly rate and productivity incentive of up to 10% of base hourly rate effective July 1, 2017. Management will meet and confer with UAPD to set the criteria for each incentive.
- A full day holiday on December 24 effective 2018, up from half of a day.
- Shortens the PEPRA 401(a) vesting period from 5 years of service instead of 6.
- Increases long term disability maximum insured salary to $15,000.
- Increases life insurance plan premium to $100,000.
- Improves information provided to the union.
- Grants telehealth protections (telehealth will not cause positions to be eliminated and remains voluntary).
- Increases employer contributions to health insurance.
In addition, in exchange for the improvements listed below, the current contract’s overtime provisions that provide time and one-half pay for hours worked beyond 40 hours a week will be eliminated:
- $12.00/hr for on-call duty and after hours medical phone services (up from $10/hr).
- Doctors will be granted Administrative Leave of 80 hours per year for full-timers (prorated for part-timers) to be used for time off or cashed out.
- Additional shifts of four hours or more of patient care, which is assigned in addition to a scheduled work day or scheduled day off, including weekends, will be compensated at the straight-time rate.