Tentative Agreement Reached
We want to announce that your Bargaining Team has reached a tentative agreement with the State of California for our new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) covering Bargaining Unit 19.
This agreement reflects months of dedicated, good-faith negotiations during a time of significant budget uncertainty across all state departments. Despite these challenges we have secured meaningful economic gains, job protections, and immediate relief for our members.
Key Highlights of the Tentative Agreement
Contract Term
July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2028
Return-to-Office (RTO) Suspension – Side Letter
The State has agreed to suspend RTO mandates under Executive Order N-22-25 from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.
All RTO notices issued on or after March 3, 2025, must be rescinded.
Telework agreements will revert to their status as of March 2, 2025.
The Union and State will reconvene before July 2026 to discuss future RTO implementation.
Contact your supervisor regarding any schedule changes resulting from this RTO suspension.
General Salary Increases (GSI)
Effective July 1, 2025: All BU 19 employees will receive a 3% General Salary Increase.
Effective July 1, 2027:
Salary ranges will be increased across all BU 19 classifications:
Maximum salary ranges will increase by 4%
All employees currently at the top step will be moved to the new maximum step.
Minimum salary ranges will increase by 2%
All employees below the top step will receive a 2% Special Salary Adjustment.
All employees will maintain their current anniversary dates for future step increases.
Personal Leave Program 2025 (PLP 2025) – Side Letter
In effect from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027.
To meet the administration’s demand for cost savings, this agreement establishes PLP. It reduces pay by 3% but gives employees 5 hours of Personal Leave per month.
The State has agreed to impose no furloughs for the duration of this MOU.
The State has agreed to no additional PLP programs for the duration of this MOU.
Retirement, health benefits, and leave accruals remain fully protected.
Effective July 1st, 2025, employees will be able to carry over a maximum of 760 hours of leave to the next calendar year compared to our previous cap of 640 hours.
Suspension of OPEB Contributions – Side Letter
OPEB (Other Post-Employment Benefits) contributions are suspended from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027.
This results in a 3% increase in take-home pay during the suspension period.
Contributions will resume in July 2027, supporting the long-term goal of funding retiree healthcare.
Geographic Pay Differential
Effective upon ratification, employees working in high-cost counties will receive a $250 monthly differential.
Geographic pay applies to the following counties:
Los Angeles
Marin
Napa
San Diego
San Francisco
Santa Barbara
Part-time and intermittent employees will receive a pro-rated amount.
What Comes Next
We know members will have questions. To ensure transparency and understanding, we will be hosting a series of town hall meetings in the coming weeks to walk through the tentative agreement and answer your questions.
These gains are the result of your Bargaining Team’s persistence and the collective strength of our membership. We were committed to securing a contract that reflects the critical work and dedication of our members across the state.
Thank you for your continued support.
In Solidarity,
AFSCME Local 2620 Bargaining Team