Unionized maintenance workers in California state government have approved a new labor agreement that gives workers modest raises alongside various bonuses and stipends targeted at attracting and retaining workers in hard-to-fill positions.

The International Union of Operating Engineers, which represents a group of more than 11,000 employees including groundskeepers and painters, plumbers and heavy equipment mechanics, recently ratified a three-year contract that began July 1 and runs through June 2026. The union had been negotiating with the state since January on the deal.

As part of the agreement, employees in 63 classifications, representing more than half of the bargaining unit, will receive special salary increases between 4% and 6.7% depending on the position. Most workers will see 4% increases, including plumbers, automotive technicians and Caltrans equipment operators, among others.

All other classifications will receive an initial salary increase of 3%, also retroactive to July 1.

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In the second and third years of the contract, any employee who’s been at the top of their salary range for at least 12 months will receive a 4% bump in pay. Those employees in three specific classifications, all drillers, will earn a 5% bump in the maximum pay range in 2024. All employees who have yet to reach the maximum salary will receive their annual merit salary adjustment of about 5% until they reach the new maximum salary.

The union would not provide specifics on what percentage of membership voted in favor of the contract, but some members voiced concerns that the deal didn’t go far enough to address recruitment and retention issues.

“There’s still a level of frustration within the unit,” said Brandy Johnson, the union’s director of public employees. “It still doesn’t fully address vacancy issues, retention and pay disparities between the state and other public and private sector employers.”

Given the state’s nearly $32 billion projected deficit and the state’s hesitancy to grant higher across-the-board raises, Johnson said the bargaining team had to get creative with how to put more money in members’ pockets. The new contract includes various special pay differentials for employees who work night shifts, Caltrans employees assigned to winter operations teams known as “snow camps”, and those who need special licenses (such as commercial driver’s licenses, agricultural pest control licenses and well-drilling contractor licenses).

All employees are also eligible to accrue a Workforce Stability Stipend of $100 a month throughout the three-year contract period for a total of $3,600.

Although the contract is finalized and awaiting legislative approval, Johnson said the union would continue talks with the state in hopes of finding solutions to some of the members’ frustrations.

“The state is committed to partnering with IUOE in exploring recruitment, training and educational opportunities within the Trades classifications with a focus on increasing diversity and retaining skilled labor essential for continuing to innovate and adapt to meet the needs of the 21st century,” the contract reads.

“The work doesn’t stop,” Johnson said.