California offers 12 percent to largest state employee union

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California has offered its largest state employee union a nearly 12 percent salary increase over four years.

The Sacramento Bee reports (https://bit.ly/2aEeIIR ) the July 8 proposal comes in contract talks between Gov. Jerry Brown’s office and Service Employee International Union 1000 officials. It includes another option of a 9 percent increase over three years.

The offer would boost payments to post-retirement health benefits by 3.5 percent over either three or four years.

Union officials said June 30 talks had reached a “crossroads.” A previous update expressed dissatisfaction with a 10 percent increase over four years.

The union that represents 95,000 state employees has been seeking a 22 percent increase over four years.

Administration spokeswoman Lynda Gledhill says her office doesn’t comment on bargaining. Union officials did not immediately respond.