The State - News from June 6, 1985

The California State Employees Assn. has called in a mediator to help revive stalled contract negotiations affecting nearly 53,000 state workers, the union announced in Sacramento. Bargaining talks between the state and Unit 1 of the CSEA--which represents about 23,000 administrative, financial and staff-service workers--broke down May 28. Negotiations with Unit 4--comprised of nearly 30,000 office employees--are on the verge of collapsing, a union spokesman said. Since collective bargaining for state employees began in 1982, this is the first time a mediator has been called into negotiations on new contracts, CSEA President Leo E. Mayer said. Initial contract talks stalled because of the state’s refusal to give the union a proposal on pay, benefits and other economic items, Mayer said. Current contracts for the nine units within the CSEA expire at midnight June 30.