Professional Engineers in California Government (PECG) is the official representative for over 13,000 Bargaining Unit 9 employees, which include engineers, surveyors, architects, geologists and other related professionals. PECG has headquarters in Sacramento and maintains satellite offices in San Francisco and Glendale. PECG is composed of 17 local “sections” that represent a different geographical area and/or governmental agency of the State. PECG serves rank & file Unit 9 employees and supervisory/managerial members the following areas: contract (MOU) or impact negotiations; assistance in adverse actions, disciplinary appeals, grievances, and arbitration; group legal actions; legislative advocacy; and other services as required. PECG is a non-profit corporation that is neither affiliated with nor controlled by any other labor organization. The corporate web site is www.pecg.org and the e-mail address is pecg@pecg.org.

PECG is YOU! PECG is all about us working together to achieve a common goal, which is to provide effective and dependable representation for engineers, architects, surveyors, geologists, and related professionals in state government. A professional organization like PECG is most effective when its members become informed, get involved and effect improvement. Your participation in PECG is critical in achieving our goals. There is strength in numbers.

Each section annually elects a director from their local membership to serve on a 25-person PECG Board of Directors, including eight statewide elected officers. Each Board member is a state employee and serves without compensation. PECG contracts with Blanning & Baker Associates, professional labor consultants, to advise the Board and oversee PECG’s day-to-day operations. PECG also retains the services of several attorneys, legislative advocates and support staff.

The LA Section represents state employees in the following agencies: Caltrans, Air Resources Board, Industrial Relations, California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Toxic Substances Control, Water Resources, Statewide Health Planning & Development, Conservation (Oil & Gas), State Lands Commission, Health Services, Colorado River Board, Housing/Finance, Office of Emergency Services, Public Utilities Commission, Division of State Architect, Housing and Community Development and California Integrated Waste Management Board. About two-thirds of LA Section members work at Caltrans.

An Executive Committee (EC) consisting of officers and delegates governs the LA Section. Officers include President, Director, President-Elect, VP (Rank & File), VP (Supervisory), VP (At Large), Treasurer and Secretary. EC members are elected annually from the membership. The section director and president represent Los Angeles at quarterly PECG corporate meetings.

The Executive Committee manages the business and affairs of the section; helps members resolve informal conflicts with local management; keeps the membership informed; recruits members; and monitors employee workplace conditions. Issues of a more formal nature (adverse actions, grievances, etc.) are referred to counsel Jesse Rodriguez of PECG’s Glendale office (phone number 818-500-9941).

A delegate is best described as a “representative at large.” Delegates serve on section committees, organize section coffees and luncheons, take sign-ups for section events, bring concerns to the attention of section leaders, distribute information to the membership, and other duties as required. The delegate position serves as the introductory step into PECG’s organizational structure, and upon completion of a full term, may run for higher office.

Any LA Section PECG member in good standing who meets the qualifications can become an officer or delegate by running for office in the annual section elections held each September. A one-year term of office begins at the annual Installation luncheon in October. The Executive Committee may also appoint a delegate mid-term (to fill a vacancy) upon presentation of a nominating petition signed by the candidate and at least 10 other members. Contact the current Section president if you wish to get involved in PECG.

Yes, all officers and delegates are expected to attend monthly EC meetings in downtown LA. EC members working in outlying areas may participate via conference call. Officers and delegates may be invited to the quarterly Corporate Board meeting in Sacramento. These meetings help officers and delegates understand PECG’s corporate decision-making process and statewide operation.

No. Officers and delegates are volunteers and do not receive any monetary compensation. PECG volunteers are reimbursed for approved travel and business expenditures incurred while performing their official duties. Time off to attend PECG meetings and activities are arranged with one’s supervisor.

Keeping the local membership informed and resolving concerns are high priorities. The LA Section organizes informational meetings at non-Caltrans state agencies where invited PECG representatives can meet with local members. This has proven to be an effective means of allowing members to communicate their questions, concerns and needs face to face with PECG leaders.

The section Vice President (At Large) represents local non-Caltrans members and works with the corporate Vice President (At Large) to address non-Caltrans member concerns. Section officers and delegates working at non-Caltrans agencies are expected to bring the concerns of their members to the attention of section leaders and to regularly communicate with the Section VP (At Large). Only non-Caltrans members are eligible to run for this office.

Supervisory and managerial employees working for the State are often incorrectly referred to as “non-represented.” This term is incorrect and can mislead engineering and related supervisors and managers into believing that they should not join PECG or drop their membership when they are promoted to a supervisory or managerial position.

Supervisors, through the Excluded Employee Bill of Rights in Government Code Section 3531, are guaranteed the right to form, join, and participate in activities of employee organizations of their own choosing for the purposes of representation on all matters of supervisory employer-employee relations. Further, Section 3530 provides the employer organizations with the right to represent supervisory employee members and employment relations including grievances.

Additional protection for supervisory employees is provided in Section 3538, which prohibits the state employer with interfering with, intimidating, restraining, coercing, or discriminating against supervisory employee because of the exercise of their rights under the law.

Managerial employees also have the right to be represented. The only restriction is that they cannot hold office in an employee organization. Supervisory and managerial employees also have civil service rights, which frequently require safeguarding, and representation.

• PECG efforts have resulted in Unit 9 supervisors and mangers receiving pay parity raises.

• PECG provides individual representation on grievances, adverse actions, claims, appeals, classification matters, and discrimination complaints is available to all PECG members.

• PECG is co-sponsoring AB 1186 which will establish an Excluded and Exempt Employee Compensation Advisory Commission to determine salary and benefit levels for supervisory and managerial employees.

• PECG opposes many legislative bills that would have an adverse impact on supervisors and managers, such as SB 265 that would reduce holidays and SB 1063 that would allow supervisors and managers to be furloughed.

• In addition, PECG’s Supervisory Meet & Confer Team negotiates with the State on behalf of supervisors and managers each year for salary and benefits and other issues.