California Reaches Agreements With 2 More Labor Unions

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Gov. Jerry Brown's administration has reached new contract agreements with unions representing about 12,000 maintenance workers and 6,000 psychiatric technicians.

The labor pacts come after the administration reached a deal with the Service Employees International Union Local 1000 earlier this month, the Sacramento Bee reports.

The latest contracts include a 14 percent raise over three years for the International Union of Operating Engineers, and a 9 percent raise over three years for the California Association of Psychiatric Technicians, with higher wage increases for some staff.

All the employees also must begin paying a fraction of their salaries toward retirement health benefits, an unfunded liability that the state has pegged at $74 billion.

The deals must still be ratified by members and approved by the state Legislature.