After nine months of General Negotiations, ESC’s Negotiating Committee is pleased to announce that the Union has reached a Tentative Agreement (TA) with PG&E. The TA includes:

• A General Wage Increase of 5% for 2026, 5% for 2027, and 5% for 2028, with full retroactive pay back to January 2026 if the agreement is ratified on the first vote
• A retroactive pension adjustment for those who have retired since February 2026
• $1500 ratification bonus per employee
• New Remote Work exhibit that preserves the possibility for Remote Work permanently in the Contract. Remote Work arrangements will continue to be governed by local agreements
• Preserved or increased healthcare benefits, though premium co-pay has increased from 7.5% of premiums to 10% of premiums, with this increase far outweighed by the General Wage benefit
• Preserved sick time, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability
• Preserved vacation accrual rate (new 2x accrual cap in 2028 with new provisions for vacation payout)
• Preserved time and mileage pay
• New Distribution Design Engineer classification that converts all existing Electric Estimators, SREEs, and ADEs into SRDDEs, DDEs, DEs, and Associate DEs and gives them the same advancement and bidding rights as new hires into the classification, as well as higher top steps for Senior DDE and DDE. ESC will send members more information on the DDE classification by email
• Path for Gas ADEs and Estimators who meet the new requirements to take all DDE modules and DDE exam to bid into DDE vacancies with wage protection
• Improved ability for gas estimators to delay or split shifts to take engineering courses
• Equity adjustments for many classifications
• New higher classifications in many lines of progression
• 2x OT during major electric events expanded to all hourly employees
• Reorganized Title 21 bidding
• Provision for Mandatory Pre-arranged Emergency OT
• Transition to exchanges for retiree medical, anticipated to save the vast majority of retirees money
• New SO 205 language specifying the jurisdiction of Estimators and when the Estimating Function will be involved
• Many updated job descriptions
• New GC per diems
• New hourly OT meal $50 in lieu payment

ESC staff are currently preparing a ratification packet to give members all specifics on the TA and necessary details to cast an informed vote. The Union will also conduct ratification meetings to discuss the TA and answer questions, with dates, times, and modalities/locations to be announced soon.

Following distribution of the ratification packet and ratification meetings, ESC members will vote on whether to ratify the Tentative Agreement. This vote will be conducted by mail, with more details to come. If members vote to ratify the TA, it will become the next ESC-PG&E Contract. The ESC Negotiating Committee and ESC PG&E Unit Board unanimously recommend a YES vote to ratify the TA.

These negotiations were extremely comprehensive and, while General Negotiations began in July 2025, they were preceded by many months of ad hoc negotiations and preparation for bargaining. The Union thanks all members who served as ad hoc negotiators and SMEs, made themselves available for consultation, took part in unity events, and attended meetings to stay informed. It is only thanks to your consistent solidarity and determination to secure the strongest contract possible that the Negotiating Committee was able to reach this TA.

In solidarity,

John Mader, President
Francisco Preciado, ESC Executive Director
And the ESC General Negotiations Committee:
Frankie Au-Yeung, Principal Automation Engineer, ESC Steward
Joe Steinberg, Associate Distribution Engineer – Gas, ESC Steward
Andre Williams, Sr. Consulting Project Manager, ESC Steward
Zach Klein, Sr. Nuclear Engineer, ESC Steward
Caitlin Kniazewycz, Principal Mapping Technician – Gas, ESC PG&E Unit Treasurer
Rene Vasquez, Sr. Engineering Estimator – Electric, ESC PG&E Unit Vice President of Divisions
Joel Foster, Associate Distribution Engineer – Electric, ESC PG&E Unit Executive Vice President