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Union calls for NEC pay increases as BRN and DCA describe vacancies and constraints
Summary
SEIU Local 1000 and speakers urged the board and DCA to address low pay for nursing education consultants; DCA counsel and budget staff described vacancy-sweep directives and limits on using BRN reserves to alter salary ranges.
Several public commenters and a union representative urged the Board of Registered Nursing on May 28 to take steps to increase pay for nursing education consultants (NECs) and other BRN staff, while DCA and BRN counsel explained limits on immediate action.
Bobby Roy, bargaining unit 21 chair for SEIU Local 1000, told the board the NECs who support nursing programs are “underpaid and overworked,” said many NEC positions are vacant, and asked the board and DCA to submit an employee compensation request under CalHR policy to adjust pay outside routine bargaining cycles. Roy said NEC vacancies threaten the board’s ability to provide timely consultation to nursing programs and urged use of BRN reserves because BRN is a specially funded entity with healthy reserves.
BRN legal counsel Reza Pejuez responded during the meeting’s initial public‑comment follow‑up that individual licensing or disciplinary hearings remain pending in some complaint cases (citing one high‑profile case) and that due process can limit immediate licensing actions. On compensation, DCA budget staff and BRN executive staff later described that vacancy‑savings directives and statewide position elimination budget letters had required elimination of certain vacant positions; Suzanne Balcos said the administration had directed reductions and that an identified number of positions were eliminated as part of that process.
DCA presenters also emphasized that salary ranges and raises for state employees are governed by CalHR and collective bargaining agreements. SEIU representatives and public commenters pointed to CalHR policies (employee compensation request processes) as a pathway to pursue off‑cycle compensation adjustments; the union said such requests have precedent and urged prompt action. Commenters urged flexibility in returning to office and asked leadership to track productivity and mitigate negative staff impacts.
Board members acknowledged concerns and asked staff to document vacancies and workload impacts. Budget presenters said they would provide details on vacancy counts and noted enforcement workload and complaint increases would further affect resource needs. The public comment and staff responses closed with an offer by BRN licensing staff to follow up with individual callers who described applicant or program issues.
No formal board action was taken on compensation at the May 28 meeting; union representatives said they would pursue negotiated or administrative remedies in parallel.
