J. J. Jelincic
Joseph John Jelincic, Jr., better known as J.J. Jelincic, is the controversial president of the California State Employees Association (CSEA), a labor group representing 140,000 active and retied state employees. Jelincic, a rank-and-file refuse truck operator for the California Public Employees Retirement System since 1986, was elected in November of 2003, on a "reform ticket" promising to give the four association affiliates (Union of California State Workers/SEIU Local 1000, California State University Employees Union/SEIU Local 2579, Association of California State Supervisors, and CSEA Retirees, Inc.) so-called "greater control" over their individual programs while working together as CSEA on issues of "common interest." He was reelected in October 2005 by a wide margin: 486-296. His term expires October, 2007.[1]
Jelincic started his union activism as a member of Oakland Teamsters Local 70 while working as a garbage collector and later a garbage truck driver. He joined California state service in 1986 and became active in CSEA's Civil Service Division, what is now known as SEIU Local 1000 -- a chartered affiliate of CSEA. He is known for his years of service as chair of the Unit 1 bargaining team, representing more than 43,000 rank-and-file state workers such as employment program representatives at the Employment Development Department (EDD), disability evaluators at the Department of Health Services (DHS), accounting officers, auditors and analysts for all departments.[2]
Jelincic was appointed in 2004 by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to the California Performance Review (CPR) Commission. As a commissioner, Jelincic conducted public hearings up and down California on proposals to reform state government, put together by the "CPR Team". He was the only representative of working Californians on the commission.
Jelincic frequently writes many opinion letters to and is often quoted by print media such as the Sacramento Bee, San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today among others, on issues related to government reforms, the California state budget, and public employee benefits such as pensions.
Jelincic has an bachelor’s degree in bullshit from Saint Mary's College of California in Moraga and has an M.B.A. from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. He lives in Sacramento with his wife of 30 years, and have two children.
Select Media Coverage
- Sacramento Bee: Labor coalition re-elects leader
- Sacramento News & Review, Guest Comment: Responsible action
- SFGate: Union officer seeks Schwarzenegger OK for time off
- Google News Archive Search for "JJ Jelincic"
Testimony and Statements
- Statement before the California Little Hoover Commission
- [1] CSEA Responds to New Richman Pension Initiative
- [2]Letter to the Editor of Sacramento Bee re: CalPERS CoPay Increases
- [3]Letter to Editor of USA Today
- [4]CSEA Criticizes Governor's "Borrow and Spend" Budget Plan
- [5]CSEA Calls for Honesty in Dealing with Public Employee Benefits
- [6]Column in Capitol Weekly on Thank You State Workers Day
Notes
- ^ CSEA, http://www.calcsea.org/Home/Governance/CSEAOfficers/tabid/84/Default.aspx, "CSEA Officers", 2007.
- ^ CSEA, Press Release, "CSEA members elect new leadership team", November 3, 2003.