Update - May 9, 2008
On April 23, 2008, Local 17 held its first bargaining session with state negotiators. In our first session the parties agreed to the ground rules governing negotiations for the 2009 – 2011 collective bargaining agreement. The Union also presented its opening proposal to the state negotiators and they in turn had the opportunity to ask clarifying questions.
Proposals were made in the following areas:*
Article 3 Hiring and Appointments
Article 5 Hours of Work
Article 6 Overtime
Article 7 Training and Employee Development
Article 8 Development Advancement
Article 9 Holidays
Article 10 Vacation Leave
Article 11 Sick Leave
Article 12 Shared Leave
Article 13 Family and Medical Leave
Article 14 Severe Inclement Weather and Natural Disaster Leave
Article 15 Miscellaneous Leave
Article 17 Leave Without Pay
Article 21Travel and Per Diem
Article 23 Licensure and Certification
Article 25 Personnel Files
Article 27 Discipline
Article 28 Union Activities
Article 29 Grievance Procedure
Article 31 Reasonable Accommodation and Disability Separation
Article 36 Labor/Management Communication Committee
Article 37 Union Membership and Payroll Deduction
Article 38 Classification
Article 43 WSP Residency Requirement
Article 47 Term of Agreement
Memorandum of Understanding:
Washington State Patrol Arming
Memorandum of Understanding: Licensing Service Representatives Enhanced Driver’s License
Appendix A: Bargaining Units
Compensation Appendix G: Assignment Pay
On May 7, 2008, Local 17 held its second bargaining session with state negotiators. At the end of the session, each party decided on a number of articles to work on in the post-session, which will be presented at the next session on Wednesday May 21, 2008.
State negotiators presented their proposals in the following areas:*
Article 2 Non-Discrimination
Article 3 Hiring and Appointments
Article 5 Hours of Work
Article 6 Overtime
Article 7 Training and Employee Development
Article 9 Holidays
Article 10 Vacation Leave
Article 11 Sick Leave
Article 12 Shared Leave
Article 13 Family and Medical Leave
Article 14 Severe Inclement Weather and Natural Disaster Leave
Article 15 Miscellaneous Leave
Article 17 Leave Without Pay
Article 21 Travel and Per Diem
Article 26 Privacy and Off-Duty Conduct
Article 28 Union Activities
Article 29 Grievance Procedure
Article 32 Seniority
Article 36 Labor/Management Communication Committee
Article 38 Classification
Article 45 Savings ClauseAppendix A Bargaining Units
In addition, the State proposed two new articles regarding Uniformed Service Leave and Job Abandonment.
*In compliance with Article 36.3 of the Master Agreement, no proposals will be placed on either party’s website. For more detailed information about proposals made regarding any of the articles above, please contact any member of the state bargaining unit or your union representative. Lastly, it should be noted that these are only initial proposals and are thus subject to change.
Economic proposals will not be made until the economic forecast is out. Healthcare premium costs are bargained in coalition with all other state employee unions. We anticipate negotiations with the Coalition will begin in late June.
2009- 2011 - State Contract News
Didn’t We Just Get a New Contract?
It seems like our latest contract just became effective six months ago? Well it did! The legislation creating the new state collective bargaining system mandates this timetable for negotiating successive contracts.
Bargaining Law
The law requires contacts to be of a duration no longer than two years and coincide with the state biennial budget. Those budgets must be set by the legislature in each odd-numbered year. Since the fiscal terms of our contracts must be included in these budgets, it is logical that they must be negotiated before that legislative budget process begins. Hence, we negotiate the terms of the new agreements in the even-numbered years – a full year before it’s effective date. That’s why we begin negotiations a short six months after beginning a new contract.
Local 17 Timetable
This winter Local 17 began our process by distributing a contract survey. The survey was mailed to all members and also available on-line.
During November and December 2007 state members elected representatives to serve on the union policy committees. These committees met over the winter to create a negotiating strategy and select members from their committees to serve on the union negotiating team.
The state contract covers all Local 17 state employees working at Licensing, Transportation and the State Patrol agencies. Therefore Local 17 has members from all those agencies on negotiating team. Participants will represent all of our bargaining units and classifications.
The state negotiations team met in March at the Local 17 office, to review its draft proposal, get oriented to their negotiating roles, and receive updates on other activities and information affecting bargaining.
Local 17 negotiations began on April 23 and will continue through the end of September.
All state contracts must be ratified no later than October 1, in order to meet the budget deadline for OFM and the Governor’s office, as defined by law.
Look for updates on this project in future issues of Insight, on the web at www.ifpte17.org and on our telephone hotline 800-783-0017 (press 4).
• State Unions Prepare for Negotiations
