According to state civil service law, all state-employee labor contracts must be renewed by October of 2010. The timetable to begin negotiations will probably coincide with the conclusion of the 2010 legislative session. Cues for the tone of those negotiations will be seen during the current state legislative session.
As Local 17 staff reacts to legislative action, equal efforts have begun in order to prepare for contract negotiations. State members have participated in contract surveys resulting in numerous work rule proposals. Member policy committees for WSDOT, DOL and WSP will convene during February and March to further define issues and begin to form the union’s negotiating team which will eventual refine proposals and begin negotiations in the spring.
Further information on these preparations and on the actual negotiations will be provided by website updates, at union meetings and in future articles of Insight.
