overview of general
government negotiations

June 27, 2006

After reviewing and making minor corrections on June 26, WPEA’s General Government Master Bargaining Team presented the union's initial proposals to the State's Bargaining Team on June 27. Most proposed changes to the contract are in the interest of creating clarity, taking out ambiguity, and avoiding confusion. Negotiations will take place on July 24-28 and August 14-18 at the Department of Revenue Building on Linderson Way in Tumwater.

July 24, 2006

The WPEA/UFCW 365 General Government Master Bargaining Team met today with the Governor’s team for presentation of the state’s proposals.  While there were some “interesting” proposals from management, the parties remain confident that they will get a good agreement.  The representative for the Governor, Glen Christopherson, stated that there were certainly bumps and some “bruises” in the implementation of the first Master Agreement, the Governor hoped to come to a fair and reasonable agreement. 

After reviewing Management’s proposals – the parties were able to tentatively agree on:

  • Preamble

  • Recognition Clause

  • Inmate Crew Supervision

  • Off Duty Conduct

  • Residency Requirement

  • Aviation Insurance

  • VEBA

  • Strikes

  • Printing of Agreement

The parties discussed and exchanged proposals on:

  • Performance Evaluation

  • Non-Operational Worksites

  • Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace

  • Seniority

WPEA members came out in force on Monday, July 24, to show support for the General Government Master Bargaining Team who began negotiations with the State at the Department of Revenue Office in Tumwater.

Negotiations will be suspended for Tuesday, July 25, so that WPEA can return to the Health Care Bargaining table as a member of the State Employee Union Coalition.

July 26, 2006

The parties returned to bargaining with an upbeat attitude on Wednesday, after settling the health care article with the employer agreeing to pay 88% of health insurance and 100% of dental, long term disability, and basic life insurance. 

The Union and the State reached tentative agreement on:

  • Shared Leave

  • Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace

  • Seniority

 The parties exchanged proposals on:

  • Training

  • Legal Defense

  • Labor Management Communication Committee

July 27, 2006

The Union and the State discussed proposals on:

  •  FMLA

  • Safety and Health

  • Uniform, Tools, and Equipment

  • Use of State Vehicles

  • Employee Activity and Privacy

  • Union Activity

  • Grievance Procedure

Agreement was reached on:

  • Non-Operational Worksite

  • Inability to Report to Work

The State had some concern with:

  • The Union's proposal to utilize e-mail to communicate with its members in-line with the new state law  on Employee Communications (SSB 2898).  The new law states that an employee can distribute communications from the Union to other state employees. 

  • The state also had concern over release time for grievance processing for both the Job Representatives and the aggrieved parties. 

A small group from the Union team and a small group form the State's team met to see if an acceptable agreement could be reached.  The parties had a valuable discussion but were unsuccessful in reaching agreement. 

July 28, 2006

The Union and the State traded proposals on:

  • Non-Discrimination and Workplace Dignity

    •

  • FMLA

  • Safety and Health

  • Uniform, Tools, and Equipment

  • Discipline

  • Personnel Files and Employee Information

  • Fitness for Duty, Reasonable Accommodation, Disability Separation

  • Management Rights

  • Savings Clause

  • Duration

The parties tentatively agreed to articles on:

  • Personnel Files and Employee Information

  • Management Rights

August 13, 2006

WPEA's Team met Sunday, August 13, to develop a compensation proposal and be ready to continue bargaining on Monday.

August 14, 2006

WPEA Bargaining Team returned to the table on August 14. They presented counter proposals on:

  • Savings Clause

    •

  • Grievance Procedure

  • Reasonable Accommodation

  • Training

  • Discipline

  • Sick Leave

  • Misc. Leave

    •

  • Layoff and Recall

  • Classification

  • Hiring and Appointments

The management team countered with:

  • Hiring and Appointments

  • Classification

  • Legal Defense

  • Union Security

  • Reasonable Accommodation

  • Discipline

  • Sick Leave

    •

  • Misc. Leave

By the end of the day, the following articles were tentatively agreed to:

  • Non-Discrimination

  • Leave without Pay

August 15, 2006

The WPEA team met only face to face with the management team for a short time on Tuesday. We were able to offer counters on the following:

  • Classification

  • Union Activities

  • Uniforms/Tools/Equipment

  • Management presented counter proposals on:

  • Layoff and Recall

The parties tentatively agreed to the Legal Defense article.

August 16, 2006

The parties were able to engage in more time together at the table. The union provided the following counters to management:

  • Sick  Leave

  • Misc. Leave

  • Discipline

  • Hiring and Appointments

  • Holidays

  • CVEO3 Transition Plan

  • Layoff and Recall

  • Wildfire Suppression and Other Emergency Duties

The employer countered with:

  • Savings Clause

  • Discipline

  • Uniform/Tools/Equipment

  • Training

  • Layoff and Recall

We agreed upon the following articles:

  • Classifications

  • Savings Clause

  • Appendix A - Bargaining Units

  • Reasonable Accommodation

  • Training

  • Holidays

August 17, 2006

In a effort to move quickly to the compensation proposal, the Union team spent most of the night preparing responses to outstanding articles.  The next day, August 17, WPEA team  presented:

  • Wildfire Suppression

  • Misc. Leave

  • Layoff and Recall/Layoff Units (Appendix B)

Management countered with:

  • Wildfire Suppression

  • Misc. Leave

  • Sick Leave

We tentatively agreed to:

  • Uniforms/Tools/Equipment

  • Discipline

Members from general government and higher ed units came to the General Government negotiations to show management our union's solidarity and the team our support.

 

 

August 18, 2006

The WPEA Team presented our compensation proposal to management. The Team wanted to provide you details on the WPEA compensation proposal in the interest in keeping you up to date and informed. However, there is a downside to providing the details of the proposal: being forthright with the proposal opens the Union and our members up to public criticism. We could keep the compensation package secret and avoid the possibility of public attack, but the Team believes that it is important to be transparent and open.

The WPEA General Government Bargaining Team presented the proposal but you - the members wrote it. It is based on proposals submitted by you which were vetted and researched. We believe it is fair and reasonable especially given the current revenue forecast for the State.

WPEA is proposing:

  • 4.9% COLA the first year of the contract and 4.9% the second year

  • funding the salary survey up to 10% below prevailing rate

  • additional assignment pay for wildfire duty, firearm training duties, and working with incarcerated individuals.

This is comparable to what the California State Employees are prepared to receive from the Republican Governor - we believe that our Governor should do not less. 

We also proposed:

  • improvements in vacation leave accruals

  • going back to schedule/non-scheduled employment, and

  • daily overtime

There are still a few articles on the table - most on management's side. The teams will return to bargaining on Tuesday, August 22 with the hopes of finalizing the economic portion of the contract and have it ready for the ratification vote in September.

September 8, 2006

Contract ratification voting for WPEA's General Government members in good standing mailed - must be received at mail house by 5 pm on Wednesday, September 27. Please let WPEA know immediately if you did not receive your ballot!

 

 MARK YOUR CALENDARS...

Click here for Important Contract Overview Meetings

General Government Master Bargaining Agreement
Overwhelming Ratified by the Membership

Of those general government members who voted, the contract passed by 87%.

Special thanks go to WPEA members who stood as official observers during the counting of the General Government ballots: Candace Alvarez, Olympic College; Bill Johnson, Department of Revenue; Earl Kalles, Liquor Control Board; Patti Pollardo, Edmonds Community  College; and CaraBeth Stevenson, Grays Harbor College.

Your 2006 General Government
Negotiating Team

From left back: Dave Henderson, Licensing; Stacy Cutlip, Liquor Control Board; Kent Stanford, Natural Resources; Ernie Brown, Washington State Patrol; Bill Johnson, Revenue; Lynn Anderson, Fish & Wildlife; and Lori Scheer-Matheson, School for the Deaf, along with WPEA Staff Marian Gonzales, Leslie Liddle and Lou Baker.

 

 

 

Overview of Higher Ed Negotiations

Overview of YVCC  Negotiations

Overview of Healthcare Negotiations

 

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