Arbitrator issues interest arbitration award for DOC

Tracey Thompson | September 26, 2014

Late this afternoon Arbitrator Howell Lankford issued his interest arbitration decision for Teamsters at the Department of Corrections.

We are still in the process of analyzing the award, but here is our initial assessment. The arbitrator has called for a 5.5% wage increase in the first year of the 2015-2017 biennium and a 4.3% increase in year two. The award also maintains the current 1.3% premium above the general government salary schedule.

At 9.8% over a two-year contract, the interest arbitration award gives you the highest general wage rate increase of all general government employees.

In addition, the arbitrator has awarded the following:

LPN weekend shift differential;
An increase from $25 per day to $50 per day for overtime exempt employees on call;
A 2.5% increase for sergeants;
Changes in salary range for the following classifications: Electronics Technician, Electronics Technician 4, Electronic Technician Supervisors, Correctional Records Technicians 1 and 2, Correctional Records Supervisor, Corrections and Custody Officer 3 (see page 31 of the award).

The award also “tentatively eliminates location pay” but gives the employer the discretion to retain it provided that the Department exercises that discretion in a non-arbitrary way (see page 24 of the award). In short, the DOC can choose to retain or eliminate the current location pay premium for DOC employees.

Your Union’s legal team is still in the process of analyzing all other elements of the award. We will continue to provide you with information as it becomes available.

The arbitrator’s complete award can be viewed here.

Thank you for everything you do to keep our communities safe.

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Brian Daniel commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-30 21:32:31 -0700

The HealthCare was a huge win! I personally tried to promote the HealthCare issue for employees to call, I even did an online petition and sent if forward with about 200 signatures on it.

I agree with the fact that we should all be paid the same for the same work that we do! I also agree that certain locations are more expensive to live in, so I do believe there should be a location pay that helps offset the cost of employees working at that facility.

Let’s just say the base pay is 2500. That wage in eastern WA can go alot further than in Monroe, especially when DOC uprooted the McNeil Island employees who now have to travel about 1.5 hours each way.
If the cost of living was equal everywhere, I would not be contesting the loss of the pay.

@john, the state is the one that added the extra assignment pay in the first place, NOT the Union. I agree that the Union was not forthcoming about this majestic thing they promoted to us called Interest Arbitration. I believe THEY need to be held accountable for not being upfront, BEFORE, we voted! The McLeary thing, I don’t think that should have been an issue. The state knew about it, failed it, and was found in contempt like you say. That means it wasn’t a NEW thing, and they should have planned accordingly instead of everyone getting raises and such. The Arbitrator should not have allowed this to be a reason for his decision. I think the UNION should have fought that and said that the state had plenty of opportunity to allocate the necessary resources!
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Joschue Reyes commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-30 05:35:01 -0700

Is it a huge WIN? No not really but it’s a step in the right direction for those who have lost out in the 5 percent for the last six years. In addition we were able to secure our insurance percentage. People might make a little extra money on their check rather than less as their previous raises have caused. I also believe that even though some people are upset because their initial year raise is only .5 percent the first year it is necessary equalize the pay across the state because if everyone was issued the location pay along with the 9.8 there would still be one side making more than the other. My hope is that next contract negotiations would prove more effective because we are all starting from the same point and the disparity in pay for same job class is something we would not have to deal with from this point on and be something that would bog down progress. My opinion of course.
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John Daniel commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-29 10:05:06 -0700

I know what I am doing, and I know what I am trying to get everyone else to do is this….. take my union dues and instead of paying to the union whom has obviously not done a thing for any of us, have it go to charity instead.
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Robert Percifield commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-29 08:56:36 -0700

Obviously you don’t understand. This is not about location, retention or geographic pay. This is about the union putting us in a no win situation. After all is said done and voted on the best deal we could have got would have been the initial 3% the state offered. The union lied about arbitration that is what needs to be understood. From my earlier post the union agreed to a memo of understanding=MOU, not binding arbitration, like they sold us on. Legislature does not have to fund it and probably will not. They want us arguing over retention pay to keep us from seeing what is really going on. The state is forecast for -$900 million for the next biennium and need to find $2.5 billion to fund McCleary, which they have put off for a year and been held in contempt over. Not to mention owing the teachers unions COLAs for the past two years because of I732. I wonder where they will put the money?!! Open your eyes and understand what is going on!
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Brian Daniel commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-29 00:48:59 -0700

Here is what I propose, or some other variation that might be more acceptable.
It seems there has been created a division almost amongst those who have enjoyed this so called GEO pay or Assignment Pay, and those who don’t receive it. Those words are synonymous with the same pay. I propose that we choose to split this pay up, so as to be more fair. If the state chooses to have a retention pay, I propose they have merely a small retention incentive pay. I also propose that there be a location pay, COLA if you will, that directly correlates to the zipcode of the facility you work for. I think the breakdown of this would not create so much discontent amongst us, afterall, we should be all on the same team! We all do pretty much the same thing, and we should ALL be paid accordingly. However, that being said, there are different costs of living associated with different areas, and we should also be able to perform those same duties, in a higher cost of living environment so we can provide for our families.

I hope I made sense, and lets all please be respectful with eachother.
-Brian
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Marc Richards commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-29 00:00:53 -0700

Robert, I have read the agreement, and I stand firm in my below comments regarding pay, you can imply that I and others are stupid and not smart enough to understand what is being said; it does not matter to me, perhaps we are not all as smart as you.

I do understand some of what you are saying and perhaps we can build a civil conversation that can raise some eyebrows and/or get others involved. I agree the agreement is not binding and it must be funded. I also read that the state can choose to retain the pay, I don’t believe they will. I maybe wrong, I have been before.

I did read that the state may retain the pay for classifications that are difficult to fill. A question that I would like to pose to you and others is this. Do you truly feel they are going to retain the pay? If the answer is yes, I would love some elaboration into it, because I don’t see it happening.

Thanks for the conversation.
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Robert Percifield commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-28 22:43:50 -0700

Marc and anyone else who have not read the entire decision, Location, Geo or retention pay has NOT BEEN ELIMINATED. I posted earlier asking everyone to read the decision, WSP, CRCC and MCC still have this pay option available to them. Difference is DOC has discretion on how to use it, but only at those three institutions. Further more this so called arbitration is NOT BINDING. News flash Teamsters LIED! This is a MOU a deal cut by the union with the Governor thru the OFM. This is not a binding statute voted on by the legislature. They due not have to fund this agreement! Teamsters need to go!!!! Please have as many people as you can read this decision and people with the ability to understand what is being said DON’T BE SILENT!!!!
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Marc Richards commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-28 18:00:46 -0700

I do not believe that I or anyone else here stated that taking pay from folks was needed. that is an emotional assumption which is fine. We are looking at this from two different perspectives. My perspective everyone is equal. Do others truly feel that they deserve an additional 5 percent for doing the same job? If so I am sorry, it just goes to show you what greed does to a person. I have worked at a facility that got this extra pay, what every you wish to elude to it as, ie retention, geographic, or location, it all adds up to the same thing in my opinion.

Lets explore how anything is getting taken away for a moment. The prisons that are getting this “special” pay loose it for a tune of 5 percent. We as a whole gain 5.5 in the first year, thus offsetting the five percent and everyone gets an increase. Some will argue oh boy I get a .05 percent raise, well please keep in mind that the rest of the union has went with out 5 percent for 6 years, adding up to several thousand dollars of lost income that well never be reimbursed.

Now lets look at year number 2 EVERYONE will get a 4.3 percent increase. That is a heck of a lot better then what every other state employee is getting with their contracts, if you think I am blowing smoke, take a look at the facts yourself. In addition to this increase we will see an additional 1.3 percent increase and Sergeants, will see another 2.5 percent as a whole.

Folks tend to, and I am guilty of this as well at times, look at the small picture that is only effecting them, and perhaps I did that to an extent with my first post, and if I did I apologize to all that it may of offender.

It is my true belief that the only way to progress in a fair and just matter is to level the playing field for all employees, not a select group. I believe this contract did this, try not to look at what is being lost, what is being gained is the important issue, and I feel I have outlined that in the above paragraphs enough at least to satisfy myself.

I would also like to pose a question to everyone, what have WE as a group done to see change implemented within the rank and file of the department? How many meetings have we been to? How many times, have we made the trip to Olympia to lobby? The only way to get anything done is by uniting as a group and forging on.

Bottom line, I may not agree with you, and you may not agree with me, however, at the end of the day we have one thing in common, we all care about each other and are proud of the job we do. I truly to appreciate all the work everyone does, and I hope this posting is a little more tactful than my last. Take care and be safe.
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Gregory Bellamy commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-28 12:16:29 -0700

I wonder if the legislative representatives are going to be able to fund this arbitration ruling. In the past senator Hargrove stated to me they have no money for funding arbitration. And education come 1st for the funding. The governor may put it in his budget but that don’t mean he will get it. The state court told the law makers to properly fund education. Well you know what that mean some of our legislative representatives are against the arbitration ruling for us. Now it the time to call the law makers and tell them to get the funding. Nothing for sure in this state.
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David Brown commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-28 11:38:39 -0700

Peppers I was just stating a fact that ever time we get a. Pay raise the state takes a lot of it back by saying the cost of medical has gone up. So say good by to that 0.5 or 5.5% pay raise
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chester rooney commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-28 08:46:16 -0700

Red M&M Blue M&M it all ends up the same color in the end. Retention pay was a perfect way to split us in half, and it did. Look at retention pay by a scaled percentage of who goes through the revolving door of the prison work force not just the numbers of how many come through each facility. If the state have us ALL a raise instead of “retention pay” FOR SOME, they would have saved millions in comparison to how much they waste on training for new staff. It’s no secret they spend $30k to $40k on each new staff member, they could have put towards raises across the board to RETAIN all. Retention is a problem at all facilities not just the big ones, the percentage is the same! As long as the state thinks they will save money but not paying those deserving of it it will be a revolving door of new staff and a waste of money due to them leaving for better passing jobs and us, the ones who try and ride it out. RETENTION PAY BASED ON GEO WAS A TACTIC TO SPLIT THE UNION AND DEFEAT THE PURPOSE OF FORMING ONE IT’S NO CONSPIRACY… ONLY THE IGNORANCE OF GREED WILL MAKE YOU BLIND! thank you to the logical people that helped us step in the right direction.
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John Peppers commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-28 02:31:21 -0700

health insurance was already settled, read the newspaper and stick to the subject of pay.
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Jasper Jamison commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-28 00:58:31 -0700

Why would you ever think that taking pay away from someone else just because you’re not getting it is “Fair”? Do you also think that King County should have their pay reduced to your level of pay just to make it fair? I really don’t believe that these thoughts even occurred to you until they were put there. The reason is because it’s not work people want to do in an area where it’s not a living wage. You don’t have new cores of 20 officers coming in every other month at Clallam Bay either do you? No because you don’t have retention issues like we do. It’s RETENTION pay not GEO pay. I believe that working at the bay is tough work and if the legislature came out and said “You know, working at the bay is tough and those guys deserve a 20% raise” but gave nothing to the rest of us I would say it is unfair but I would NEVER say that they should TAKE IT AWAY FROM YOU. Never. Not for a second.
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William Hall commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-27 21:46:46 -0700

All Unions care about is how much unions due they can collect and that is all.
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David Brown commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-27 21:18:05 -0700

Time to go with a guild. And just think in about two weeks the state is going to tell us are health insureance is going up by 5%.so then we will be making less then we did this year.
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Robert Percifield commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-27 21:17:04 -0700

Read what I wrote, than read the arbitration decision. Of course geographic pay was unfair, our raise should have extended Geo pay to all than a raise on top. Now it’s worse DOC can still give Geo pay, still only to the select institutions, but now they can pick and choose the job classes that receive it. Do me a favor don’t comment until you get all the facts.
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Marc Richards commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-27 20:48:08 -0700

Funny how most of the complaints are coming from folks that have the geo or location pay. You did not complain six years ago when the rest of us got left in the dust. Why should you be paid more than others, is your job harder than mine at Clallam Bay? I think not, we all do the same work. Give me a valid reason please. All this does is makes us even pay wise, in my opinion the union did us right as a whole.
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chester rooney commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-27 20:03:13 -0700

Better than nothing you greedy old farts!
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Jim Leffew commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-27 19:49:30 -0700

It is time to decertify the Union and form a Correctional Workers Guild like Seattle Police Department, King County Adult and Juvenile Corrections and Sheriff’s Department. All I heard was how interest arbitration was a good thing and going to benefit us, BUT, a .05% last year and take away GEO pay to boot. This is BS.
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Andy Davis commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-27 15:40:37 -0700

about time the state realized their mistake. we dont need no stinkin geo pay lol!!!!
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Robert Percifield commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-27 14:10:11 -0700

The union sold out geographic pay and the state wasn’t even asking to take it! What a bunch of idiots(union). Now DOC can pick by classification at the selected facilities to give geographic pay. This is real smart!! Doc can now hire c/o 1s, give them a two step bump in pay to keep them and keep them as intermittent indefinitely. AWESOME!!!
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David Brown commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-27 13:26:16 -0700

What a joke a 0.5 raise the first year.
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Ronald Spivey commented on Arbitrator Issues Interest arbitration award for DOC 2014-09-26 23:52:11 -0700

Hey omg I’m gonna get a 5% raise 2 years from July 1st of this year. Boy howdy I just knew our union would make sure I get what I deserve. Life is good ha ha now I can have hot dogs with my top ramen yummers.