I want to give you an update on upcoming contract negotiations over your 2017-2019 successor labor agreement, which are scheduled to start with the State on April 26 at our Teamsters Headquarters in Tukwila. 

Over the last several weeks, we have been collecting your feedback through the contract survey process and at our contract demands meetings. On April 25, we will meet with your union bargaining committee to review your feedback and to finalize our proposals for bargaining.

I will serve as the lead negotiator for the Union. All DOC Business Representatives and the following 19 rank-and-file members will be representing you at the bargaining table:

FIRST NAME LAST NAME JOB CLASS FACILITY
Sandra Conner ARNP AHCC
Greg Starr CO2 AHCC
Jeremy Sheldon SE1 CBCC
Julie  Brown CRT1 CRCC
Levi Dean CO2 CRCC
Shawn Piliponis CC2 LCC
Lynn Kunkle RN2 MCC
James Palmer SGT MCC
Lance Rogers CO2 MCC
Alena Folson-McGowan AC Cook MCCCW
Jon Gortmaker Pharm Asst. ML Pharm
Richard Mate SGT OCC
Jeremy Wright CO2 SCCC
Mel Coplin Phych Assoc SCCC
Larry Reeves SGT WCC
Mike Delgado SGT WCCW
Chris Malone SGT WSP
Scott Nettles CO2 WSP
Julie Porter CC3 WSP


As with the last round of contract negotiations, we have access to interest arbitration rights for these negotiations. Our interest arbitration rights were secured through your strong presence in Olympia and through the work of your Secretary-Treasurer, John Scearcy.

Interest arbitration gives us the ability to take mandatory subjects of bargaining to a third-party, neutral arbitrator should we reach impasse with the State. Arbitrator Howell Lankford will officiate our interest arbitration hearing, if necessary.

Our hope is to achieve an agreement with the State without having to utilize the interest arbitration process. If, however, we are unable to reach an agreement, we will use every tool available to ensure that we achieve the strongest possible agreement that best represents your interests.

To stay informed during bargaining, talk to your bargaining committee or steering committee members.  I will also be sending out regular email updates during bargaining.

The complete schedule for bargaining is as follows:  April 25-26 (Teamster HQ), May 23-24 (Olympia), June 9-10 (THQ), June 20-21 (Olympia), July 7-8 (THQ). If needed, mediation is tentatively schedule for August 2, and we have tentatively scheduled an interest arbitration hearing for August 29-Sept. 2.

Thank you for your participation in the process, and thank you for your service to our communities.

Please stay safe.