AFSCME agrees to zero COLA (posted Aug. 19, 2010)
As reported in the Seattle Times, one of the Unions in the King County Coalition of Unions – AFSCME – has tentatively agreed to zero COLA increase for members at King County for the upcoming bargaining cycle. The AFSCME agreement affects nine bargaining units covering 500 employees and has not been approved by AFSCME members. We understand that AFSCME intends to vote its members on the proposal in the coming weeks. Neither Teamsters Local 117 nor the other Unions in the Coalition were informed of AFSCME’s position concerning COLA bargaining. We do know that there is a “me too” clause in their agreement, meaning that AFSCME members will benefit from any agreement that is negotiated by the Coalition if the Coalition achieves a COLA for 2011 higher than zero. It is important to note that Teamsters Local 117 has NOT come to any agreement with the County with respect to COLA. Local 117 Shop Stewards and bargaining committee members, along with other rank-and-file members of the Coalition of Unions, will be meeting at the Teamsters Union Hall in Tukwila on September 14 to develop a joint strategy for COLA bargaining. On the issue of COLA, your Local Union is committed to achieving the best possible agreement that reflects the priorities of the membership as they are expressed at the September 14 meeting. We will continue to keep you informed as information develops regarding COLA bargaining. Union Stewards to meet and strategize over COLA bargaining (posted Aug. 16, 2010) The King County Coalition of Unions has scheduled a meeting for all Shop Stewards and Bargaining Committee members to discuss and develop a strategy for COLA bargaining. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 14, from 12 noon to 3 P.M. at the Teamsters Hall in Tukwila (14675 Interurban Ave. S., Tukwila, WA 98168). If you are a Local 117 Shop Steward or member of the Bargaining Committee, it is critical that you attend so that you can engage in the discussion and make your voice heard. After the meeting, your Local Union will distribute a report that summarizes the outcomes of the meeting. For more information, talk to your Business Representative. Sales-tax measure to be on November ballot (posted July 20, 2010)
By a 5-4 margin, the King County Council has voted to send a sales-tax measure to the voters that, if passed, is expected to generate $59 million in 2011 and $80 million in 2012. The additional revenue would be used to support the County's criminal justice system. The Seattle Times reported today on the issue. 60% of the revenue would go to the County, while the remainder would go to the cities based on population. This is an important step to solving the County's structural problem and your Local Union will be asking for your support in helping to pass the measure in November. If you would like to get involved, talk to your Business Representative. Concessions will not solve County's structural mess (posted July 13, 2010)
In a press conference on July 13, King County Executive Dow Constantine announced a wage freeze, including no cost-of-living or step increases, for his entire staff for 2011 and he urged the labor community to follow suit. Constantine said these measures are necessary to address the $60 million deficit facing the County. Your Local Union understands the gravity of the budget crisis at the County and, as it has done in the past, is prepared to work with the County to help contain costs. Last year, County employees agreed to pay more for their health care, a gesture that will save the County $37 million over the next three years. County employees also agreed to take 10 furlough days in 2009, which amounted to a pay cut for thousands of County workers. Several County programs were eliminated entirely in 2009 and many employees lost their jobs. To suggest, as the Seattle Times has done in numerous editorials over the past several months, that County employees have not made significant sacrifices during this economic downturn is simply untrue. It is also important to recognize that nickel and diming County employees will not solve the ongoing structural problem at King County that has led to expenditures outpacing revenues over the last several years. County employees did not cause this problem, as the media and some politicians incorrectly suggest. The problem exists as a result of an increased demand for services, misguided Eyman-style voter initiatives, and State law that hamstrings the County from implementing progressive tax reform. Although the economic crisis the country is facing has exacerbated our predicament, an uptick in the economy will not make the underlying problem go away. We need to fix the structural mess. A first step in solving the problem would be passage of the sales tax measure that has been proposed by the County Executive and endorsed by law enforcement advocates, such as King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg and others. Your Local Union will be asking for your support in working towards voter passage of this initiative should the measure get on the ballot in November. Other steps toward structural reform at the County may involve Union members meeting directly with their representatives in the State Legislature in Olympia. In any case, your Local Union is committed to helping the County solve its structural problem. But most importantly, we are committed to working with the County as a part of the collective bargaining process to negotiate a fair contract for all Local 117 members at King County. Given the uncertainty at the County, your engagement as we move closer to negotiations is more important than ever. There are lots of ways to get involved. You can attend Union meetings, contact public officials, or write letters defending County employees to the Seattle Times. In preparation for bargaining, members of Local 117 can also volunteer to serve on two committees: a Communications Committee and a Political Action Committee. Members who serve on the Communications Committee will form a ‘speakers’ bureau’ to speak out at media events, while members on the Political Action Committee will form lobbying teams to meet with elected officials and participate in other political action activities. Local 117 will provide training for members who want to serve on these committees. In the meantime, be sure to monitor the King County section of your Local Union’s website and the King County blog for ongoing developments. To sign up for the Communications or Political Action Committee, talk to your Business Representative or sign up online at www.teamsters117.org. To view a PDF of this report, click here. To view a press release on this issue, click here. Fact Finding Mediation to be rescheduled (posted July 12, 2010)
The Administrative Support Coalition Fact Finding Mediation scheduled for July 13th and 14th has been canceled. We anticipate rescheduling in September and October. The Coalition is lining up further information and economic witnesses for the hearing. We will notify you when we have a new hearing date. Seattle Times trashes public employees...again (posted July 8, 2010)
If you haven't already sent a letter to the editors of the Seattle Times condemning its anti-Union rhetoric with respect to employees at King County, now is the time. Yet again the Times has published an article on its editorial page calling for a dramatic overhaul of County employee compensation and benefits. This is the sixth time (at least) in the last two months that paper has written on this topic. They have failed to provide an alternate perspective. Tell the editors of the Seattle Times that their partisan, unbalanced use of the paper's editorial page to trash public employees is unacceptable and unfairly targets working families struggling to make ends meet. King County Political Action Committee to meet on July 15 (posted June 30, 2010)
Want to get involved in political action at the grassroots level? Join new Teamsters Local 117 Political Action Coordinator Lily Wilson-Codega for a King County Legislative and Political Action Committee meeting on Thursday, July 15 from 6:00-7:30PM at the Teamsters hall in Tukwila. If you plan to attend, please RSVP with Lily at 206-441-4860 ext. 1262. To view a flyer for this event, click here. The Seattle Times continues its anti-Union tirade (posted June 23, 2010)
The Seattle Times has published yet another editorial in today's paper attacking County workers. Enough is enough. Now is the time to post your comments online and flood the Times with letters in support County employees. To submit a letter to the editors of the Times by email, click here. Be sure to limit your letter to 200 words. Don't let the Seattle Times and local politicians continue to scapegoat public employees for the County's budget mess! Combat anti-Union messages in the media (posted June 17, 2010)
The Seattle Times has published an editorial that scapegoats King County employees for the County’s budget woes. This is the third editorial of its kind that the newspaper has published in the last month and appears to be part of a coordinated campaign to attack County employees and the Unions that represent them. Don’t let the Seattle Times continue to trash Union workers at King County! Click on the link to the editorial below and add your comments now! It only takes a few minutes, but will have an impact. Please also consider responding to the piece with a letter to the editors of the Seattle Times. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2012135655_joni17.html
Consider emphasizing the following in your post:
- County employees work exceedingly hard to provide vital services to the public.
- County employees drive our buses, treat our mentally ill, maintain our roads, clean up our parks, provide safe drinking water, clean up and protect our environment, keep our communities safe, and provide many other services critical to the health and welfare of our communities.
- Last year County employees and their Unions agreed to health and welfare concessions that will save the County $47 million over three years.
- County employees and their Unions also agreed to 10 furlough days, which amounted to a pay cut for thousands of County workers.
- County employees have become easy scapegoats for a structural problem that has emptied the County’s coffers due to Tim Eyman-style voter initiatives that have reduced revenues, while the demand for services continues to increase.
Take action now and post your comments on line! Dunn, Lambert unveil new tax proposal (posted June 17, 2010)
The Seattle Times reports that councilmembers Reagan Dunn and Kathy Lambert are proposing a "tax-neutral" ordinance that, they say, would spare criminal justice programs of devastating cuts due to the $60 million general-fund budget shortfall. Under the Lambert/Dunn plan, the sales tax would increase two-tenths of a cent to 9.7 cents on $1 purchases, while existing property taxes would be cut. If approved by Council, the proposal would be put to the voters on the November ballot. PT & A unit read for action (posted May 27, 2010)
With the County projecting a $60 million deficit, the sales-tax measure facing Republican blockade, and a climate so hostilely anti-labor that Councilmember Dunn is running around the County calling it a “work-free drug zone,” Teamsters at King County will need to be organized, informed, and engaged in order to achieve outcomes in bargaining that protect the rights of working families. “We have to be united and stick together and encourage our fellow members to do the same,” said Vicki Moore, one of 18 Shop Stewards from the Professional, Technical and Administrative Support job classifications who gathered at the Teamsters Building on May 22 to prepare for upcoming negotiations. “This is going to be a tough bargain and our ability to mobilize people is going to be crucial.” “There was a lot of good dialogue and a lot of good ideas,” said Jennifer Broadus, a new Steward in the County’s Solid Waste Division. “People brought insights from their own experience. It was important to come together and pool our resources.” The morning’s agenda kicked off with a welcome from King County Business Representatives, Betty Sorbo and Cynthia Adams, followed by an overview of the bargaining process from Local 117 Staff Attorney and Public Sector Coordinator, Jim Smith. Director of Organizing, Leonard Smith, led the group in a discussion about bargaining surveys. Then Local 117 General Counsel, Spencer Thal, talked about the structure of the bargaining teams, and discussed the pros and cons of the units bargaining individually or collectively. Communications Coordinator, Paul Zilly, touched on the many ways members can stay informed and engaged throughout the bargaining process, such as signing up to become registered users of the Local 117 website, joining the Local 117 Facebook group page, and reading the monthly print newsletters that are scheduled through the end of the year. The day ended with a call for volunteers to serve on communications and political action committees. Participating members would speak out at media events, as well as engage in lobbying visits and other political action activities. Overall, the meeting was a success, Broadus said. “This is the time to be more visible and start building things up. I’ve been sending out a lot of emails, asking people what their demands are. We’ve got to be active and work together.” To view a PDF version of this report, click here. Sales-tax measure fails, council to consider property tax (posted May 25, 2010)
Anticipating failure of the County Executive's sales-tax measure, Democrats on the Council have drafted a property tax measure that will be considered in a special meeting today. Unless the County receives additional taxpayer support, the county jail, sheriff, prosecutor and court could see 12% cuts across the board. New blog post: Make King County a "Dunn-Free Zone". To access the KC blog, you must be a registered user of the Local 117 website. KC Sheriff, Prosecutor support tax measure (posted May 24, 2010)
King County Sheriff Sue Rahr and King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg have published an editorial in today's Seattle Times in support of the County Executive's tax measure. To read and comment on the article click here. Crunch time on sales tax (posted May 19, 2010)
It's crunch time for getting the County Executive's sales-tax measure on the August ballot. By now, every Councilmember, with the exception of Larry Phillips (leaning in favor) Pete von Reichbauer (leaning against) and Kathy Lambert, have stated publicly whether they will vote for or against an ordinance that would put the measure before the voters. In today's editorial section of the Seattle Times, Councilmember Jane Hague, argues against the measure. Reagan Dunn also states that he will oppose the proposal. Contact Kathy Lambert, Pete von Reichbauer and Larry Phillips now! Tell them that the voters – not the Council – should decide whether they want to see cuts in areas as critically important as public safety and public health. Urge them to strike a “sunset” provision that would abolish the increase after three years. The Council must vote on the sales-tax measure by Monday, May 24.The Council will take more public testimony of the legislation at its May 24 meeting. Seattle Times editorial board blast labor (posted May 14, 2010)
An op-ed in today's Seattle Times scapegoats labor for the County's budget woes and demands cuts in compensation and benefits. While it's true that the current level of spending at the County is unsustainable, County employees and their unions have already agreed to significant cost-containment measures (furlough and changes to health and welfare) that are saving the County over $47 million across three years. The County must identify new sources of revenue, such as the County Executive's proposed sales-tax, in order to sustain important services that the public demands. Tell the Seattle Times editorial board to stop scapegoating County workers and stop balancing the budget on the backs of public employees! To comment on the article, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. Constantine proposal in jeopardy! (posted May 14, 2010)
An article in today's Seattle Times indicates that the County Executive's sales-tax proposal is in now in jeopardy. The revenue that the proposal would generate, would be used to prevent deep cuts in police, courts, and other important county services. Contact your Councilmember now! Tell them that the voters – not the Council – should decide whether they want to see cuts in areas as critically important as public safety and public health. Urge them to strike a “sunset” provision that would abolish the increase after three years. The Council vote on this issue is scheduled for May 17 so time is of the essence. Call or email your representative now! Coalition co-chair vows cooperation (posted May 13, 2010)
Co-chair of the King County Coalition of Unions, Dustin Frederick, read a statement at yesterday’s Labor Summit indicating the labor community’s willingness to help “contain costs and improve efficiencies” so that the County can weather the current financial crisis. Frederick also said, however, that no concessions would be considered until the county completes a study comparing compensation in county jobs with other workplaces. To read the article in the Seattle Times on the Summit, click here. Today at 3:30pm, the Budget Committee will hold a final hearing on the County Executive’s proposed ballot measure to increase the sales tax. The hearing will take place at the Council Chambers on the10th Floor. King County Labor Summit (posted May 12, 2010)
The labor community and the King County Council will meet today at the annual Labor Summit. The meeting, which provides union members with a forum to ask questions, raise concerns, and discuss issues with County representatives, will take place at 9:30am at the Labor Temple (2800 1st Ave.). Teamsters at King County are encourage to attend this event or to watch it live on the County's website if they are able to arrange their schedules to do so. Let the voters decide (posted May 10, 2010)
As you know, the County Executive has proposed a sales-tax increase that would help address the $60 million budget shortfall at the County. The Executive’s proposal would raise $47 million for the County and an additional $32 million for the cities. The additional revenue would be used to prevent deep cuts in police, courts, prosecutors and other county functions next year. Contact your Councilmember now! Tell them that the voters – not the Council – should decide whether they want to see deep cuts in areas as critically important as public safety and public health. Urge them to strike a “sunset” provision that would abolish the increase after three years. The Council vote on this issue is scheduled for May 17 so time is of the essence. Call or email your representative now! King County Stewards to meet, strategize (posted May 5, 2010)
Teamsters Local 117 Shop Stewards from across King County are scheduled to meet on Saturday, May 22, 2010 from 9 AM-12 PM to begin preparations for bargaining. The day’s agenda will include the creation of a demands’ survey as well as a communications action network so that members are kept informed and engaged during the bargaining process. Local 117 General Counsel, Spencer Thal, will be on hand to lead a discussion and answer questions about bargaining as it relates to COLA. As you know, King County continues to project a $10 million dollar budget deficit, even if a proposed sales-tax increase announced by the County Executive is approved by voters in August. According to the County Executive, the tax, which would raise $47 million for the County and $32 million for the cities in the first year, would be used to fund courts, law enforcement, and public health. Your Local Union supports the proposal and General Counsel Thal testified at a recent King County Budget and Fiscal Management meeting in favor of referring the proposal to the electorate for a vote. We urge you to contact the King County councilmember in your district to voice your support as well. Any additional revenues will help mitigate the budget crisis, which directly affects the bargaining power of County employees. If you have questions about who represents you at the County, visit the County’s website at www.kingcounty.gov. It is important to note that the Executive’s sales-tax proposal, if approved by voters, will not fully resolve the underlying structural problem that has kept revenues at the County from keeping pace with the cost of maintaining vital public services. As we move closer to bargaining, your Local Union will provide several ways for you to receive communication so that you can stay informed on developments in bargaining and take action when necessary. You can check for updates on the Public Sector News and Information button on your Union website at www.teamsters117.org. We will also distribute a monthly print newsletter to members at the County. Talk to your Business Representative or Shop Steward for copies of the newsletter. With bargaining approaching, we will take steps to revitalize a King County blog on your Union website that has been dormant for some time. The blog will allow you to engage in discussions about critical issues that concern you and your co-workers. In order to access the County blog, you must be a registered member of the Local 117 website. You can also connect with other Teamsters by joining the Local 117 group page on Facebook or receive Union updates by following Local 117 on Twitter. Moving forward, we will distribute a report that summarizes the meeting on May 22. As far any discussions that relate to COLA, it is important to remember that the County cannot singlehandedly eliminate COLA since it, along with all other contractual obligations that relate to wages, hours, or working conditions, are mandatory subjects of bargaining. For a PDF version of this report, click here. Defiant public employees speak out! (May 4, 2010)
Maxine Reigel, a longtime member of Teamsters Local 117 employed in the Central Finance Office at King County, will speak at an event on May 8, 2010 organized to defend public employees from recent attacks by area politicians and in the media. Maxine has testified against furloughs, layoffs and cutbacks in services. To view a flyer for this event, click here The event will take place at New Freeway Hall at 5018 Rainier Ave. S. in Seattle. Dinner is available. Organizers are asking for a $3 donation to attend the event, and a $9 donation for dinner.
Teamsters testify in support of County Executive's proposal (posted May 4, 2010)
Teamsters Local 117 General Counsel, Spencer Thal, testified today at a King County Budget and Fiscal Management meeting in favor of the Council referring the County Executive's tax proposal to the electorate for a vote. Lambert proposal scapegoats labor (March 10, 2010)
On March 1, 2010, King County Councilmember, Kathy Lambert, proposed changes to the County’s labor agreements in ways that would shift the economic burden created by the recession and the structural deficiencies with respect to revenue squarely on the backs of County employees. Lambert proposes to: - Lower the 2-percent minimum cost-of-living adjustment to zero.
- Require a reopener clause in contracts when county revenues remain flat or in decline.
- Implement austerity measures during a recession, such as:
- No cost-of-living adjustment
- Increased employee contributions for health care benefits
- No step increases · Reduced wages and salaries
- Unpaid furlough days
The Lambert proposal fails to address the root cause of the financial crisis at the County; namely, that revenue has not kept pace with the demand for important services due to a lack of leadership in the State Legislature and regressive Tim Eyman-style voter initiatives that have put a stranglehold on local and state government. It is also important to note that ALL of the Lambert proposals are subject to bargaining and that your Local Union will do everything in its power to ensure that your collective bargaining rights are protected. In the meantime, we urge you to contact Councilmember Lambert at 206-296-1003 or kathy.lambert@kingcounty.gov and tell her to find a fair fix to the County’s revenue problem in a way that doesn’t balance the budget on the backs of County employees. King County WLRD case slated for arbitration (February 17, 2010)
Teamsters Local 117 has won an arbitration award in a case involving a procedural issue with respect to King County’s intention to implement layoffs of employees in the Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD).
In November 2008, your Local Union filed a grievance arguing that the County’s intention to layoff some of its most senior employees in WLRD would constitute a violation of the seniority clause of the employees’ collective bargaining agreement. The County responded by raising a procedural issue, claiming that the Union had a procedural deficiency even though the parties had spent months trying to resolve the issue. The case on the procedural issue was heard on December 10, 2009 by Arbitrator Timothy Williams.
The Arbitrator ruled in the Union’s favor, stating that there are no procedural issues that preclude the case from moving forward to arbitration and that a hearing in the case should be scheduled based on the merits of the grievance. The case will likely be heard in the next few months.
If you have questions about the case, talk to your Business Representative and continue to monitor your Local Union’s website at www.teamsters117.org for ongoing updates. | NEWS ROUNDUP
King County budget issues in the news: - Aug. 16, 2010
- July 20, 2010
- July 14, 2010
- July 8, 2010
- July 1, 2010
- June 23, 2010
- June 15, 2010
- June 14, 2010
- June 7, 2010
- May 25, 2010
- May 24, 2010
- May 19, 2010
- May 17, 2010
- May 14, 2010
- May 13, 2010
- May 12, 2010
- May 10, 2010
- May 7, 2010
- May 5, 2010
- May 4, 2010
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