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:
1. Lower the 2-percent minimum cost-of-living adjustment to zero.
2. Require a reopener clause in contracts when county revenues remain flat or in decline.
3. 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 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.
To access the Lambert proposal, go to http://mkcclegisearch.kingcounty.gov and type in “2010-0159”.
County employees can also blog on this issue at the Local 117 website. To access the blog, you must be a registered member of the website.
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