DOC contract negotiations erupted this week when the State presented a proposal seeking to punish members for taking time off from work to spend with their families.

The proposal involves the vacation leave article (Article 21) of our DOC contract. Currently, members have the ability to request accrued vacation in excess of ten consecutive days in three segments per year with the exception of the summer months. This gives members the flexibility to schedule longer stretches of vacation to help mitigate the stress of working inside the prisons.

The State’s proposal would restrict the number of vacation days per segment for the entire year as opposed to the limited restriction between June and August, which exists currently. The employer also wants the ability to discipline members by defining certain vacation requests as unscheduled leave.

“How can they punish us for using vacation time that we’ve accrued? It’s outrageous,” said Teresa Bennett, a pharmacy tech on our union’s negotiations team.

"How can they punish us for using vacation time that we’ve accrued? It’s outrageous."

The State also presented a blatantly anti-union proposal, trying to modify Article 2 to restrict new members access to their union.

The time with new members is critical because it allows shop stewards and union reps to convey the hard-fought victories we have achieved through our union membership, like interest arbitration in our contract, extending assault benefits, and the across-the-board wage increases of 20.3% over the last four years.

At the negotiations table, our union team spoke forcefully about the need to preserve our existing rights under both Article 21 and Article 2. We also pushed the employer to take greater responsibility for reducing scheduling errors that can lead to excessive mandatory overtime.

It’s important to remember that without a union the State could unilaterally implement policy changes that would undermine your rights at work, such as their outrageous proposal to discipline you for using vacation leave.

If you haven’t done so already, please sign a commitment card so that we can preserve our rights as union members to stand together for a strong contract. By signing you are sending a clear message to the State that we are committed to each other and we are united. You can sign online at: www.FamilyStrengthCommunity.org/sign.

Our next negotiations session will be held on June 20 and June 21 at our Teamsters Union Hall in Tukwila. If you have questions, talk to your negotiations committee member or union rep.

You can view a short video update from members on the negotiations committee below:

Brothers and Sisters -

As your union's Secretary-Treasurer, I've had the privilege over the last several weeks to attend many of the contract proposal meetings across the state as we prepare for upcoming negotiations over our 2019-2021 Department of Corrections contract.

At those meetings, I spoke with many of you about the challenges you face in the workplace and improvements you would like to see in our contract.

I want to thank you personally for talking openly about your concerns. The input that so many of you provided, both at our meetings and in contract surveys, has been invaluable in helping our union bargaining team develop meaningful proposals for these negotiations. 

Negotiations with the State officially get underway next week. On Tuesday, May 1, our union team, which consists of 21 member leaders from facilities across the state, will meet independently to finalize our proposals. We will be across the table from the State for the first time on May 2. 

As contract proposal meetings for Local 117 members who work at the Department of Corrections have come to a close, please welcome the rank-and-file members of your DOC Bargaining Committee.

They are volunteer Shop Stewards from across the state representing a comprehensive range of DOC positions. Together with union staff, they will be sitting across the table from the State over the next several months to negotiate over our 2019-2021 DOC collective bargaining agreement.

Negotiations will begin on May 1-2. All negotiations will take place at our Teamsters Union Hall in Tukwila. Here is the schedule for negotiations:

• May 1-2
• May 23-24
• June 5-6
• June 20-21
• July 10-11
• July 17-18
• July 23-27 (Mediation, if necessary)
• August 22-31 (Interest Arbitration hearing, if necessary)

Sgt Jason Heuer, a Shop Steward at MCC, is well versed in the rights and protections that our Dept. of Corrections contract provides. 

The life of a steward at the Monroe Correctional Complex (MCC) keeps you on your toes. Jason Heuer, a sergeant at the facility who joined the steward ranks in March 2017, spent the better part of his day last week defending the contractual rights of his fellow members.

He dealt with an investigation, handled a discipline case, and juggled a number of grievances. Heuer, who knows his CBA inside and out, preaches the power and value of our contract.

"There's a lot of information in there that protects our members," he said. "My job as a steward is to ensure that management is being straight and that our rights are not being violated."

Heuer showed up to a contract proposal meeting this week with a couple of suggestions for our union bargaining team as we head into negotiations with the State this spring.

Wage increases, a more solid retirement, and suggested changes to unscheduled leave reporting are all issues he brought to the fore.

"Come in and speak your voice. That's what being part of a union is all about."

Heuer was happy to hear that the leave issue in Article 23 of the DOC contract is already being addressed through a demand to bargain. He was also pleased that we achieved funding in the state budget for an audit of staffing levels at the DOC. "That's something I've been pushing for at least 10 years," he said.

On the retirement front, our union's Political Director, Dustin Lambro, is putting together a member Task Force to begin to tackle the issue. Better retirement security is a major concern for DOC Teamsters. No one in their 60s, after 35 years of service, should have to go toe-to-toe with a violent inmate.

Getting the system changed will be a heavy lift and will require member political engagement on a massive scale. If you'd like to participate on our Retirement Task Force, please contact Dustin at dustin.lambro@teamsters117.org. Union Reps are also asking for volunteers at the contract proposal meetings taking place around the state over the next two weeks.

"These meetings are absolutely critical," Heuer said. "Come in and speak your voice. That's what being part of a union is all about."

Contract surveys for upcoming negotiations over our 2019-2021 collective bargaining agreement for Teamsters at the Department of Corrections are due on Friday, February 23. 

If you haven't done so already, please fill out your survey and deposit it in the designated dropbox at your facility. 

Dropboxes can be found at the following locations

• AHCC/Main - Public Access
• AHCC/MSU - C3 Entrance
• CBCC - Public Access
• CCCC - Control Break Room
• CI HQ - See Nathan Glass
• CRCC MSC Mailboxes/MSU Mailboxes
• DOC HQ - See Rebecca Bologna desk
• LCC - Control Break Room
• Maple Lane Pharmacy - Lunch room
• MCC/TRU – Next to Main Control
• MCC/MSU, WSRU, SOU – Public Access
• MCCCW - Public access
• MICC - Boat dock on the Island side
• OCC - See Pam Olekas in Records
• SCCC - D-Building Break Room
• SWRBO - See Andrew Guardia
• WCC - Public Access, under union board
• WCCW - Public access/shift office
• WSP WC Mailboxes/EC Mailboxes

You can also give your completed survey to your Shop Steward or Union Representative.

If you did not receive a survey in the mail, please contact your Shop Steward first, and if necessary, your Union Representative.

Filling out your contract survey is important. The survey gives you an opportunity to prioritize issues and voice your concerns. Your bargaining team will be using the survey results to develop proposals based on your feedback for upcoming contract negotiations.

Be sure to make your voice heard!

Contract surveys are in the mail. Be sure to turn yours in by February 23.

Today we mailed out contract surveys to the home addresses of all Teamsters at the DOC. You should be receiving your survey in the mail in the next couple of days.

Please fill out your survey and deposit it in the designated dropbox at your facility. You can also give your completed survey to your Shop Steward or Union Representative.

Your survey should be returned by no later than Friday, February 23. If you have not received a survey by February 15, please contact your Shop Steward first, and if necessary, your Union Representative.

Filling out your contract survey is important. The survey gives you an opportunity to prioritize issues and voice your concerns. Your bargaining team will be using the survey results to develop proposals based on your feedback for upcoming contract negotiations.

Be sure to make your voice heard!