King County Teamsters Overwhelmingly Ratify Total Comp Agreement
King County Shop Stewards tallying votes at the union hall in Tukwila on Thursday evening.
Good news for Teamsters at King County! All Teamsters 117 bargaining units have voted resoundingly to ratify the Total Compensation ("total comp") agreement and their individual appendix agreements. The votes were tallied and certified by a group of ten King County shop stewards from various divisions at our Teamsters union hall in Tukwila on Thursday, December 20.
Your new contract covers your wages, benefits, and other compensable elements for 2019-2020. With the contract approved, all Teamsters 117 members at the County will receive a 4% wage increase effective January 1, 2019 and a total of a 3% wage increase in 2020, divided into two parts: a 1.5% increase effective January 1, 2020 and a 1.5% increase effective July 1, 2020.
Before this year’s wage increase is reflected in your paycheck, the contract will have to be approved by the King County Council and signed by the County Executive, which could take several months. You will receive your wage increase retroactive to January 1 once the approval process is complete. All Teamsters 117 members will also receive a $500 bonus on January 1, 2020 that applies to members of the King County Coalition of Unions only.
Other improvements include enhancements to your vision plan, the restoration of the 2016 retirees medical subsidy, improved long-term disability benefits, and access to a short-term disability plan. The excellent family medical benefits you enjoy as a union member at King County remain unchanged for the term of the contract. You can view the complete total comp agreement along with your individual unit’s appendix agreement here.
This new contract represents an important win for Teamsters at King County. Our strength and leverage at the negotiations table lies both with our Local Union and in working as a part of a powerful Coalition of King County Unions.
"This vote shows that when we stand together for family wages, better benefits, and a safe, secure, equitable workplace, we can win improvements for ourselves and our families," said John Scearcy, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 117. "Thank you to our outstanding union bargaining committee that spent many months and tireless hours pushing the County to do right by its employees. In the end, we have achieved a contract that recognizes the tremendous service you provide to the residents of King County."
If you have questions, please reach out to your negotiations committee member, your shop steward, or your union representative.
Thank you for your service. We wish you a happy new year.
King County Total Comp Vote 2018 - Voting Documents
Our Union will be holding contract vote meetings at locations across King County for members of Teamsters Local 117 starting on December 3 and running through December 19, 2018.
At the meetings, you will have an opportunity to vote on a labor agreement ("total comp" agreement) that covers your compensation and benefits for 2019-2020. Our Coalition of Unions recommends that you vote “yes” to approve the proposal.
Some bargaining units will also be voting on individual unit appendix agreements in addition to the total comp agreement.
You can access a schedule for all of the voting dates, times, and locations here.
To prepare for the vote, please review the Total Comp documents and your bargaining unit's appendix agreement below. Thank you for service to the residents of King County. Please exercise your right to vote!
Total Comp Agreement
DOT Design and Construction Supervisors
IT Managers and Supervisors
Joint Units Agreement
Printers and Copiers
PT&A Safety Health and Professional Certified
Security Screeners
WWT PT&A
WWT Supervisers
WWT Managers
King County Total Comp Contract Vote - Voting Times, Locations here
In December, we will be conducting contract ratification meetings for all Teamsters who work at King County.
At the meetings, you will have an opportunity to vote on an agreement that covers your compensation, health care, and compensable benefits for 2019-2020. The agreement was negotiated between the County and our King County Coalition of Unions.
This “total comp” proposal includes a 4% general wage increase for 2019 and a total of 3% general wage increase for 2020 plus a $500 bonus offered to Coalition Union members only. Our Union Coalition recommends that you vote "yes" to approve the proposal.
Some bargaining units will also be voting on individual unit appendix agreements in addition to the total comp agreement.
To prepare for the vote, please review voting documents available here.
To vote, you must attend one of the drop-in ratification meetings below. If you have any questions, please contract your union representative or shop steward.
King County slow to move, total comp vote delayed
Members of Teamsters 117 on our King County Coalition of Unions negotiations team.
You may recall that our Coalition of Unions reached a tentative agreement back in August over compensation for King County Teamsters for the coming two years.
This “total comp” proposal includes a 4% general wage increase for 2019 and a total of 3% general wage increase for 2020 plus a $500 bonus offered to Coalition Union members only.
Our Union Coalition fully recommends that you vote to approve the proposal.
Unfortunately, our ability as Coalition members to vote on the agreement continues to be delayed. The delay comes as a result of the County failing to agree to acceptable terms on critical issues facing a few of our labor partners in our Coalition.
Those partners have been mired in challenging negotiations with the County for several months and have yet to reach resolution over their appendix agreements to the total comp proposal.
Solidarity is essential and our strength as a Coalition and our commitment to each other comes by standing together with our Sisters and Brothers in their efforts to successfully complete their unit-specific negotiations.
We are urging the County to resolve any outstanding issues with our partners immediately so that we can move forward with the vote. If delays continue, we should all be prepared to engage in solidarity actions to support our Coalition partners and pressure the County to negotiate a fair contract for all.
We will continue to keep you updated as the situation develops.
King County coalition of unions reaches tentative agreement in total comp negotiations
Late yesterday afternoon our King County Coalition of Union bargaining members unanimously recommended moving forward a tentative agreement on economics.
This includes the landslide victory of a 4% general wage increase for 2019 and a total of 3% general wage increase for 2020 plus a $500 bonus only offered to Coalition Union members.
It also includes enhancements to insurance such as a full reinstatement of retiree benefits, long-term disability paid for by the County, an added voluntary short-term disability plan and increased benefits for vision coverage. This means an increase to wages of 10.25% (plus a $500 bonus) over a three-year span.
Our Union Coalition and its member representatives have been negotiating with the County for months and are pleased to come to this tentative deal. We still have individual contract negotiations before the agreement is finalized and ready to vote, but we will keep you updated with more information to come.
We appreciate the many hours of negotiations, work and advocacy the entire bargaining team put into these negotiations and are confident that it will be a competitive package for our members.
More details to come as they materialize, but we are very excited to announce this excellent news.
King County total comp update - August 10, 2018
Members of Teamsters 117 on our King County Coalition of Unions negotiations team.
Our union coalition team was back at the negotiations table with King County yesterday as we continue to bargain over your wages and health care for 2019-2020.
These so-called “Total Comp” negotiations have been ongoing since February with a group of dozens of rank-and-file union members, including more than 20 Teamsters, representing your interests in bargaining.
We have entered the challenging period in these negotiations when we are relatively close to an agreement but still have a few critical issues to resolve.
The County made a proposal in the last session that involved many moving parts including general wage increases and other economic elements of your contract. Our group spent much of yesterday’s session identifying the highest priority items that will have the greatest benefit to the largest number of represented members at the County.
The good news is that the fund that safeguards our health care benefits is in excellent shape. The Protected Fund Reserve (PFR), which was established in 2013 by the Joint Labor Management Insurance Committee (JLMIC), has grown from $25 million to a projected $66 million in 2018.
Read moreTotal Comp Bargaining Update
Last week in total comp negotiations, our King County Coalition team reviewed the counterproposal by the County as we continue to negotiate over wage increases for 2019 and 2020, enhancements to your health and welfare while maintaining zero costs to the members, and other improvements in your contract.
With the passage of the new WA State Sick Leave and Paid Family Leave laws in the legislature, there was a discussion on definitions and provisions related to paid leave. There was also progress made on the short and long-term disability provisions of your contract.
In regards to early retirement, the Coalition is pushing to bring back the retiree medical program which was previously phased out with the advent of the Affordable Care Act. Another aspect of the talks included encouraging green travel for King County employees and potential help with childcare.
“We’re getting closer and it’s a cause for hope,” said Vicky Moore, a shop steward and a member of the bargaining committee. Listen to her give an update of this bargaining session.
The Coalition team will be meeting on July 26 to work on a counterproposal to the County.
For any questions, please talk to a bargaining committee member or your union representative.
Staying strong in the face of Janus ruling. We decide how strong our union will be!
Today the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in a case, Janus v AFSCME, which threatens our ability as union members to stand together for strong contracts and strong communities.
As expected, the Court overturned a 40-year precedent that protected our freedom to have a united voice at work and ensured that all of us contribute our fair share for the improvements we win together.
Despite the Court’s ruling, our union is resilient and remains strong. We have been preparing for this outcome for over a year with our Family – Strength – Community program. By sticking together, we can continue to improve our wages and protect our rights at work.
The Court may have ruled against us in the Janus case, but as Teamsters we decide how strong our union will be. We will not let the Court or anyone else break our commitment to each other.
WHO’S ATTACKING OUR UNION?
It’s important to remember who is behind this attack on our freedom. For years, wealthy special interests like the so-called “Freedom” Foundation have been trying to destroy our union.
The "Freedom" Foundation lobbied against wage increases for state employees. They oppose our right to paid sick leave and our right to a secure retirement through defined benefit pension plans. We fought their attempts to obtain your personal information through public disclosure.
In the coming weeks, the "Freedom" Foundation may try to convince you to abandon your union membership by saying you can "opt out". They may send mail to your home, contact you on the phone, or even knock on your door.
They'll say you have nothing to lose. The truth is you have everything to lose – your contract, your health benefits, and your rights at work.
But if we stay united, we can continue to win improvements in our workplaces and for our families.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO STAY STRONG!
- Wear your "We Decide" solidarity stickers this week at work - you can get them from your shop steward;
- Sign a card committing to your co-workers;
- Attend a Janus Decision Day Solidarity Rally in Tacoma or Seattle;
- Share a post on Facebook or Twitter about why you support our union using the hashtag #UnionStrong;
- Talk to your co-workers about the “Freedom” Foundation's anti-union agenda;
- Visit our union’s website at FamilyStrengthCommunity.org for more information.
Thank you for your service to our communities and for your membership in Teamsters 117.
Check out this video of Shannon Rich talking about the need for union members to stay united. Shanoon is a Local 117 member at the Tacoma Public Library:
Teamsters at SeaTac Defang the Threat of Expected Anti-Union Ruling in Janus
If you ask a credential specialist at SeaTac Airport whether the Janus v. AFSCME case will threaten their union’s strength, they would chuckle and shake their head. Not on their watch.
This U.S. Supreme Court decision is expected to drop anytime between now and the end of June and set restrictions on the freedom and unity of working people. Yet this intrepid group that works on the mezzanine level of SeaTac Airport and handles the task of ensuring trustworthiness of airport employees has already made their decision.
"We will remain union members. We refuse to be divided."
“We will remain union members. We refuse to be divided,” said Maryanne Davis who has worked at the airport for over 18 years.
The credential specialists have fought hard for their current wages and benefits. Many of them remember when their entire group was fired several years ago and stayed out of work for months. They persevered until everyone was reinstated. This diverse group knows how important every person is to the security of the team, so every member has committed to remain a Teamster regardless of the Supreme Court ruling.
Now they are the middle of contract negotiations and Marilee Fisher, who is a shop steward and part of the negotiations committee, shared her opinion. “I believe in my union. I will always be a union supporter. As unions fight for better wages and better conditions, workers’ lives and pay improve even in non-union workplaces. If it weren’t for the unions, we would have no middle class.”
King County total comp video update
Get caught up on what's happening in total comp negotiations with King County! Two Shop Stewards on the bargaining committee - Brian Pinney and Lisa Huntley - provide a short video update from the last bargaining session below.
For a more comprehensive look at negotiations, you can link to all of our total comp updates so far.