Image provided by: SEIU Local 503; Salem, OR
About The Oregon public employe. (Salem, Oregon) 1981-???? | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1981)
N E G O T I A T I O N S / P O L I T I C A L A C T IO N Bargaining at the Legislature Legislative jousting over how to allocate too few dollars for too many programs is having more effect on state employes than possible layoffs. This overriding convem of the 61st Legislature is also having a signifi cant impact on negotiations fora new state contract. Besides appropriating funds for all state programs and agency budgets, the legislature must approve the am ount the State w ill pay its employes. “ It is important that state employes understand this legislative side of negotiations,” said Thomas Gal lagher, OPEL) Executive Director. “They must make legislators, as well as the State's negotiators, realize that state employes are going to fight for what they deserve and that they will not accept a sub-par contract.” OPEU Government Relations Di rector Chuck Mendenhall points out that state employes need to know how they are perceived in the political process if they are going to have an impact. “While state employes are the people who run the agencies and feel a direct impact from any agency budget cuts, they are viewed as a special interest in terms of their contractural demands.” In short, state employes have a very large stake in the political battles that will be fought over the 1981-83 budget. “ The real issue forthis legislature is going to be which agencies and special interests will be forced to í undergo a disproportionate amount of belt tightening to support those agencies and special interests who are not,” said Mendenhall. “The arguments over these budgetary matters are going to be heated.” This scenario in which state employes find themselves, was brought to a head when Governor Atiyeh put responsibility for budget cutting directly in the legislature’s lap. He introduced a budget for the 1981-83 bienium that is nearly $250,000 out of balance and is up the difference by increasing taxes. Oregon law requires that the State's budget be in balance. Lately, there has been some I sentiment to introduce new tax measures. Senate president Fred Heard (D-Klamath Falls) said on April | 22, “ I think we are going to have to State Proposes Pay Cut in First Year of Contract The State has put a pay package on the table that, if accepted as is, would mean a net wage loss of 1.5 percent in the first year of a new contract and only a net wage increase of 2.85 percent during the entire two-year life of the proposed contract. “When the Labor Relations Divi sion offers this kind of a pay proposal, it must become obvious even to the most casual observer that the State has no concern for the personal welfare of its em ployes,” said Thomas Gallagher; OPEU Executive Director. "This proposal was put together by a bunch of bureaucrats who are trying to look good for the legislature at the expense of state employes." The proposal the State offered on April 24 would give employes a 4.5 percent- wage increase in the first year of a new contract, followed by a 4.35 percent wage increase in the second year of a new contract. However, this proposal would result in a substantial pay cut for state employes, because the State would take back its contribution to the Public Employes Retirement System (PERS). Under the current contract, the State contributes the equivalent of six percent of each employe’s net pay to PERS. .The State’s take back strategy, in this instance (which is the equivalent to approximately eight percent of after-tax wages), appears to be to delete this portion of the current contract by simply not mentioning It in their proposal. If each employe were to pay for their retirement program at pre sent levels, their loss—in before tax income—would be 1.5 percent in the first year of the contract. If this figure is computed in spend able, or after-tax income, state employes would suffer a 3.5 percent wage loss. Besides drawing the ire of leadership and staff over their wage increases fo r all state employes, the State’s proposals for selective salary adjustments were termed “ ridiculous," The State is proposing that all selective salary adjustments and reclassifications that exceed a total cost of $2 million for the bienium; will be deducted from the proposed across-the-board in creases. "The State’s proposal in this area is only about two-thirds of what we normally receive/’ said Eleanor Meyers, OPEU Personnel and C lassification Analyst. “ That approximately $3 million was only enough to keep many groups from falling significantly behind in the first year of the current contract. “This time, State employes must have much more, because there are over 50 classifications that are significantly behind in pay scales relative to other public and private sector employes in similar posi tions.” State Complaint Against OPEO Called ‘Face-Saving’ Measure On April 24, the State filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) complaint that OPEU Executive Director Thomas Gallagher characterized as strictly a face-saving devise. The central allegation of the four- page complaint is that OPEU refused to bargain in good faith by pre maturely declaring an impasse and requesting the assistance of a mediator. Unlike federal statutes, Oregon law does not require that negotiations be at impasse before parties can enter into mediation. Instead, the Oregon Collective Bargaining Act allows either party to put the negotiations into mediation if, after a reasonable amount of time, an agreement has not been reached. “ It is difficult to find any reasonable evidence as to why the State would file this complaint,” Gallagher said. “ I can only presume they felt a face saving measure was needed once they realized they should not have walked out of mediation.” “ I feel very comfortable that we have proceded (with negotiations and mediation) in conformity with the requirements of the Oregon Col lective Bargaining Act,” said Alice Dale, chief spokesperson for OPEU’s central bargaining team. “We were very explicit when we informed the State that we were invoking our right to move negotiations into mediation. At no point did we maintain that negotiations were at impasse.” Outside parties contacted by The Oregon Public Employe generally concurred that the State’s case appears very weak. But they said that the Employment Relations Board, (ERB) would probably hear the complaint because it involves such large parties. The State attempted to gain public sentiment and widespread press coverage for their position by issuing a press release on their ULP through the Governor’s office. One of the major points raised in the release was a portion of the State’s complaint that said, "Despite knowledge of the financial crisis being experienced by the State, OPEU’s salary demands of April 9 totalled more than 35 percent and were offered on a “take it or leave it basis” without the spirit of com promise.” “This statement must be viewed as simple grandstanding by the State,” said Gallagher. “ Our salary proposal calls for a 13.5 percent wage increase in the first year of the contract and cost of living adjustments linked to the consumer price index in the second year of the contract. I see no way this could possibly compute to be 35 percent.” pursue new revenues." He said that he would begin meeting with indivi dual senators to determine their stances on tax increases. But Heard’s comments were seen primarily as a test of public sentiment. Most legislators, at least publically, remain firmly against any major new tax measures. This sentiment is based on a widely-held belief, among legislators, that political fall-out from being held responsible for raising taxes could be disasterous in any future election. Faced with a deficit budget and little or no support for new taxes, the Joint Ways and Means Committee is cutting 10 percent from each item in the Governor’s budget. Included in the cuts are property tax relief, basic school support, higher education, human resources and all agency budgets. However, this is not the only area where legislators are looking to save money. Some have suggested that state employes take a reduction in pay and benefits. These lawmakers have said the only alternative may be layoffs. "Such proposals are nothing more than a tax on state employes," Gallagher said. “They are highly unjust. " “ In the November elections and in special elections since then, Ameri can's have made it clear that they want less government—not Just at the federal level, but in Oregon as well,” he added. “State government was built program by program. It must be left to the people of the State and their legislators to analyze programs and decide where cuts are going to be made." Gallagher added, “ If the legislature decides that more revenues are needed to fund programs that the people are demanding, then those revenues should be raised equally. State employes will not stand still for measures that say they will be forced to decide who will be layed-off if they don't fund programs from their own pockets.” TAKE A GIANT STEP INTO ADVENTURE “ Row-lt-Yoursolf” p articip ato ry w h ite w a te r ra ft trips ecolo- gically focused x s r r jx free brochure 1 ' r ‘'Z '- '- , Salmon Deschutes Owyhee Umpqua rivers O REG ON RIVER EXPERIENCES 1935 Hayes St. Eugene, OR 97405 (503) 342-3293 THUMDERBIRD Motor Lodge 1015 South Riverside Medford, Oregon $4 Discount to OSEA Members $23Znight single occupancy r 1 Western 2 blocks off 1-5 Adjacent to OPEU Page 5
