Solidarity Brought Improved Contracts at COG
n extended round of negotiations at Cascades West
Council of Governments, headquartered in Albany,
produced not only a good contract, butastronger,
more organized Cascades West Local 937.
Members' bargaining goals included improvements in
wages, time off, health insurance, working conditions,
representation and employer policy issues. The local scored
in every area.
In the area of health insurance, for example, the new
contract creates a "consensus-based" insurance committee,
to replace one that was employer-selected, employer-driven
and operating off the employer's agenda. Now there is equal
decision-making.
Workplace solidarity is always the strongest force at
the bargaining table.. Workers turned out for bargaining
sessions, usually held in Albany. We signed petitions to the
boss, we marched on the boss and we supported an unfair
labor practice charge about the treatment of our bargaining
team. We rallied and spoke out during the "public
comment" period bn the COG's board meeting agenda. In
this way, we were able to reach the public and client groups
about our concerns.
Still, it took die filing of an unfair labor practice
complaint to make sure that our members' rights were
respected. The job future of each of the six bargaining team
members had been threatened by managers. For example, in
an April letter resolving a portion of the ULP for one of the
bargaining team members, the COG executive director
wrote, "this Agency respects the rights of its employees to
participate in negotiation as a member of the bargaining
team" and "this Agency would not allow a supervisor or
manager to use an employee's participation in such activities
as a basis for making an employment decision." The memo
went on to say that this worker's manager will no longer
participate on any committee involved with the evaluation pi
selection of bargaining unit employees for promotion.
Because of the leadership of the local officers and
bargaining team members andthe solidarity of the local
members, a contract was negotiated. Among its key
provisions are:
♦ WAGES ~ Pay scales will be increased 5.3%,
retroactive to October 2001. Qn October 1,2003,
wages will be adjusted based on a total compensation
formula that will be negotiated this year (2002).
♦ HOLIDAYS ~ The Friday following '
Thanksgiving and a half day on the last working day
prior to the December 25 holiday have been added.
♦ WORKING CONDITIONS- Improved
language regarding notification of training <
opportunities and requiring a written explanation if a,
training request is denied; transfer and promotion
language that is more specific; layoff and recall
language that specifies no discredit on a worker for
layoff, and expands notice time frames and sets specific
bumping criteria,
♦ REPRESENTATION ~ There are improvements
to grievance procedure language that adds mediation,
clears up release time for stewards,, and provides time
for the Union to make a presentation to new employees
♦ EMPLOYER POLICY ISSUES -Inseveral
cases, the settlement moved employer policies into the
contract regarding outside work, limited duration
employment and paid administrative leave and
provision for a consensus-based insurance committee
■
Baker County Local 596 settled a new two-
year contract with a 4% wage increase in the first year
and a 4% wage increase in the second year.
The new contract has fully-paid medical for the
duration of contract and longevity compensation is
added.
The longevity bonus consists of $100 for workers
with 10 to 14 years of service; $200 for 15 to 19
years; $300 for 20 to 24 years, and $400 for 25 or
more years of service.
The contract includes an additional 2.5 days of
vacation accrual after 25 years; new language in
layoff article; new language regarding the removal of
personnel records, and new employee orientation
language.
There also is an increase in clothing allowance
from $120 to $400 each fiscal year and more workers
will get this allowance.
The City of The Dalles Local 910
settled a
new contract with a 2% wage increase on July 1 of
this year; a 2.25% mcreSse'on January 1,2003; a 2%
wage increase on July 1,2003; a 2.25% increase on
January 1,2004; a 2% increase on July 1,2004, and a
1.5% increase on January 1,2005. That's a total of a
12% increase over the life of the contract.
Secretarial positions in both the municipal court
and the public works department were changed to
accounting clerk 2, which means the equivalent of an
additional 12.5% over the cost-of-living increase all
employees will receive.
Employee health insurance will be fully paid for
the duration of the agreement.
The bargaining team also fought off takeaways
on hours of work, the grievance procedure and sick
leave. It won positive changes to bereavement leave
to include stepchildren and stepparents. The local
takes great pride in changing all references to
"association" to "union" throughout the agreement.
CODA Local 963 won improvements in
vacation language that allow for more accrual, a
higher cap and improved usage language.
Wages were improved 2% each year of the
contract, retroactive and paid as a flat dollar amount
instead of a percentage. There were also increases to
the employer's health insurance contribution. They
won tighter reclassification language and new non
discrimination language and faster, simplified
grievance language that allows us to strike quickly
over a grievance.
PAGE 12 THE OREGON PUBLIC EMPLOYEE
Union Members
“Dog” County
Budget Hearings
At budget time, it seems
that managers know the
cost of everything and the
value of nothing.
By the time the budget was set, Union
members showed the value that they bring to; the residents
of county and kept their jobs. But, before the Union
members took their action, the commissioners were ready
to contract out of the custodians ’ jobs and the sheriff
;
wanted to get rid of the animal control officers
altoghether.
Members and leaders of MCEA Local 294 organized
their workplaces, alerted the public, recruited groups into
à coalition and "dogged" the county's budget hearings.
Regarding the animal control officers. Local leaders <
got officials from the Willamette Valley Humane,Society .
to speak out on their behalf. The humane society was 3
unprepared to pick up the work being done by the animal '
controi officers' Just to bring the point home, members
and supporters brought their dogs to fatties and received '
coverage in the county seat's newspaper, theSalem
Statesman-
Journal.
They
"purpled-up"
and attended
and spoke at
county budget
hearings. They
talked about
efforts they had
made over the
years to control
costsand
improve
serviced They
Evie Pech, MCEA Local President
talked about
speaks to a reporter at a rally supporting
how public
county animal control workers.
safety would be
-------------------- --------------------- - ------
at risk, how they remove 150 dogs from thé streets every
month, dogs that otherwise would run wild through
farms, highways, neighborhoods and school yards.
Regarding the custodians, county workers showed
how contracted janitors would put confidentiality at risk
in the sheriffs department, in the narcotics detail, in the
health department, in juvenile and in the district attorney's
office. Loss due to theft would become a problem
throughout county offices. They gave examples of failed
attempts to contract out custodial services in the City of
Salem, Linn County and Western Oregon University.
The custodians are trusted Marion County
employées, they said.
Kudos are due to the bargaining team from
each of the locals whose contract settlements
are described on this page. Their long hours,
hard work and judgement improved our wages,
hours and working conditions.