WFSE Seattle Local 378

This site is dedicated to delivering up-to date and useful information to it's members who work for the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

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Contracts covering 36,000 state employees ratified

Members have ratified contracts covering General Government, the Higher Education Coalition and Washington State University. Electronic balloting by internet and phone closed at 12 noon, today, Monday, Sept. 29.

Results from Eastern Washington University onsite voting are expected tonight. Results from the University of Washington and UW Police Management are expected at the conclusion of their respective onsite voting tomorrow.

All ratified contracts include across-the-board raises of at least 2 percent in each year of the contract. The exact percentage and effective dates vary by contract. The contracts also maintained the current employee share of health insurance premiums at 12 percent.

The contracts needed to be ratified by the Oct. 1 deadline set in law. They now go to the Office of Financial Management for inclusion in the governor's budget request. The package then goes to the 2009 Legislature, which can accept or reject but can't change the compensation package.

In results tabulated by the independent American Arbitration Association, which conducted the electronic voting for General Government, the Higher Education Coalition and WSU:

GENERAL GOVERNMENT
(Covers 33,000 state agency workers, such as Community Corrections officers, social workers, highway workers, direct-care workers, natural resources workers)
3,905 (88%) - 532 (12%) to ratify.

SAVE THE DATES FOR THE FEDERATION'S FIRST-EVER FAMILY CAMPOUTS. The Federation Executive Board on June 21 scheduled two first-ever union campouts at two state parks where our Parks members work. They'll be in cabins (with an option for tent sites if you prefer).

The dates are Sept. 13-14 at Camp Delaney Environmental Learning Center at Sun Lakes State Park south of Grand Coulee Dam and Sept. 27-28 at Lewis and Clark State Park's Environmental Learning Center near Chehalis.

Council 28 will have more details after the Federation's Members Only Benefits Committee meets July 13. But save the dates!

6/13/2008
A delegation of Transportation members today (June 6) presented the governor with a petition signed by more than 500 members calling for a fix to overtime calculations. That total is nearly a third of the statewide Highway Maintenance Bargaining Unit.

Accepting the petitions on behalf of the governor was her chief of staff Cindy Zehnder.

The petitions call on the governor to support the DOT workers “in our efforts to correct how overtime is calculated and that we be paid the correct hourly rate for such overtime.”

Presenting the petition were: Rodney Jarrells, Local 1020, chair of the Federation’s Transportation Policy Committee; Federation Executive Board members Larry Flue, Local 1060,

6/7/08

This is a direct link for the explanation e-mail from Rodney Jarrells about the WSFE lawsuit concerning overtime rate calculations.

At today's WSDOT Policy meeting Chairman Rodney Jarrells asked that this link be provided for more information to WSDOT members.

The General Government team is pleased to report that the first two days of bargaining in Lacey went well. More details here.

SURVEY COMING. Your General Government Bargaining Team will send out a survey to members. We hope you'll take the time to fill it out and return. They need your input to rank the top issues important to you. That will help immensely and help guide the team when bargaining on the tough, contested issues starts.

DOT Guilty of unfair labor practice.

The Department of Transportation committed an unfair labor practice in 2006 when it contracted out clutch repair work on agency vehicles in Spokane.

A hearing examiner from the Public Employment Relations Commission ruled March 31 that DOT committed a ULP by circumventing the collective bargaining process. The agency failed to notify the union of its intent to contract out the clutch work, denying the opportunity to negotiate the proposal. Instead, the agency met directly with employees outside the collective bargaining process.

The PERC examiner ordered the agency to stop that practice and to enter required negotiations over mandatory subjects of bargaining. The ruling orders, if requested, good faith negotiations over the contracting out of the clutch repair work.

All meetings will be at the Local 26 Pipe-fitters Hall in Lacey, 8 a.m. each date

Delegates (including two from Local 378) to WFSE/AFSCME's 2008 Endorsements Conference endorsed Gov. Chris Gregoire for re-election and Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg in his race to unseat state Attorney General Rob McKenna.

WSDOT Policy Group passed a motion to have the two plaintiffs of this OT lawsuit (Rodney Jarrells and Larry Flue, to recommend a declaratory ruling and not to go after damages.

This means that if the State prefers to settle this issues out of court or as a declared ruling it will be effective at the time of the ruling.

Members that still felt that they have been harmed by the accounting practices of WSDOT could still challenge the process and have US Department of Labor review their records.

Members at the last regular meeting voted and passed the process for giving away a $100 door prize at the next 6 regular monthly meetings. It is believed that the door prize may entice existing members to join in our regular meeting and decision making process.

Members also voted to send out monthly meeting notice via postcards for the next six months too. These notices will have the time, date location and what the monthly door prize will be.

The Northup office has been added to the monthly round-robin meetings. A schedule with locations and dates is being developed by the Local's President which will be sent out to all members.

Department of Transportation – Gordon Elly, Local 378, King County; Sue Tellesbo, Local 328, Snohomish County.

Local 378 attends Bargaining session 2006 Link

If capitalism is fair then unionism must be.

Local 378's Mission

To ensure proper treatment, foster respect and improve the wages, working conditions of members in their employment by the State of Washington Department of Transportation which are located in King County Washington.

Welcome to your Seattle WSDOT Local's 378 Web Page

DOT Guilty of unfair labor practice.

Local 378 attends Bargaining session 2006 Link

If capitalism is fair then unionism must be.

Local 378's Mission

You are the Union. If you don't participate nothing will get done to your satisfaction.

Contact Information

Send mail to acyducy@comcast.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: July 12, 2008

Welcome to your Seattle WSDOT Local's 378 Web Page

DOT Guilty of unfair labor practice.

Local 378 attends Bargaining session 2006 Link

If capitalism is fair then unionism must be.

Local 378's Mission

You are the Union. If you don't participate nothing will get done to your satisfaction.

Contact Information

Send mail to acyducy@comcast.net with questions or comments about this web site. Last modified: July 12, 2008

Send mail to acyducy@comcast.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: July 12, 2008