VOL. 39 NO.

SEPTEMBER 2011

Bargaining structure for next round of negotiations set

ow that bargaining has finished on the last WFSE/AFSCME contract in this cycle (see story, page 2), its time to gear up for the next round of bargaining on the 2013-2015 contracts.

State Employee
SPECIAL ISSUE: GEARING UP FOR 2013-2015 BARGAINING

The official newspaper of the WASHINGTON FEDERATION OF STATE EMPLOYEES/AFSCME Council 28AFL-CIO

WASHINGTON

Negotiations will start on all General Government and Higher Education contracts early next year. The WFSE/AFSCME Executive Board Aug. 27 adopted the bargaining structure

for the 2013-2015 negotiations and also the nominations and elections procedure for the next bargaining teams. Those documents appear on pages 3 and 4. They also appear at www.wfse.org un-

der Bargaining. Also inside on page 2, a contract proposal form you can fill out, cut out and submit to your local.

See STRUCTURE, page 4

More legislators fall in line and voluntarily cut pay -- but not before storm of public pressure
Fairs fair. Or whats good for the goose should be good for the gander. Or if elected officials pontificate about how state employees should take pay cuts, they ought to do the same. Under pressure from WFSE/AFSCME members, a third of state legislators have now used a new law to voluntarily take the same 3 percent pay cut as most state employees. Many statewide elected officials, including the governor, lieutenant governor and schools superintendent, have done the same. Others, both statewide elected officials and legislators, have waived their per diem or donated 3 percent of their pay to charities. But it was only after media coverage and a storm of pushback from WFSE/AFSCME members that more legislators joined the four House members who had quietly done the right thing before July 1 and used the new law to voluntarily cut their pay. Those Fantastic Four House members who signed up for the pay cut and needed

What about their 3%?

What members are saying:
For those who find it not popular to join our cause, shame on you. James Robinson, Local 793, Western State Hospital Weve suffered a hardship in taking the 3 percent pay cut.... We would expect the legislators to recognize and share in our sacrifice. All legislators should step up to the plate and not just talk about shared sacrifice but actually take part in shared sacrifice.

Joe Nilsson, Local 443, L&I, Olympia I wish the legislators could come and walk in our shoes just for a months time to see what our workload is.

ONE LEGISLATOR WHO DID THE RIGHT THING FROM THE GET-GO: Rep. Ann Rivers of the 18th District (center) visits with Vancouver Local 313 members at their recent summer picnic. Rivers was one of the four original legislators who quietly and voluntarily cut their pay before others fell in line after they were called out by the media and WFSE/AFSCME members. in February, The Olympian reported. Rivers, the assistant minority whip, told The Olympian that after voting to cut public employees pay, she felt it was wrong not to reduce hers. But many still had not gone along as of early August. That included Sen. Joe Zarelli of the 18th District, ranking Republican on the Senate Ways and Means Committee. He implied to a WFSE/ AFSCME member of his district hes not opposed to a pay cut for legislators but hes

Steve Segall, Local 443, DSHS, Olympia

See this feature on the WFSE YouTube Channel @ wfse.org

Mari Wyatt, Local 308, Corrections, Seattle

no prodding from the media or WFSE/AFSCME members were: Rep. Ann Rivers, R, 18th District Rep. Frank Chopp, D, 43rd District

Rep. Larry Seaquist, D, 26th District Rep. Troy Kelley, D, 28th District Chopp, speaker of the state House, had already had his pay quietly cut way back

holding out for a constitutional change allowing the independent citizens commission to cut lawmakers pay. I do not do this job based on the salary but because I believe in representative government and do my best to represent the constituents of my district, Zarelli said. I am fine with whatever rate of pay the commission sets. From left: Murphy, Petters, Livingston and Gorini.

VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE FOLLOW-UP. Childrens Administration members expect action from DSHS management now that their task force on management accountability has presented its documentation that led to the recent 98.6 percent vote of no confidence in their Deputy Director Denise Revels Robinson. The task force met Aug. 31 with Robinson, DSHS Secretary Susan Dreyfus and the governors chief of staff, Marty Loesch. Task force members Joyce Murphy (Local 1400, Kelso), Tony Gorini (Local 313, Vancouver) and Ursula Petters (Local 1181, Bremerton), along with WFSE/AFSCME President Carol Dotlich, VP Sue Henricksen, Executive Director Greg Devereux and Contract Compliance Manager Jeanine Livingston, met with management. We expect them to take the documentation, digest it and come up with a plan on how to deal with the problems in Childrens, Livingston said. Trust has been destroyed.Its time for action.

Howard Ocobock Memorial WFSE/AFSCME Family Campout

Millersylvania State Park Oct. 28-30

Register by Oct. 14. Use the registration form in the August newspaper or go online to www.wfse.org.

UNION NEWS
Here is a contract proposal form for 2013-2015 bargaining. See PROPOSALS in the bargaining structure on page 3.
WASHINGTON FEDERATION OF STATE EMPLOYEES/AFSCME COUNCIL 28 AFL-CIO Use this form to submit your ideas for issues affecting members covered by your respective contract. Name of individual submitting this proposal to his/her local: _______________________________ Agency or Institution of Higher Education: _____________________________________________ If DSHS, which Division or Institution? ________________________________________________ PLEASE LET US KNOW IF THIS IS FOR A STATE AGENCY CONTRACT OR FOR ONE OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION CONTRACTS: GENERAL GOVERNMENT HIGHER EDUCATION

CONTRACT PROPOSALS 2013-2015

2013-2015 CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS

Bargaining on final 4 Higher Ed contracts wraps

Bargaining on all of the Federations contracts in the 2011-2013 period became a marathon a sign of tough negotiations in these harsh economic times. Pending ratification on four final Higher Education contracts, bargaining should be done. When the bargaining team for The Evergreen State College reached tentative agreement Aug. 29, it became the last WFSE/AFSCME contract in this cycle. At press time, the TESC team was putting its ratification plan together. Ratification votes were in progress for the Community College Coalition tentative agreement and the re-do contact at Eastern Washington University. The Community Colleges finished their contract Aug. 9; ballots are due back Sept. 9 with the ballot count Sept. 15. EWU wrapped Aug. 11; EWUs ballots are due back Sept. 9 with the vote count Sept. 13. The Western Washington University Bargaining Team had also reached tentative agreement Aug. 23; both sides re-opened negotiations to revise the compensation article. The WWU ratification vote will take place this month; at press time the schedule hadnt been set. All four of these final Higher Education contracts are for one year, from July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2013. For the period July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012, the terms and conditions of their respective 2009 - 2011 contracts will remain in place. For more details, go to www.wfse.org > Bargaining.

CONTRACT PROPOSAL FORM

If you know which part of your contract this proposal affects, please specify: existing Article _______ Section ________ of (please list name of your contract): ________________________________________________ OR ADDS a new concept to your contract: PROPOSAL:

PURPOSE: What problem will this proposal solve, or why is it important?

SUBMITTED BY LOCAL ____________ Name: (Local President) Name: (Local Secretary)

Proposal passed on: (date) Signature: Signature:

All adopted proposals must be submitted to WFSE/AFSCME HQ by 5 p.m., Nov. 23, 2011. THIS FORM MUST BE FILLED OUT COMPLETELY

SHARED LEAVE REQUESTS

If youve been approved to receive shared leave by your agency or institution, you can place a notice here. Once youve been approved by your agency or institution, WFSE/ AFSCME can place your shared leave request here and online. Please include a contact in your agency, usually in human resources, for donors to call. E-mail the editor at tim@wfse.org. Or call 1-800-562-6002.
Claudette Gales, an unemployment insurance specialist 3 with the Employment Security Department in Seattle and a member of Local 435, has been approved for shared leave. Contact: Kathleen

Young, (360) 725-9416 or kyoung@esd.wa.gov. Ed Danielson, a tax specialist 3 with the Employment Security Department in Olympia and a member of Local 443, is having back surgery Sept. 1 and will need at least six months to recover. Contact: Kathleen Young, (360) 725-9416 or kyoung@ esd.wa.gov Christy Smith, a WorkFirst program specialist at the Columbia River Community Services Office in Vancouver and a member of Local 313, is out on an extended illness. Contact: your human resource office or Grace Chambers, chambge@dshs.wa.gov. Natalie Catlett, a social worker 2 with DSHS in Seattle and a member of Local 843, has been approved for shared

leave. Contact: your human resource office. Arshad Khan, a financial services specialist 3 with DSHS at the Statewide Customer Service Center Triage Phone Team B at the Alderwood CSC and a member of Local 53, was in a serious accident and is currently in intensive care. He will be out of the office for an unknown amount of time. He has exhausted all leave. Contact: your human resource office. Gabriel Peak, a warehouse operator 1 for DSHS Consolidated Support Services in Medical Lake and a member of Local 573, is recuperating from prostate cancer. Contact: Debbie Beal, (509) 565-4366.

State Employee
WASHINGTON

Joe Miner, a juvenile rehabilitation counselor at Green Hill School in Chehalis and member of Local 862 (formerly of Maple Lane School Local 1926), is in need of shared leave because of surgery and recovery. Contact: Tammy Hodgins, (360) 748-0131. At press time Aug. 31, James Trokey, a plumber/pipefitter/ steamfitter at Fircrest School in Shoreline and a member of Local 341, is in need of shared leave to care for his wife, Cindy Trokey, who has terminal cancer. Contact: your human resource office.

Washington State Employee (USPS 981200) is published monthly, except February and July, for $5.08 per year by the Washington Federation of State Employees/AFSCME Council 28 AFL-CIO, 1212 Jefferson St. S.E. Suite 300, Olympia, WA 98501. Affiliated with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO. Periodicals postage paid at Olympia, WA and at additional offices. Circulation: 42,000. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Washington State Employee, 1212 Jefferson St SE Suite 300 Olympia WA 98501-7501 Carol Dotlich, President Greg Devereux, Executive Director
Editor Tim Welch e-mail: tim@wfse.org Internet: www.wfse.org Member, ILCA

Page 2

WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee

September 2011

PRE-BARGAINING 2013-2015
WASHINGTON FEDERATION OF STATE EMPLOYEES AFSCME COUNCIL 28, AFL-CIO
constitution. WFSE members in good standing in the Renton Technical College and the TESC Exempts bargaining unit may elect up to 5 bargaining team members. Election of bargaining teams from Renton Technical College and the TESC Exempts bargaining unit will occur at the appropriate time in their respective negotiating cycles. The Council President may appoint bargaining team members to any Higher Education bargaining team from any bargaining unit within that Higher Education Institution not represented on the elected team or to fill vacant seats. General Government: One (1) bargaining team member will be elected from each of the following Election Groups to the statewide General Government bargaining team : Election Groups (1 team member from each) Agriculture Commerce Corrections Early Learning Ecology Employment Security Enterprise Services/CTS Fish & Wildlife Health Health Care Authority Insurance Commissioner Labor & Industries Licensing Military Department Natural Resources Parks & Recreation School for Blind and Center for Deafness and Hearing Loss State Patrol Transportation East Side Transportation West Side Veterans Affairs Western State Hospital/CSTC Special Commitment Center Eastern State Hospital DD Institutions - Eastside/CSS DD Institutions - Westside JRA Institutions, Juvenile Parole and Group Homes Division of Child Support Community Services Division Childrens Administration DD Field Services/SOLA Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Home & Community Services Division all other DSHS not specified above All Other Agencies not specified above

BARGAINING STRUCTURE FOR 2013-2015 NEGOTIATIONS

STATE OF WASHINGTON (General Government and Institutions of Higher Education)
The Washington Federation of State Employees Executive Board has established the following structure for bargaining and ratification of master agreements with the State of Washington and the Institutions of Higher Education. The Executive Board has the specific power to call a strike, following a strike authorization vote, and to order a return to work from a strike.

BARGAINING TEAMS
Only WFSE members in good standing in the appropriate bargaining units will be eligible to nominate and/or vote in the election of any bargaining team member. Members must be current state employees and members in good standing in the appropriate bargaining unit of WFSE to serve on any bargaining team. Responsibilities of the bargaining team: The bargaining teams will develop the initial bargaining proposal to be presented to the employer, and then negotiate with the State of Washington or the respective Institution of Higher Education. The bargaining teams approve final contract language for membership ratification or recommend rejection of the tentative agreement or final employer offer. The bargaining teams at the table have the power to alter, modify, change, or concede on all issues to obtain the best possible language, and reach a tentative agreement, or declare that the team has reached an impasse. The bargaining teams have the power to refer specific issues to supplemental committees. Responsibilities of the bargaining team members: Bargaining team members are to be accountable, be committed to the process, be open-minded and realistic, be available, and to identify experts or specialists in specific agency issues, contracting, classifications, and other subject matters. The bargaining team members will be responsible for direct communications with members in worksites regarding the progress of negotiations. Bargaining team members will be responsible for communicating with assigned groups of employees. Bargaining team members will work with Council field staff in scheduling meetings and will be accountable for content, update, and mobilization, as determined by the bargaining team. Bargaining team members are expected to spend additional time educating the membership when they are not at the bargaining table. Being a bargaining team member means spending a lot of time over many months (sometimes late into the evening) negotiating, researching, and communicating. Careful and serious consideration should be given to these responsibilities before any member considers serving on the bargaining team. Voting on the bargaining teams will be one (1) vote for each bargaining team member present. The four (4) Council officers will be automatic members of their respective bargaining team, with a voice and a vote. The Council officers may attend bargaining sessions of any other bargaining team, as the Council President deems necessary. The Council President may remove any bargaining team member who, after careful investigation, is determined to have violated the bargaining teams rules of conduct or the AFSCME International Constitution (see Article X, Section 2), or who has acted inappropriately as a bargaining team member. Any bargaining team member removed from a bargaining team may appeal the decision of the Council President to the Council Executive Committee plus one bargaining team member chosen by the appellants bargaining team.

Team members will be nominated and elected by the WFSE members in the bargaining unit(s) in their respective Election Group as listed above. Ties will be decided by run off. Election of the team members will be completed no later than November 15, 2011. The Council President may appoint additional members to the team as required. Should a member of the bargaining team need to be replaced, the position will be filled by the next runner-up from the original election. If there is no runner-up, the Council President will appoint the replacement. If WFSE is certified to a bargaining unit representing more than 100 employees in a new General Government agency after the bargaining team is elected, but before bargaining is concluded, an additional member of the bargaining team will be elected by the WFSE members in good standing in that agencys bargaining unit(s) following the same process as in the original elections. The Collective Bargaining Committee (CBC) will review and approve all election processes for all bargaining teams

HEALTH CARE COALITION

The Council President or designee will serve on the Health Care Coalition bargaining team. In addition, each of the Higher Education bargaining teams will select one (1) member, and the General Government team will select three (3) members. If there is no member willing to serve from one (1) or more of the Higher Education bargaining teams, the Council President may appoint a member from the associated Higher Education bargaining team institution(s).

ELECTION OF BARGAINING TEAM MEMBERS

Higher Education: WFSE members in good standing in all WFSE bargaining units in each Institution of Higher Education bargaining in a coalition will elect bargaining team members to the coalition bargaining team(s) based on the number of bargaining unit employees in each institution as follows: Number of Bargaining Unit Employees in the Institution 1-100 101 - 300 Over 300 Number of Team Members 1 2 3

PROPOSALS
Contract proposals may be submitted by: locals; the WFSE Executive Board, and the WFSE Executive Director. Proposals must be adopted by a majority vote of the body submitting them. Council 28 bargaining teams and staff will use surveys of the bargaining unit employees as needed during bargaining. Contract proposals must be submitted to the WFSE Headquarters office by 5:00 p.m. November 23, 2011. Proposals must be submitted on the WFSE contract proposal form, which will be accessible on the WFSE website, and must include: (1) the contract article and section to be changed, or an indication that it is a new concept; (2) documentation to support the proposal; (3) the problem the proposal is meant to address; and (4) the proposal and (5) the number/name and signature of President and Secretary of the subordinate body submitting the proposal. Each contract proposal form will be assigned a tracking number so that it can be followed through the negotiating process. Contract proposal forms must be filled out completely. WFSE staff will assess contract proposals for legality and consolidate duplicate proposals. The resulting proposals will then be passed on to the appropriate bargaining team(s) for debate, possible revision, and a vote to support or reject.

Each Higher Education Institution should have at least one representative at the table. WFSE members in good standing in all WFSE bargaining units in each of the other Institutions of Higher Education, except the University of Washington, Renton Technical College and the TESC Exempts bargaining unit will elect up to nine (9) bargaining team members to their institution-wide bargaining team. The number and geographic representation of bargaining team members will be elected by WFSE members in good standing in bargaining units at the University of Washington in accordance with Article IX, Sections 3 and 3 of the Local 1488

September 2011

WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 Page 3

PRE-BARGAINING 2013-2015
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 COMMUNICATION WITH MEMBERS
Informing and involving bargaining unit employees during the bargaining process will be key to winning support for a strong contract and ratification of a final agreement. A communication strategy will be developed involving frequent dissemination of information from each bargaining team to a wide net of activists including stewards, MAT leaders, local officers and board members, Council executive board members and committee members. The e-mail network, website and hotline will be available to provide immediate communication. Mailings will be used, especially as the pace of bargaining picks up during negotiations on economic issues, final tentative agreements and throughout ratification. When necessary, staff may distribute a press release to the mainstream media. Council 28 Field Offices and Headquarters will be hubs for distribution of information materials and tools for job actions. At the conclusion of negotiations, a system will be developed to allow the disposition of all proposals to be communicated back to the members. At the conclusion of bargaining, a debriefing will occur with bargaining team members and at the supplemental team levels to discuss the process. A copy of this document will be made available prior to the debriefing for members to propose amendments to be submitted to the CBC for consideration.

SUPPLEMENTAL BARGAINING
When management agrees to supplemental bargaining, the General Government and Higher Education Coalition bargaining teams will establish rules. Supplemental bargaining teams will consist of members of the main teams as well as resource people as needed. Up to six additional supplemental team members will be appointed by the Council 28 President. Resource people will be appointed by the Council 28 President. Adopted by Council 28 Executive Board 8/27/11

GENERAL GOVERNMENT AND HIGHER EDUCATION 2013-2015 NEGOTIATING TEAMS NOMINATIONS & ELECTIONS PROCEDURE
Elections for general government and higher education bargaining teams will be by mail ballot in accordance with the following procedures. A local may determine a different election procedure for any higher education bargaining team where all eligible voters are members of one local. The timeline for Renton Community College and TESC Exempts will be in accordance with their respective negotiating cycles, not the dates below. 1) 2) Those eligible for nomination will be members in good standing and currently employed in a General Government or Higher Education WFSE bargaining unit. Nominations will be accepted from any WFSE member eligible for nomination. Eligible WFSE members may nominate themselves or another eligible WFSE member in the same Election Group, Institution of Higher Education (except UW), or University of Washington bargaining unit/off-site location. Call for nominations will be mailed to all eligible members no later than September 12, 2011 Nomination forms must be filled in completely and must include the nominator and nominee names, work locations and contact phone numbers. Nominations received without the required information will not be accepted. Information on the nomination form must be legible. Nominations must be received, in writing, at Council 28 Headquarters no later than 5:00 pm on October 10, 2011. An attempt will be made to contact each nominee (unless self nominated) to give him/her the opportunity to decline the nomination. If the nominee cannot be reached or does not respond, his/her name will be placed on the ballot. If the nominee declines the nomination, his/her name will not be placed on the ballot. Nominees may provide factual information not to exceed 75 words regarding themselves for use during the election process. This information must be received at WFSE Headquarters no later than 5:00 pm, October 17, 2011. Elections for each Election Group or Institution of Higher Education participating in mail ballot elections will be held separately and nominees will be placed on the ballot and be eligible for election from the Election Group, Institution of Higher Education or University of Washington bargaining unit/off-site location in which WFSE has record of their employment.

classification. Included with the ballots, but on separate paper, will be factual information on each nominee, if provided by the nominee. Also included will be an envelope for the ballot and a postage-paid envelope for return to Council 28 Headquarters. 13) The election of negotiating team members by Election Group and Institution of Higher Education or University of Washington bargaining unit/off-site location shall be determined by the highest number of votes cast per nominee and shall not require a majority of the votes cast. Ties will be decided by run off. Alternates shall be ranked by the number of votes cast per nominee in the election. 14) If there are equal to or fewer nominees than team positions for an Election Group, Institution of Higher Education or University of Washington bargaining unit/off-site location then no balloting will be required, and the nominees will be declared elected by acclamation. 15) Ballots will be mailed the week of October 24, 2011. 16) The deadline for ballots to be received in the WFSE Headquarters office will be 5:00 p.m. on November 14, 2011. Ballots will be counted beginning November 15, 2011 until completed. 17) All ballots will be in two envelopes so each person voting can be verified during the count and any invalid ballots can be easily identified while maintaining confidentiality of the ballots. The outside envelope must bear the voters full name and address. 18) For on-site voting, members without picture identification or whose names do not appear on a membership list may vote a challenged ballot. 19) Nomination forms for bargaining team members will be available at the Council 28 Biennial Convention in Spokane. 20) Individuals elected without run-off will be notified in writing by November 21, 2011. The results of the elections will be published by Council 28 and sent to all members eligible to vote. Results will be available for inquiry at Council 28 Headquarters prior to publication. 21) Any candidate whose name is to appear on the ballot may have an official observer present of her/his own choosing (who must be a member of the WFSE) in the location ballots bearing her/his name are to be counted. The candidate shall notify Council 28 Headquarters of his or her choice of observer. 22) Any protest concerning the conduct of the election must be received, in writing, at Council 28 Headquarters addressed to the Council 28 Elections Committee by 5:00 pm December 1, 2011. Adopted by Council 28 Executive Board 8/27/11

3) 4)

5) 6) 7)

8)

9)

10) Those eligible to vote will be the same as those eligible to be nominated. 11) Ballots will be sent to all members eligible to vote at the address WFSE has on file as of October 21, 2011. 12) Ballots will include voting instructions and names of eligible nominees, in alphabetical order. Ballots for the University of Washington will include voting instructions and names of eligible nominees, in alphabetical order, and job

STRUCTURE, from page 1

The documents lay out all the details and significant time frames. But two to keep in mind: The call for nominations will be mailed to all eligible members no later than Sept. 12. Those interested in serving on the bargaining team should carefully read the

Page 4

boxed sections on page 3 that lay out the responsibilities of the bargaining team and bargaining team members. Being a bargaining team member is rewarding, but requires long hours at the negotiating table over many months. And bargaining team members will have a responsibility to communicate with members they represent at worksites during the course of negotiations.

Contract proposals must be submitted to Federation headquarters no later than Nov. 23. Locals, the Federation Executive Board and the Federation executive director may submit contract proposals. So a lot of the debate on proposals will be at your locals meetings over the next few months.

WFSE/AFSCME Washington State Employee

September 2011