CONTRACTING OUT VICTORY FOR THREE UW BOTHELL GARDENERS

Three gardeners at the University of Washington Bothell campus have struck a blow against contracting out of tree-trimming work.

Tim Maurer, Richard Klein and Joe Marchand, all gardener 2s and Local 1488 members, should have been offered the opportunity to do the tree trimming, “even if it meant working overtime,” said Federation Senior Field Representative Phyllis Naiad.

The university sent the Local 1488 members’ work to the City of Bothell, which did the tree trimming in early July. That violated their contract with the UW.

“Tree trimming is work historically done by bargaining unit members,” Naiad said.

She, Local 1488 Shop Steward John Miller and Local 1488 President Art Wake met with management and requested compensation for the tree-trimming the university didn’t allow the three to do.

The result: The UW will pay Maurer, Klein and Marchand $200 each for the lost work.