BARGAINING TEAMS TO HEAD BACK TO TABLE TO RE-NEGOTIATE

The Federation has won a return to the bargaining table to renegotiate your contracts instead of having them unilaterally withheld.

This is a reversal by the administration, which until now said it did not have the authority to renegotiate. Gov. Chris Gregoire did not forward the economic parts of the contracts to the Legislature. But the effect is there would be no contracts at all, economic or non-economic.

All of the Federation’s bargaining teams—the same ones you elected last year and which bargained the 2009-2011 contracts—will meet March 7 “to go over where we are in the process at this point,” said Federation President Carol Dotlich.

“Shortly thereafter, they will meet to discuss which articles to open and set goals.”

All of the Federation’s bargaining teams will then schedule negotiation dates. The General Government Bargaining Team heads back to the table March 11. They’ll have a pre-meet March 10. Dates for the Higher Education Coalition, the University of Washington, Washington State University and Eastern Washington University will follow.

“The existing elected bargaining teams will soon be back at the bargaining table to make sure Federation members have the job protections of a contract,” Dotlich said.

“In this difficult time, it is unthinkable that state employees can work in the current environment without a contract. We know the economy will not recover prior to the June 30th expiration date of the current contract.”

“We are up against the wall in terms of timing since the Legislature is scheduled to end in April,” Dotlich said. “We will work off existing contract proposals and benefits that the teams develop. We plan to hold a ratification vote which requires a period of time to allow members to participate. We must be flexible and we must be efficient in our use of time.”

Stay tuned for details.

The union will continue its legal challenge of the governor’s actions in the interest of preserving collective bargaining.