The WWU Bargaining Team reached tentative agreement on a new contract last night (March 29).
To get to where they wanted, the team agreed to a one-year contract that takes effect next year, on July 1, 2012, and runs until June 30, 2013. During the first year of the biennium, from July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012, the terms and conditions of the current (2009-2011) collective bargaining agreement will apply.
They will take a temporary salary reduction of 3 percent for those making more than $2,500 a month from July 1, 2012, to June 29, 2013, under the same kind of flexible furlough plan seen in the General Government contract, with 5.2 hours of Temporary Salary Reduction Leave for those subject to the temporary salary reduction.
They gained a new article on inclement weather, retained the current Winter Break Day and eliminated restrictions on use of vacation leave and sick leave for emergency childcare, among other gains.
The contract summary and full TA document are being finalized and edited and will be posted soon on the WWU bargaining page at www.wfse.org. Under the ratification plan approved by the team last night, the notice of election and contract summary will go in the mail April 5. Members who work on satellite campuses will also receive a mail-in ballot. There will be an information meeting at the WWU campus in Bellingham on April 13. Onsite balloting at the main WWU campus will be April 20. That will also be the deadline for receipt of mail ballots from employees at satellite campuses and absentee ballots. The vote count will also be April 20.
To get to where they wanted, the team agreed to a one-year contract that takes effect next year, on July 1, 2012, and runs until June 30, 2013. During the first year of the biennium, from July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012, the terms and conditions of the current (2009-2011) collective bargaining agreement will apply.
They will take a temporary salary reduction of 3 percent for those making more than $2,500 a month from July 1, 2012, to June 29, 2013, under the same kind of flexible furlough plan seen in the General Government contract, with 5.2 hours of Temporary Salary Reduction Leave for those subject to the temporary salary reduction.
They gained a new article on inclement weather, retained the current Winter Break Day and eliminated restrictions on use of vacation leave and sick leave for emergency childcare, among other gains.
The contract summary and full TA document are being finalized and edited and will be posted soon on the WWU bargaining page at www.wfse.org. Under the ratification plan approved by the team last night, the notice of election and contract summary will go in the mail April 5. Members who work on satellite campuses will also receive a mail-in ballot. There will be an information meeting at the WWU campus in Bellingham on April 13. Onsite balloting at the main WWU campus will be April 20. That will also be the deadline for receipt of mail ballots from employees at satellite campuses and absentee ballots. The vote count will also be April 20.
Sounds pretty good, given the state's financial situation--even as if some actual bargaining took place, the union gained one important concession, and those in lower wage jobs are protected.
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