After nearly 18 hours of solid bargaining with DSHS Secretary Dreyfus and her executive leadership, the union bargaining team concluded bargaining over the additional furlough days in DSHS.
The union bargaining team brought forward innovative ideas of how to conserve salary dollars in order to save family wage jobs. The union continues to seek ideas from our membership for cost saving measures.
Both the union team and the management team struggled to come to an unprecedented agreement designed to meet the needs of both parties and best serve the citizens of the state of Washington. The options available to the teams were limited by the economic crisis in the state, regulations, and potential liabilities.
The facts, as provided to the union by the Secretary of DSHS are as follows:
Due to the severe economic crisis in the State of Washington, the Governor has directed 6.287% across the board cuts. According to DSHS Secretary Dreyfus, the agency budget reductions total $167 million dollars. Therefore, in addition to the reduction of more than 2000 staff since June 2008, DSHS Secretary Dreyfus declared that it is necessary to implement a total one-time reduction in compensation through the end of this fiscal year totaling 11.1 million dollars.
As we understand it, the intent of the agreement is to expand and extend furlough days in a manner that is flexible, taking into account the work scheduling needs of represented employees as well as the business needs of the agency in order to achieve the salary and benefits savings required rather than resorting to the elimination of approximately 160 full time positions in DSHS.
The agreement recognizes that the furloughs reduce the time available for employees to complete the work they typically do. It takes into account the need to "reset" or reduce the expectations of the quantity of work usually done by state workers. Workload has been a key issue for our members. The hiring freezes and reductions in workforce coupled with the legislatively mandated furloughs have pushed workers to the very edge due to demands that they perform the same level of work despite the fact that there are fewer to do the work and those who remain have reduced hours to accomplish it.
The agreement does not allow workers to be punitively treated for the impact of these reductions on their work performance.
In most cases, performance evaluations will be suspended for the next eight months. A work group will be established to try to create a more meaningful and effective way to communicate performance assessments in the future.
Safety grievances will be handled in an expedited manner to try to quickly respond to dangerous situations that arise as a result of the current conditions.
State workers who earn the least will be exempt unless their work site is closed. When the work site is closed, they will be allowed to use their paid leave time.
The agreement allows for a reduction of furlough days when the savings are achieved.
The Union and Management will meet monthly to review the progress and determine if the number of days can be reduced.
Probationary and trial service employees will not face extensions of the time period due to furlough days.
Retirement and seniority credits will not be reduced as a result of furloughs.
The union team attempted to exempt a job class where the vacancy rate was so high that concerns were raised that potential fines or citations could be levied against the state. Management did not share those concerns and they were not addressed in the agreement.
These are only some of the provisions contained in the agreement. The full agreement is posted on the WFSE website.
The DSHS furlough bargaining team deserves our deep appreciation for the thoughtful way they approached this most difficult negotiation. Each of them worked hard to bring information, perspective, and creative solutions to the bargaining table. These tough economic times truly test each of us. This group took on the challenges with determination and hope for the future. Despite the late hour, no one left the table until the job was done. They maintained a true sense of union solidarity throughout. They thought of each one of our members in all their diverse circumstances and treated them all as members of our AFSCME family. I'm proud to have served with them. Thank you to all!
The Union team: Carol Dotlich, Sue Henricksen, Linnea Elmer-Andersen, Crag Gibelyou, Ken Blair, Daniel D'Haem, Ron Mullins, Sandra Reynolds, Steven Segall, Kandy Kraig, Julianne Moore, Marci Douglas-Bumgarner, Gabe Hall, Greg Devereux, Cecil Tibbets.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Furloughs - Union Responds To DSHS Plan To Add Days
Today, Wednesday, the union bargaining team met at 8:30am to continue bargaining over the additional furlough days that DSHS management is proposing to address a serious budget shortfall that would otherwise result in 160 job losses in addition to the already stated 380 positions they have identified for lay off. The lay offs will still have to be negotiated and lay offs are not a part of this bargaining.
It is now 8:00pm and our union team is still at it. We've had good discussions with management so far. DSHS Secretary Dreyfus is on the management team in person. The quality of the discussion is much better than the last time the parties met to negotiate. We are very hopeful that we will reach a tenable agreement some time tonight that we can publish. The rumors and endless e-mails from various sources have bedeviled the DSHS membership long enough. It's time we have answers and agreements that both sides understand and support.
It is now 8:00pm and our union team is still at it. We've had good discussions with management so far. DSHS Secretary Dreyfus is on the management team in person. The quality of the discussion is much better than the last time the parties met to negotiate. We are very hopeful that we will reach a tenable agreement some time tonight that we can publish. The rumors and endless e-mails from various sources have bedeviled the DSHS membership long enough. It's time we have answers and agreements that both sides understand and support.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
General Government Contract Team Update
The General Government Contract Bargaining team worked all day today on preparing proposals and counter proposals. Although the bargaining is tough, the team remains united and committed to getting contract improvements. We will meet again tomorrow and hope to see some long overdue progress.
A special thanks to Gabe Hall and Lyn Hofland for warming up the environment and sweetening the days. Gabe has provided delicious home made soup to the team and Lyn has baked amazing breads and cakes and brought them to us. Their special talents and commitment to the bargaining are deeply appreciated by us all.
A special thanks to Gabe Hall and Lyn Hofland for warming up the environment and sweetening the days. Gabe has provided delicious home made soup to the team and Lyn has baked amazing breads and cakes and brought them to us. Their special talents and commitment to the bargaining are deeply appreciated by us all.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Furlough Answer-Because Someone Asked
Question sent in: Why is the union making furloughs worse by delaying them?
Under the bill 6503, union members were provided protections that the current (management initiated) furlough response related to the Governor directed 6.5% cut does not contain. Absent those protections, our members have everything to lose and nothing to gain. We went to the table based on DSHS statement that agreeing to furloughs would save jobs and that they were willing to negotiate real flexibility in how furloughs happened and that they would agree to put those protections in place for our members. If you go to the website, under the blog section, in the President's blog I related day by day what was occurring. Management did NOT agree to flexibility in scheduling the furloughs. There is no guarantee that the money saved will save our member's jobs. DSHS management, in our view, is not negotiating and if you could call what happened negotiation then it was not done in good faith.
The union agreed on a Thursday of one week to negotiate an agreement with management on Monday of the following week. Management never expected a response so timely. We fully expected to have a written agreement by the end of the work day and publish it that evening. No one was more surprised and appalled than the union bargaining team when it became clear that the other side was not motivated toward that outcome. We wanted a clear and cogent outcome we could publish quickly so that our members would not be upset and confused by the rumors and e-mails. During the time we were "negotiating" our members were notifying us of one e-mail and then another sent by various management in DSHS. Even the team on the other side of the table was surprised by what was occurring. Furlough date for October was first one date and then another.
These are difficult and dangerous times for state employees and for the citizens we serve. There is nothing simple about negotiating the impacts of the budget cuts we face. Still the union members were ready and motivated to work toward saving jobs and services. However, management cannot expect to hold our workforce accountable to the same numbers and the same workload that our members carry when they are given fewer hours to accomplish that workload. The lay offs and hiring freezes that have already occurred have had a severe workload impact on those who remain. We cannot allow our members to be held to the same performance numbers and criteria that they were before all that happened. In this dark economic time we must stand together and continue to fight for respect and dignity for the members who make Washington happen.
Our bargaining team members know how important it is that each of us do the right thing for the members we represent. Pressure is being brought to bear on us. We are threatened with more furlough days, more lay offs, more crushing workload. It is designed to divide us, to break our will to stand up for the workers and their families. It is designed to bust our union. We have already sacrificed so much to save our state. More may be required. We are all in this together and together we must stand up for state workers, stand up for our families, stand up for citizen services and protect those rights for which we have so long labored. Together we CAN do this. And so we shall.
Thank you for your comments to our website. It is important to have real conversations about the issues before us. Thank you for sharing your perspective and allowing me to share mine.
Under the bill 6503, union members were provided protections that the current (management initiated) furlough response related to the Governor directed 6.5% cut does not contain. Absent those protections, our members have everything to lose and nothing to gain. We went to the table based on DSHS statement that agreeing to furloughs would save jobs and that they were willing to negotiate real flexibility in how furloughs happened and that they would agree to put those protections in place for our members. If you go to the website, under the blog section, in the President's blog I related day by day what was occurring. Management did NOT agree to flexibility in scheduling the furloughs. There is no guarantee that the money saved will save our member's jobs. DSHS management, in our view, is not negotiating and if you could call what happened negotiation then it was not done in good faith.
The union agreed on a Thursday of one week to negotiate an agreement with management on Monday of the following week. Management never expected a response so timely. We fully expected to have a written agreement by the end of the work day and publish it that evening. No one was more surprised and appalled than the union bargaining team when it became clear that the other side was not motivated toward that outcome. We wanted a clear and cogent outcome we could publish quickly so that our members would not be upset and confused by the rumors and e-mails. During the time we were "negotiating" our members were notifying us of one e-mail and then another sent by various management in DSHS. Even the team on the other side of the table was surprised by what was occurring. Furlough date for October was first one date and then another.
These are difficult and dangerous times for state employees and for the citizens we serve. There is nothing simple about negotiating the impacts of the budget cuts we face. Still the union members were ready and motivated to work toward saving jobs and services. However, management cannot expect to hold our workforce accountable to the same numbers and the same workload that our members carry when they are given fewer hours to accomplish that workload. The lay offs and hiring freezes that have already occurred have had a severe workload impact on those who remain. We cannot allow our members to be held to the same performance numbers and criteria that they were before all that happened. In this dark economic time we must stand together and continue to fight for respect and dignity for the members who make Washington happen.
Our bargaining team members know how important it is that each of us do the right thing for the members we represent. Pressure is being brought to bear on us. We are threatened with more furlough days, more lay offs, more crushing workload. It is designed to divide us, to break our will to stand up for the workers and their families. It is designed to bust our union. We have already sacrificed so much to save our state. More may be required. We are all in this together and together we must stand up for state workers, stand up for our families, stand up for citizen services and protect those rights for which we have so long labored. Together we CAN do this. And so we shall.
Thank you for your comments to our website. It is important to have real conversations about the issues before us. Thank you for sharing your perspective and allowing me to share mine.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
AFSCME/WFSE Members Stood In Solidarity Against The Governor's Healthcare Proposal
Pictured above Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Murray and Senator Cantwell speaking.
On Friday, our members stood silently with backs turned as the Governor addressed the crowd at the rally to support the re-election of Senator Patty Murray. Members could scarcely remain silent as the Governor talked about healthcare. Our healthcare bargaining is stalled with the Governor proposing increased costs that our members simply cannot afford. She touched on a number of topics including support of the middle class. State employees have historically received less in compensation than their peers in the community. They have weathered a four year wage freeze which will likely continue. The Governor's bargaining team has proposed nothing but take backs and have not significantly moved on working conditions issues. The benefits that once attended state employment have eroded. Our backs are against the wall.
On Friday, our members stood silently with backs turned as the Governor addressed the crowd at the rally to support the re-election of Senator Patty Murray. Members could scarcely remain silent as the Governor talked about healthcare. Our healthcare bargaining is stalled with the Governor proposing increased costs that our members simply cannot afford. She touched on a number of topics including support of the middle class. State employees have historically received less in compensation than their peers in the community. They have weathered a four year wage freeze which will likely continue. The Governor's bargaining team has proposed nothing but take backs and have not significantly moved on working conditions issues. The benefits that once attended state employment have eroded. Our backs are against the wall.
When asked by a reporter why we turned our backs to her while she spoke, a member stated simply, "She's turned her back on us."
Christine Gregoire once articulated values that we supported. We endorsed and supported her. We once believed that state employees would be treated with respect and dignity. What we currently experience leads us in a different direction.
As Governor, she refused to forward our last contracts to the legislature for approval using her own Office of Financial Management to state they were not economically feasible. Her Labor Relations Office negotiated those contracts and LRO reports to the Office of Financial Management. We were in uncharted territory then and we are in uncharted territory now.
Senator Murray stands up for Washington state. She stood up for Boeing Machinists. She stood up for working families. Senator Maria Cantwell stood up for Washington citizens. These women stand up and stand out.
When is this Governor going to stand up for state employees and the citizens we serve? When will this Governor support our working families and maintain the safety net all citizens rely upon? When will she support affordable healthcare for her own employees?
We are undaunted. We live our values. We make Washington happen. We stand solid and we stand strong. We are AFSCME.
WFSE Members Attend Rally At UW Tacoma
Members attended a rally to support the re-election of Senator Patty Murray on Friday.
AFSCME/WFSE Language Interpreters Rally For Senator Patty Murray
Our AFSCME/WFSE union family turned out at University of Washington Tacoma campus in support of Senator Patty Murray on Friday. Our newest members, Interpreters, came out to support the legislators that support working families. They heard from Representative Adam Smith, Senator Maria Cantwell, Governor Christine Gregoire, and Vice President Joe Biden. They sent a wonderful solidarity message when they joined their state employee brothers and sisters. We STAND STRONG when we STAND TOGETHER!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
DSHS Additional Furlough Days - NO Agreement
At the end of a third day of "bargaining" - how could anyone call it that? - there is NO AGREEMENT. Yesterday morning, the union presented a proposal to address the 6.287% budget cut ordered by the Governor. Management failed to respond to that proposal until after 8pm last night. Undaunted and determined to save 160 DSHS jobs, the team met at 10am to submit another proposal. The union's proposal contained language designed to protect our membership from the abuses that we all know occur in worksites with too few staff and too heavy a workload. We submitted yet another proposal today. We were asked to submit the proposal electronically. Our bargaining team delivered it in person and discovered that the management team wasn't even there. They had to scramble to get people to the table. Before 4pm management told the union team they didn't want to talk anymore today and may get back to us next week.
It appears there will be no agreement on furloughs in the month of October for state employees not covered under 6503. While some of us are furloughed October 11th, the state employees not covered under the bill apparently will be working.
Throughout these three days, members of the union team well acquainted with the disarray in DSHS were nevertheless surprised and appalled by what they witnessed yesterday and today.
The promised flexibility in scheduling did not prove true. The commitment to "reset" expectations of the workforce with fewer work hours to accomplish the increasing work demands did not prove true. Even the statement that it would save jobs is now in doubt. We have asked repeatedly for the list of job classes that would be saved and have received nothing. In addition, WMS positions are being actively recruited by DSHS. When the issue was raised, management said they would be federally funded. Really?? Many of our jobs rely in some part on federal funds. That is why we must meet standards or lose those funds. Secretary Dreyfus's words and management actions at the table do not pass the straight face test.
We are asked to maintain an ever increasing workload with fewer staff and fewer work hours, asked to care for our families on wages frozen for 4 years, asked to give up pay we have more than earned, and now we are asked to pretend that negotiations occur. Really??
It appears there will be no agreement on furloughs in the month of October for state employees not covered under 6503. While some of us are furloughed October 11th, the state employees not covered under the bill apparently will be working.
Throughout these three days, members of the union team well acquainted with the disarray in DSHS were nevertheless surprised and appalled by what they witnessed yesterday and today.
The promised flexibility in scheduling did not prove true. The commitment to "reset" expectations of the workforce with fewer work hours to accomplish the increasing work demands did not prove true. Even the statement that it would save jobs is now in doubt. We have asked repeatedly for the list of job classes that would be saved and have received nothing. In addition, WMS positions are being actively recruited by DSHS. When the issue was raised, management said they would be federally funded. Really?? Many of our jobs rely in some part on federal funds. That is why we must meet standards or lose those funds. Secretary Dreyfus's words and management actions at the table do not pass the straight face test.
We are asked to maintain an ever increasing workload with fewer staff and fewer work hours, asked to care for our families on wages frozen for 4 years, asked to give up pay we have more than earned, and now we are asked to pretend that negotiations occur. Really??
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
And The DSHS Furlough Saga Continues Another Day
Believe it or not, DSHS managers in various areas have been announcing the additional furlough days and telling our members it is this date and that date. Then it is changed and sometimes rescinded. What is the truth of the matter and why is it so confusing???
Our Union and DSHS Management just spent the second day in these negotiations. The Union provided a proposal at 10 am. At 4pm, management announced that they needed more time to develop their counter-proposal plan. Throughout the day, members contacted their team to announce that they were being told one thing and then another. We heard that institutions can do it and then that they cannot. This institution can do the furlough day and that institution can't. Field offices can close entirely for the day and then they can't. Members can work with supervisors for flexibility in determining the day or days but then no-the day is selected by management. On and on it goes.
The fact is there is no agreement at this point. Management said they were directing managers to rescind the October 11th furlough day. At this point, I can't say what will transpire. I can only ask that members continue to directly report what is being done in the various areas of DSHS. You may report it to this blog, send an e-mail to Carold@wfse.org, or Sueh@wfse.org, or report to your Union Council staff so that we, at the table, can track what is being said and done while we attempt to negotiate the important protections our members require in these difficult economic times.
Our Union and DSHS Management just spent the second day in these negotiations. The Union provided a proposal at 10 am. At 4pm, management announced that they needed more time to develop their counter-proposal plan. Throughout the day, members contacted their team to announce that they were being told one thing and then another. We heard that institutions can do it and then that they cannot. This institution can do the furlough day and that institution can't. Field offices can close entirely for the day and then they can't. Members can work with supervisors for flexibility in determining the day or days but then no-the day is selected by management. On and on it goes.
The fact is there is no agreement at this point. Management said they were directing managers to rescind the October 11th furlough day. At this point, I can't say what will transpire. I can only ask that members continue to directly report what is being done in the various areas of DSHS. You may report it to this blog, send an e-mail to Carold@wfse.org, or Sueh@wfse.org, or report to your Union Council staff so that we, at the table, can track what is being said and done while we attempt to negotiate the important protections our members require in these difficult economic times.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
DSHS Furlough Bargaining
Monday was the first day the bargaining team met with management to discuss the management proposal to further furlough state workers. Union representatives asked a series of questions to determine whether there were other ways to meet the budget reduction ordered by the Governor. Discussions ensued. Among them, a number of suggestions were made that management said they would take a look at.
The union representatives were looking for the flexibility in scheduling that Secretary Dreyfus previously stated was in her interest as well as ours. Instead members were reporting to their team that the dates had been decided and managers were already working on implementation. In addition, there were reports that managers were planning to use on-call employees to replace furloughed workers. There were questions as to whether the plans would actually achieve the stated savings.
State workers need protections in the agreement language. We want to allow workers to work with their managers to determine which hours will be furlough. If workers can opt to take a day of a pre-scheduled vacation period, it relieves the staffing issues in 24/7 facilities where short staffing is unsafe. State employees who are furloughed should not have their probationary period extended. We want to make sure a furlough day is no more than 8 hours for a full time employee and that less than full time workers are treated proportionately. We would like to protect workers who earn the least money. We want to insure that overtime exempt employees are not forced to carry the same workload in a furlough period as they are during a regular work period. These are just a few of the many issues that were not resolved on Monday.
We will go back to bargaining tomorrow and are hopeful that an agreement can be achieved. The team was deeply disappointed in the outcome on Monday and know that their sisters and brothers are counting on them to bring an element of fairness and reasonableness into the process.
Thank you to the members who are working on this issue. Due to management's declaration that the furloughs will prevent 160 employees from joining the ranks of the 380 they say will be laid off, and realizing that these furloughs result in a wage reduction to a workforce that is already struggling financially, this team is under a lot of pressure. Your comments are welcome.
The union representatives were looking for the flexibility in scheduling that Secretary Dreyfus previously stated was in her interest as well as ours. Instead members were reporting to their team that the dates had been decided and managers were already working on implementation. In addition, there were reports that managers were planning to use on-call employees to replace furloughed workers. There were questions as to whether the plans would actually achieve the stated savings.
State workers need protections in the agreement language. We want to allow workers to work with their managers to determine which hours will be furlough. If workers can opt to take a day of a pre-scheduled vacation period, it relieves the staffing issues in 24/7 facilities where short staffing is unsafe. State employees who are furloughed should not have their probationary period extended. We want to make sure a furlough day is no more than 8 hours for a full time employee and that less than full time workers are treated proportionately. We would like to protect workers who earn the least money. We want to insure that overtime exempt employees are not forced to carry the same workload in a furlough period as they are during a regular work period. These are just a few of the many issues that were not resolved on Monday.
We will go back to bargaining tomorrow and are hopeful that an agreement can be achieved. The team was deeply disappointed in the outcome on Monday and know that their sisters and brothers are counting on them to bring an element of fairness and reasonableness into the process.
Thank you to the members who are working on this issue. Due to management's declaration that the furloughs will prevent 160 employees from joining the ranks of the 380 they say will be laid off, and realizing that these furloughs result in a wage reduction to a workforce that is already struggling financially, this team is under a lot of pressure. Your comments are welcome.
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