T E A

T i m e s

August 26, 2003

August/September Meeting Schedule

August 28 TR-TEA Negotiating Team meeting with legal counsel, 1-4pm

August 29 WTD-TEA Mediation, 9am-4:30pm

September  1 HOLIDAY - LABOR DAY

September  2 TEA Business Meeting (King St. Center, 5F), 12-1pm

September  8 TR-TEA Negotiating Team meeting with legal counsel, 1-4pm

September  12 TR-TEA Negotiating Team meeting with legal counsel, 9-12

September 15 Contract Negotiating Team, 12-1pm

September 16 TEA Business Meeting (King St. Center, 5F), 12-1pm

September 17 TEA Annual Meeting (Elliott Bay Café), 12-1pm
*** Vote on Officers, Dues and Bylaw Amendments ***
     (see below for more details)

September 22 Contract Negotiating Team, 12-1pm

September 23 TEA Business Meeting (King St. Center, 5F), 12-1pm

September 29 Contract Negotiating Team, 12-1pm

September 30 TEA Business Meeting (King St. Center, 5F), 12-1pm

Annual Meeting Agenda (September 17)

Call to Order
Candidate Statements for Officer Elections
Financial Plan/Dues Options
Proposed Bylaw Amendment - Contract Ratification Process
Update on Contract Negotiations
Issues for the Good of the Order

Members will be asked to cast their vote via ballot on both election of officers and on the proposed financial plan/dues. Ballots will be distributed to work-group representatives on September 5th for distribution to TEA members.

Completed ballots can be returned to your work-group representative, sent to Patty Overby (TEA Secretary), or hand-delivered at the Annual Meeting on September 17th by the adjournment of the meeting. Results will be tabulated and members informed of the results the following day in TEA Times.

Election of TEA Board Officers

Nominations for TEA officer positions (2nd Vice President and Treasurer) closed August 26th. The following candidates have been nominated for those positions and have submitted a statement.

Second Vice-President: Dave Crippen
For the past two years I have served as 2nd Vice President for TEA. In this capacity, I have chaired the negotiation committee. I have been significantly involved in negotiating both the Wastewater and Transit contracts. I would like to continue to work on, and complete the negotiation of these contracts.

I have been a supervisor in the Transit Division for the past 4 ˝ years. Prior to that, I had been in the Roads Division for 14 years. During the past two years, I have gained extensive knowledge in negotiating with King County's Human Resources Division. I believe this knowledge will help me if I continue to serve as 2nd Vice President.

I have enjoyed representing TEA for the last two years and hope to be able to continue doing so for another two years.

Treasurer: Eric Mandel
Hi - I am seeking re-election as Treasurer to continue building on the work I've done this past year including:

Developing and recommending dues proposals that are equitable and as low as possible while eliminating our debt and getting us in the black;

Participating in Exec Board decisions and contract negotiation team discussions;

Converting our TEA bank books to financial software; and

Keeping members fully informed about our organization's actions and finances.

I am honored to work with a great group of TEA officers. (I am currently the only Wastewater Board member, though our work covers both Divisions.). I would like to continue helping this organization become a strong and professional advocate for our interests while advocating fair treatment for our members.

Vote on Dues Proposal

The proposed financial plan/dues proposal has been reviewed and discussed at several Regular TEA meetings at with the Council of Representatives over the past three months. The guiding principles of this plan is to be equitable among all members; pay off the debt; keep rates low (below that of other unions); cover anticipated expenses and maintain a positive balance; and credit voluntary contributors without penalizing non-contributors. Direct questions on the proposal to your work group representative or to any Board member.

Member approval is being sought on one of two options being proposed and outlined below:

Option A: Increase Dues Rate to 0.7%
Upon ratification of a contract for the bargaining unit, dues shall be 0.7% of employee's income, deducted each paycheck based on the number of hours worked for that pay period. An employee's prior voluntary fee contribution shall be refunded as TEA's fund balance allows, after paying off the interest-bearing debt for past legal services.

For comparison, if a contract for a bargaining unit occurs in March 2004, the dues per paycheck at the 0.7% rate would be $11.20 or $16.80 respectively for the $20/hr. or $30/hr.gross wage, assuming an 80-hour pay period.

Option B: Current Dues Rate of 0.4% Plus Initiation Fee

Upon ratification of a contract for the bargaining unit, dues shall be 0.4% of employee's income, deducted each paycheck based on the number of hours worked for that pay period.

Additionally, a one-time Initial Special Assessment shall be charged based on the following formula:
Number of months since TEA recognition (April 2001) through contract ratification x 0.004 x employee's hourly wage on ratification date x 160 hours.
Note: 0.004 is the current voluntary dues rate. 160 hours is simplified assumption of the number of work hours in one month. The wage rate on ratification date is the current rate, NOT the new wage that would begin when the contract is implemented.

TEA members shall have the option to credit all voluntary dues paid against the Initial Special Assessment, and may pay the balance (if any) as either a lump sum within one month of contract ratification, in three equal monthly installments starting in the month of ratification, or in six equal monthly installments with a 5% service/interest fee on the total owed.

Term-limited employees shall pay one half the Initial Special Assessment as calculated above. If they become permanent (career service) staff, they will then be obligated to pay the remaining half of the Initial Special Assessment.

Temporary employees shall be exempt from the one-time Initial Special Assessment, and shall only pay the 0.4% dues as defined above. Should a temporary become a Term-Limited or permanent employee, they will pay the relevant Initial Special Assessment at that time.

New employees hired after contract ratification will pay the Initial Special Assessment applicable to their hiring status, using their wage rate when hired.

For comparison, if a contract for a bargaining unit occurs in March 2004, the dues per paycheck would be $6.40 or $9.60 respectively for the $20/hr. or $30/hr gross wage, assuming an 80-hour pay period. The Initial Special Assessment for an employee with a gross wage of $20/hr. would be $435.20; for $30/hr. it would be $652.80.

Vote on Proposed Bylaw Amendment - Contract Ratification Process

In accordance with Article XII, Amendments and Revisions, the following Amendments to the TEA Bylaws has been proposed and will be voted on at the Annual Meeting. The current Bylaws provide that amendments or revisions to the Bylaws can be made by a majority vote of those members present at any Annual, Regular or Special Meeting. Proposed new language is underlined.

PROPOSED ACTION: Modify Article IX. Elections, Section B (first paragraph) to read: "Votes on the percentage change of membership dues, offers for settlement of collective bargaining negotiations (except contract ratification), levies, Bylaws amendments and revisions, and the recall or replacement of an officer shall be by anonymous written ballot according to the following procedures directed by the Secretary:"
PROPOSED ACTION: Modify Article IX. Elections by adding a new Section F. Contract Ratification.

Section F. Contract Ratification

Any contract ratification shall be made by a vote of the Full Members of the particular bargaining unit for which the contract applies, at any Annual, Regular, or Special meeting identified for such purpose.
Fifteen (15) days notice will be given to the members of the applicable bargaining unit prior to the contract ratification vote.
Every full member of the applicable bargaining unit shall be given a ballot and two envelopes five working days prior to the ratification meeting. One envelope shall be plain and one shall contain the printed name of the member. Each member shall insert the completed ballot in the plain envelope and insert the plain envelope in the envelope with his/her name thereon. The member will then seal the envelope, signed by the printed name with his/her signature, and place in the locked ballot box attended by the secretary. Voting shall be finished either one hour after the start of the contract ratification meeting or when discussion on the contract has been declared over by the President, whichever is later. Absentee voting and voting by proxy (as per Sections C and E of this article) shall be allowed.
When voting is completed, the Secretary, the 2nd Vice President and at least one (1) volunteer Full Member of the applicable bargaining unit shall open the locked ballot box and shall verify each envelope against an official Full Member list of the applicable bargaining unit. Any envelope that is not on the Full Member list, or that is not sealed and signed shall not be counted.
The Secretary, the 2nd Vice President and at least one (1) volunteer Full Member of the applicable bargaining unit shall then count the ballots. A simple majority (50% plus one vote) shall be required to accept contract ratification.

The results of the vote shall be announced by the Secretary the next day after the meeting for contract ratification.

The current TEA Bylaws (in .pdf format) can be viewed at the TEA website www.teaseattle.org.