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T E A

T i m e s


September 9, 2003

September Meeting Schedule

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 17th) 12-1pm, Elliott Bay Bookstore Café

  1. Call to Order
  2. Candidate Statements for Officer Elections
  3. Financial Plan/Dues Options
  4. Proposed Bylaw Amendment - Contract Ratification Process
  5. Update on Contract Negotiations
  6. Issues for the Good of the Order

Members should receive ballots by September 10th for both election of officers and on the proposed financial plan/dues.

REMEMBER TO COMPLETE & RETURN YOUR BALLOT.

You can turn in your completed ballot to your work-group representative, give to Patty Overby (TEA Secretary), or hand-deliver 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.

*Note:  TEA Bylaws state that "no write-in candidates will be allowed in the election of Board Officer; and that election shall be by anonymous, written ballot, even if only one candidate is nominated for a given office." Refer to the August 26 TEA Times for candidate statements.

Clarification on Dues Proposal

Member approval is being sought on one of two options being proposed and outlined below: Direct questions on the proposal to your work group representative, any Board member or check the TEA website for a new Q&A summary. You should also refer to the August 26 TEA Times for more details.

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 regular (non-overtime) 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 for an employee with a gross wage of $20/hr. or $16.80 for a $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 regular (non-overtime) 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:

# 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: .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 have 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.

  1. 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:"
  2. PROPOSED ACTION: Modify Article IX. Elections by adding a new Section F. Contract Ratification.

    Section F. Contract Ratification

    1. 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.
    2. Fifteen (15) days notice will be given to the members of the applicable bargaining unit prior to the contract ratification vote.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. 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 can be viewed at the TEA website: www.teaseattle.org.

WTD Productivity Incentive Fund

TEA has three representatives on the WTD Productivity Incentive Fund Committee: Laura Wharton, Roger Browne and Leon Maday. The Committee has a goal of less than 30% turnover per year and to have Committee membership changes occur in the Fall. Laura Wharton has volunteered on the Productivity Program since its inception in 1999 and has indicated her intention to step down. Laura has served the membership of TEA extremely well during her years of service with the Program. Thank you Laura!!

Any TEA member in WTD who is interested in representing TEA on the Productivity Incentive Fund Committee should indicate their level of interest in a reply to the TEA website address.