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T E A

T i m e s

July 30 2009


Topics

  1. VEBA Vote Results
  2. Presentation by Executive Triplett 2010 Budget Crisis
  3. King County's proposal to Unions to Address 2010 Budget Crisis

1.  VEBA Vote — Results

  WW Supervisor Bargaining Unit

  Retirees - 35% SL ................  3 yes vs  2 no
             50% VL ................  2 yes vs  3 no
  $50/mo. Contribution .............  7 yes vs  3 no

  WW Staff Bargaining Unit

  Retirees - 35% SL ................ 20 yes vs 21 no
             50% VL ................ 12 yes vs 29 no
  $50/mo. Contribution ............. 33 yes vs 90 no

  Transit Staff Bargaining Unit

  Retirees - 35% SL ................. 3 yes vs 14 no
             50% VL ................. 2 yes vs 15 no
  $50/mo. Contribution ............. 10 yes vs 36 no

2.  Presentation by Executive Triplett on 2010 Budget Crisis

TEA leadership attended a presentation by Acting County Executive Kurt Triplett on Tuesday, 7/28, at the King County Labor Temple in Belltown. Union leaders across the County were invited to participate. The Executive outlined the anticipated budget shortfall for the next two years and expressed a preference to work in partnership with union leaders to develop solutions to the budget crisis.

Presentation Highlights: Mr. Triplett said that based on current projections, he would be forced to declare a "Fiscal Emergency" in 2010; there would likely be cuts in people and programs in his 2010 budget proposal to the Council; and he indicated that General Fund discretionary programs would experience the greatest impact of the 2010 budget crisis, but that all County Funds are in "distress".

Following Mr. Triplett, acting Budget Director Beth Goldberg provided a King County Financial Update. See Roger Browne, Eric Davison or Ken Madden if you want a copy of her presentation handout.

Following Ms. Goldberg, acting Labor Relations Manager Jim Johnson addressed the inequity of the 2009 furloughs and noted that the 2010 cost savings may need to be fine-tuned by Departments within each King County Fund. When pressed by union leaders, Mr. Johnson said that he would provide a written proposal to begin the discussion / bargaining process.

King County's opening proposal is provided below.


3.  King County's Proposal to Address the 2010 Budget Crisis

King County's Proposal to Address the 2010 Budget Crisis
Made to all bargaining units representing King County employees
July 30, 2009

In order to mitigate layoffs, all union-represented King County employees will have their pay reduced equivalent to a reduction of 80 paid hours. This will come in the form of:

  1. Ten days of building closures/furloughs for employees who are designated by the County as eligible for furlough; and
  2. Eighty hours of unpaid holidays for all employees who are designated by the County as ineligible for furlough.

By making this proposal, King County retains the right, in the absence of an agreement, to impose building closures/furloughs and layoffs. In the absence of an agreement, King County will establish the blend of building closures/furloughs and layoffs that serve its interests best. King County acknowledges that it has an obligation to engage in effects bargaining with unions that are impacted by building closures/furloughs and layoffs.

We have established a target reduction for each fund that is necessary to balance the 2010 budget and will be sharing this information with you during bargaining. That target is met by the furlough and unpaid holiday proposal outlined above but if we do not achieve it through this process we will still need to meet those targets in other ways. King County reserves the right to make additional proposals in bargaining.

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TEA Bargaining Teams will meet to discuss a response to this proposal. TEA Bargaining Teams will also work closely with other unions within the Wastewater Treatment Division and the Transit Division to develop a coordinated approach to this proposal that considers the specific budget constraints within each Department and Division.


TEA Board

    Roger Browne, President
    Adé Franklin, Vice President
    Ken Madden, Secretary 
    Terry Browne, Treasurer
    Eric Davison, Wastewater Bargaining Chair
    Jerry Williams, Transit Bargaining Chair
    John Phillips, Council of Reps. Chair