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T E A

T i m e s


June 17, 2003

June TEA Regular Meeting Cancelled

The Regular meeting scheduled for Wed., June 18 has been cancelled. Please mark your calendars for the next regularly scheduled meeting on July 16.

June and July Meetings

Following is a list of meetings scheduled to date for the remainder of June and July:

June 23 Contract Negotiating Team, 12-1pm
June 24 TEA Business Meeting (King St. Center, 5F), 12-1pm
June 30 Contract Negotiating Team, 12-1pm
   
July  4 HOLIDAY
July  7 Contract Negotiating Team, 12-1pm
July  8 TEA Business Meeting (King St. Center, 5F), 12-1pm
   
July 14 Contract Negotiating Team, 12-1pm
July 15 TEA Business Meeting (King St. Center, 5F), 12-1pm
July 16 TEA Regular Meeting (Elliott Bay Care), 12-1pm
   
July 21 Contract Negotiating Team, 12-1pm
July 22 TEA Business Meeting (King St. Center, 5F), 12-1pm
July 28 Contract Negotiating Team, 12-1pm
July 29 TEA Business Meeting (King St. Center, 5F), 12-1pm

Report on Labor Negotiations

The Wastewater Negotiating Team has been meeting with Management reps in an Interest Based Bargaining (IBB) process to continue negotiations as best we can until the County assigns a new HR negotiator.

As of today, virtually every provision that is not directly related to compensation has tentative language assigned, which both parties believe will work.

Once mediations resume, we expect to take the result of these IBB meetings, lay them before TEA Counsel and HR Negotiator for "fatal flaw" determination, and then use them as much as possible to form the final contract language.

Meanwhile, the County is evaluating our classification/compensation proposal and is planning to be done at the end of June.

Metro Transit's 30th Anniversary

Dozens of people have remembered Metro Transit's 30th anniversary by dropping the transit agency a card or email as part of the Metro Memories campaign. Their remembrances are funny, poignant, and often a slice-of-life vignette about living in King County.

Here is one quote - check out the rest online at www.metrokc.gov/kcdot/metro30/scrapbook.htm

"My favorite Metro Memory is an incident that took place on a bus in the downtown area about a dozen years ago. I was sitting across from the rear exit when I noticed a strange rider in the stairwell - a garter snake. I informed the driver, who then stopped near a spot with some grass and bushes. I encouraged our friend to exit, which he did. Later, when I exited the front of the bus, I remarked to the driver: 'How do you suppose that snake ever got on your bus?' To which he quickly responded with a perfectly straight face: 'I guess he must have had a transfer.' Of course, there were howls of laughter from the riders who had witnessed the whole incident. I'm sure the snake was happier, too!"

   - Ralph, Seattle

Announcements

  • Job Openings: Refer to King County's web site on recent job openings: http://www.metrokc.gov/ohrm/jobs/
  • Classified Ads: TEA members can post classified ads for free. Send classified ads to Patty Overby, TEA Secretary at (patty.overby@metrokc.gov)
  • Reuseable Materials: Check out King County's "Reusable Building Materials Exchange" web site - http://dnr.metrokc.gov/swd/rbme/index.htm
  • Rain Barrels: Interested in purchasing or making your own rain barrel for your garden? Check out the Dept. of Natural Resources web site - dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/PI/pdf/cistern-water-saving.pdf
  • Hazardous Waste Drop-off: Here's an opportunity to dispose of your hazardous waste materials. The County's Wastemobile will be at the following locations - check out the web site: http://apps01.metrokc.gov/www/hazwaste/wastemobile/wmschedule/schedule.cfm
  • Volunteer Opportunity Lake Union Cleanup Event: Interested in our local water quality and Lake Union? Looking for a fun community event this summer? Volunteers are needed to clean up the lake by kayak or boat or on shore, and to stencil area storm drains. An environmental festival will follow the volunteer event. June 28. For more information, see the event flier or contact Taylor Watson, (206) 263-3072.
  • TEA Doings: Want to know more about TEA (Bylaws, Meeting Summaries, who is on the Board and Negotiating Teams, Negotiating Topics, History, etc.)? Check out TEA's website: www.teaseattle.org

TEA Board:

Ken Madden, President
Elizabeth Morgan, 1st Vice President
Dave Crippen, 2nd Vice President
Eric Mandel, Treasurer
Patty Overby, Secretary