CONTRACT RATIFICATION GEARING UP

From May 12, 2009 WFSE Hotline

Now that the health care article has been wrapped up, the ratification process for the Federation’s completed contracts can go forward.

The ratification packets that will go out to 30,000 General Government members are being printed this week to go in the mail next week.

Full summaries and the re-negotiated articles are now online at www.wfse.org > Contract Center > General Government Contract Center. Important gains from the original bargaining were preserved. The following is a short list of important gains EBU members were concerned about going into this re-negotiation:

• the current formula where you pay 12% of your health insurance premium costs and management picks up 88%
• one new personal leave day in each year of the agreement—with the caveat that it has to be cost-neutral for positions requiring backfill
• new longevity step; those who have been at the new Step L for five years move to a new Step M after July 1, 2011
• a new article on Workplace Behavior that came from the campaign against bullying
• announcements for recruiting for a bargaining unit position must be posted at least seven (calendar days)
• new language added to ensure that employees using the e-recruiting system can submit paper applications
• grievance procedure strengthened
• an employee’s preference will be considered when adjusting work schedules

The article on union management communications committees (UMCCs) was also strengthened so that regular meetings are scheduled. The article also clarifies the use of a collaborative process with solutions to improve the effectiveness of this group, and agreements will be documented. Release time for travel and preparation also added. This change is important to our bargaining unit because of the lengthy list of unresolved issues our own UMCC has pursued with management.

If you get a chance, please say thanks to Norm Peck who graciously served on the original bargaining team, and was called back to help re-negotiate this tentative agreement. Well done Norm!