Demands to bargain and furlough grievance update

– Debbie Brookman, Labor Advocate, WFSE Staff

Below is a quick update on the status of the various demands to bargain and furlough grievances.    

1. Contracting Out - Watershed Health Monitoring/EAP   This is a $550,000.00 contract to conduct extensive field monitoring/sampling in the Upper Columbia River and NE Salmon Recovery Regions. Negotiations were held on January 17, 2012.  

2. New Administrative Policy for Shared Leave   Ecology has proposed a new policy to address how shared leave requests and usage are implemented. Issues include some arbitrary time frames being attached to requests/usage. Negotiations were held on January 20, 2012.  

3. Dam Safety - Change in Inspection Process   Dam Safety is piloting the use of a surveying tool that allows inspections to be conducted by one person. Current practice is to send 2 employees for all/most dam inspections. We have some safety concerns that need to be addressed. Negotiations were held on January 27, 2012. 

4. Fleet Management Consolidation   Like many other large agencies, Ecology is consolidating management of their state vehicle fleet into the new Department of Enterprise Services (formally known as General Administration). The issues raised include ensuring that employees continue to have reasonable access to vehicles, application to special use vehicles, and reimbursement for snow chain installation/removal, etc. Negotiations were held on January 30, 2012.  

5. Furlough Grievances - Update on Part-Time employees who were reduced to less than 20-hours during TLO weeks     This case was filed on behalf of part-time Ecology employees whose work schedules were reduced to less than 20-hours as a result of the furloughs. This case has been consolidated into several other grievances filed in DSHS and the Department of Health. This case has gone to hearing. Closing 
briefs were turned in on January 6, 2012. A decision from the arbitrator should be available in 30-45 days.

Questions about this grievance should be directed to Sherri Ann Burke, Labor Advocate, at WFSE headquarters.

Questions on the demands to bargain can be directed to Debbie at 360-352-7603 or 800-562-6002. ■