AFSCME Local 2617's contract with the City of Kent expires December 31, 2008. We plan to start negotiations with the City in May 2008. We are forming negotiations sub committees to distribute this important planning work so it does not fall on one small group of members. We have distributed a negotiations issue survey to all members and we will tabulate responses within the next week. We are encouraging our members to start reviewing our current contract and to think about how we can revise it to address any issues facing them in their work area.

The planning sub committees are as follows:

• Survey committee
• Salary compensation committee
• Healthcare (including retiree healthcare) committee
• Planning committee

The top three committees listed above will meet over the next two months. Their work will be forwarded on to the general negotiations planning committee. All members are welcome to join the general planning committee. The general planning committee will start meeting in mid March after the member survey results are compiled. It is important to start with the general planning committee in March to support our effectiveness working through the contract. Meetings will either take place during lunch breaks, after work or weekend days. The general planning committee will need to meet several times between March and May to prepare the proposal for the City. The labor contract negotiating team selected at the February Member Meeting will attend all negotiation meetings with the City and will also need to attend the general planning committee meetings. The negotiations team consists of individual from various departments throughout the city.

Negotiations Team

Debra LeRoy - Local 2617 President - Police Department
Dori Tolbert - Local 2617 Chief Steward - Permit Center
Kathleen Etheredge - Local 2617 Steward, Council 2
Secretary/Treasurer- Finance Department
Harry Hardey - Asst. Building Official - Building Services
Virginia Griesbach - Local 2617 Steward - Corrections
Ethan Fineout - Council 2 Staff Representative

Quote: "For a worker to refuse to belong to a union is not to exercise a democratic freedom. It is to accept benefits that others have worked for without contributing to the costs. Democracy flourishes only when freedom is accompanied by responsibility." (Australian Bank Employees Union)