Arbitrator orders Washougal City to reclassify accounting specialists

An arbitrator has ordered the City of Washougal to reclassify two accounting specialists.

He also ordered the City to pay the specialists the increased salaries for the new pay range as well as the difference in pay they would have received had they been correctly classified nearly two years ago.

The specialists, Tina M. Bair and Wanda L. Wilder, had requested reclassification in 1996. They said they were performing many additional and higher level duties that were not part of their original jobs.

The City did not respond until June, 1997 when the mayor said he would approve the reclassification.

But a month later the mayor reneged on his decision.
In July, 1997 Council 2 filed a grievance against the decision not to reclassify the women.

In the arbitration hearing, the City argued that the mayor lacked the authority to order the reclassification without the approval of the City Council.

Council 2 replied that under the contract he did have the authority to reclassify the employees and that the duties the women were performing warranted the reclassification he had ordered in the first place.

The arbitrator, William Lang, agreed with the argument forwarded by Council 2. He ordered that the women be reclassified retroactive to July 1, 1997 and said the City should adjust their salaries accordingly.

David Kanigel represented Council 2 at the hearing.