Surviving the squeeze

HERE ARE SUMMARIES of some of the adjustments negotiated in Council 2 bargaining agreements this year.

Snohomish County and all afscme units

• In agreement with the union, the county is furloughing staff and shutting down its facilities on six weekdays this year to avoid additional layoffs this year that would otherwise have been necessary.

• If the county’s income exceeds 107.5 percent of the March 17, 2009 revenue forecast, the union may renegotiate the cost-of-living adjustment for 2010.

• If the county’s income comes in at 97.5 percent or below the March 17, 2009 forecast, the county may renegotiate furloughs or weekly hour reductions in 2010, or both.

• The agreement caps employee medical insurance premiums at the pre-2009 amounts. Negotiations on successor agreements will start no later than August 2010.

Pierce County and Local 120

• All bargaining unit members are taking nine eight-hour days of unpaid leave (furlough) from May to December in 2009.

City of Aberdeen and Local 275

• After members of the local union voluntarily agreed to assist in cutting costs, the city implemented eight furlough days from April 10 through November 20, 2009.

Thurston County and Local 618 co, dc and t and the Association of Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys

• The county and the bargaining unit agreed to a program of voluntary leave without pay and voluntary contributions to medical benefits to help reduce payroll costs and avoid layoffs. The program runs to the end of 2009.

Franklin County and Locals 874ch and 2658-f

• The collective bargaining agreement has been amended to allow for furloughs that amount to one unpaid day a month beginning July 1, 2009 and ending December 31, 2009.

Spokane County and Local 1553 for those members working in the Building and Planning Departments

• To save layoffs, the parties agreed to schedule work furlough closures starting on May 4, 2009 and ending on February 26, 2010.

Seattle Public Library and Council 2

• The library administration and the union agreed that the library will be closed from Monday, August 31, 2009 through Sunday, September 6, 2009 and that staff will not be paid for those days. The closure is a result of operating budget restrictions.

• Health care coverage is not affected.

Grays Harbor County and the Local 275 Courthouse

• To address the budget reduction for 2009 and to mitigate layoffs, the county implemented a voluntary leave without pay (furlough) and voluntary benefits contribution program from May through December 2009.

• The county encouraged voluntary retirement for eligible employees until June 2009 to cut personnel costs and reduce a severe budget shortfall.

City of Coeur d’Alene and Lake City Employee Association

• The association agrees to forego the October 1, 2009 3 percent increase in wages so long as all other employees, including the Mayor and Council, do not receive a 3 percent cost of living adjustment for fiscal year 2009-2010.
• The City agrees to no layoffs during fiscal year 2009-2010.

King County and the King County Coalition of Unions (which includes Council 2)

• The county and coalition agreed to 10 furlough days during 2009 on which all but essential services will be cut, a move that will produce significant savings and preserve employees’ cost of living adjustments, merit and step pay.

City of Renton and Local 2170

• All employees agree to take a negotiated furlough day on four days from May 22, 2009 to November 25, 2009.

City of Kent and Local 2617

• All furlough-eligible employees will cut their hours by 3.08 percent (48 hours a year) from March 16, 2009 through December 15, 2009 in exchange for a non-cash furlough leave bank of 48 hours. Regular part-time employees will have their hours-reduction and furlough-leave credit based on their positions’ budgeted percentage of full-time equivalents.

King County and Local 2084 sc, Superior Court

• All Superior Court employees agreed to four days of mandatory unpaid leave (furloughs) in 2009 as the county and court are experiencing a financial emergency. Employees will work with their supervisors to schedule their furlough days.

• Employees earning less than $16.92 an hour will not be required to take furlough days.

• Medical, dental, vision and other insured benefits will be unaffected by the mandated leave.