OUS Bargaining Update 7/27/09

After eight months of negotiations, state workers in DAS (not OUS) have reached a tentative agreement with the state on a new contract through June 30, 2011. While most of the provisions of the DAS agreement do NOT apply to OUS workers, both the health insurance and cost of living provisions do apply.

Through this agreement we will maintain our fully paid health insurance premiums and continue to keep premiums affordable for part-time workers. However, there will be no cost-of-living adjustments. All other provisions of our contract including furloughs and step increases are still unresolved. Management still  wants to change the contract so it could implement unlimited furloughs at whim (in 14-day increments) and is still seeking 24 furlough days over the biennium at the top (compared to our maximum of six); and still proposing a 2-year step freeze (compared to our "no freeze, continue as is" proposal.

August 7th Action Day
To mark the beginning of our mediation, join your friends and  co-workers at a Statewide Day of Action on Friday, August 7th to call on OUS management for fairness! OUS workers should not be singled out for deeper sacrifices than other state workers. Mark your calendar and check with your organizer or local leader or C.A.T. for more details.

More details on the DAS settlement
The tentative agreement reached between DAS workers and the state resulted in compromises on the two most contentious issues - unpaid  furloughs and step increments. The DAS tentative agreement calls  for a 12-month step freeze effective September 1, 2009. Those workers receiving a step increase in July or August of this year will have those steps "rolled back" until September 1, 2010, but keep all money they earn this month and next.

The settlement calls for 10, 12 or 14 days of mandatory unpaid time off over the next two years depending upon workers' salary rates. In most cases mandatory unpaid time off will be implemented through  state office closures. Furlough time to be counted as time worked for the purposes of accruals and insurance benefits and will be pro-rated for part-time and seasonal workers.

We will be holding a bargaining conference on Saturday, August 15 for our elected bargaining delegates to review the tentative agreement and vote on whether or not to recommend ratification. Following the bargaining conference all members will have the opportunity to vote on the two provisions of the agreement that apply to OUS through a mail ballot. You must be a member to vote. If you need a membership application, please check with your union steward or call you local SEIU office.