Central Table Update 5/20/09

We completed two days of bargaining Tuesday. Mediator Bob Nightingale entered negotiations for the first time Monday, and much of the day was spent bringing Bob up to speed.

Tuesday, the State did revise its furlough proposal. Gone, thankfully, is the concept of 15 unpaid holidays as furlough days. Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!

Instead, the State is now proposing that the third Friday of each month be a furlough day. Some, based on salary ranges, "might" have to take fewer furlough days (SR 0-15: ten days; SR 16-21: sixteen days; SR 22-26: twenty days; SR 27+ twenty-four days). We say "might" because frankly, this entire concept does not appear to have been thought out very well.

When we sought clarification, State negotiators began to backtrack and said that employees subject to the lower numbers of furlough days would be required to use vacation time to be paid for office closure days! Their lack of clarity was uncomfortable to watch. It seemed as if they were making some of it up as we went along.

One aspect of their proposal was a significant step backwards. They proposed replacing furloughs with equivalent pay cuts for some workers that the state would rather not furlough-including many workers in 24/7 institutions and selected other job classifications as well. You can guess how well that went over!

We did sign off on six relatively non-controversial articles and will return to bargaining on June 1.

Much of the action in the past week has occurred away from the bargaining table with the release of the Legislative Ways & Means Co-Chairs' Budget Monday on the heels of the May economic forecast for the next biennium and the Governor's speech to the Portland City Club Friday.

The state economic forecast was a shade better than the most dire predications. But in this budget climate, with a $4.2B shortfall, all victories are relative. We have whittled down the proposed layoffs of state workers from 6,600 (in the agencies' previous cuts list) to 1700. Thanks in large part to lobbying by SEIU members and staff, in SEIU-represented agencies the total number of projected layoffs is now below 900, but that number is still unacceptable (especially since the workload of remaining employees will go through the roof if these layoffs happen). In addition, 3,800 homecare workers and 1,800 child care providers who are SEIU members are now threatened with layoffs.

The co-chairs' budget also includes $800 million in new revenue from higher taxes on corporations and wealthy families earning over $250,000 a year, for which our members advocated in order to reduced program cuts. As bad as things look, they would probably look a lot worse but for the concerted efforts of members and staff throughout the legislative session and especially in recent weeks at the legislative forums around the state, and in our worksite actions May 14.

We will need to redouble those efforts in the days and weeks ahead if we are to further reduce the number of layoffs and the impact of service cuts. We will also have to make a strong case for fair treatment at the bargaining table, where we have said from the start that we are willing to do our share. Earlier this week, we sent legislators a reminder that "About 1 of 4 represented workers in state government earn less than $30,000 per year and about 1 in 6 earn less than the food stamp limit for a family of four. If steep concessions are forced on front-line state workers, we are simply moving people from behind the food stamp counter to in front of the food stamp counter."

Against this backdrop, our statewide march and rally in Portland on June 7 is becoming all the more important. We have assembled some wonderful co-sponsors -- the Keep Oregon Working coalition (including OEA and AFSCME and AARP), the Campaign for Oregon's Seniors and People with Disabilities, Children First for Oregon, Jobs with Justice, the Oregon PTA, KBOO radio and the Oregon Food Bank -- but we have to be there in large numbers to make our case. Buses will be leaving that morning from every corner of the state. If you have not signed up, please register now. And bring your family and friends. Everybody -- and every body -- counts!