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Negotiation Update March 10, 2008 |
| Posted by Darryl (darryl) on Mar 11 2008 |
| News >> AMHS BU |
We also attempted to bridge our difference in pay, vacation, overtime and the retiree/annual passes, which is basically all that is left for us to resolve, regardless of the interest of both sides wanting to reach agreement there seemed no interest from the state’s principles to compromise on their position. With time running out this week, it was decided that we needed the input of our membership in the form of an advisory strike vote to see if your Negotiating Committee is headed in the right direction and correct in our assumption that our membership will not accept any Tentative Agreement that:
· Adds additional ports to the existing language in Rule 1.05, which allows AMHS to contract out services to the SW System ports of Port Lions, Chenega Bay and Tatitlek. While discussing the language during our last session, the state admitted that the language only needed for a short period of time this fall and using a Letter of Agreement may be more appropriate.
· Removes language in Rule 2 that designates the IBUP as the sole collective bargaining agent, representing AMHS unlicensed employees and leaving the definition of the bargaining unit to the Alaska Labor Relations Agency, ALRA. The state of Alaska could always petition ALRA and request a definition of our bargaining unit and therefore there is no need to change the present language.
· Reducing our Healthcare contributions to the Economy Plan level. The Administration insists on only paying for the Economy Plan that contains no Dental or Vision for you and your family. July’s new monthly benefit contribution will go up to $868.00 per month. A majority of state employees already receiving a higher benefit amount, GGU receives $877.00.
· Deleting language in Rule 7 that allows Split Wages to be paid to the crew members forced to cover the work of a missing crew member.
· Deleting Rule 7.04 that requires our IBUP members be assigned to AMHS vessels in the Yards. The new language states that the state will have the “discretion” to decide whether any IBUP members work during shipyard status, opening the door to hire contractors to crew the vessel while in the Yards.
· Reducing Unearned Wages in Rule 9.01 until returned to your “Home Port” instead of the end of the voyage.
· Removing language in Rule 12.01 referring to the Labor/Management Relief Assignment Committee allowing AMHS to decide whether they will pay for moving expenses or pay for travel to your new change port when they alter a vessels operation. The new language also adds Metlakatla, Cordova, Valdez and Homer as SE change ports. The state said they would consider the IBUP’s suggestion of leaving the SW Ports out of the Master Agreement and just listing those SW Ports in the SW Supplemental.
· Deleting language that requires two employees per line when tying up or let go in Rule 15.03. The state believes the vessel’s Master should determine what is the appropriate number of crew members for each line.
· Rule 16.01: Adding new language to allow AMHS to contract out our work for any and all manning requirements instead of putting our members to work while in Yards/Lay up periods.
· Rule 16.02 adding the word “consecutive” between “5” and “days”, thereby allowing AMHS the ability to deny Yards OT even after working seven days in a week, as long as a crew member did not work more than five consecutive days in a row. The state also removed the obligation to pay a minimum of 8.4 hours of OT when called in to work on your designated days off.
· Deleting Rule 17.06, effectively taking away the annual lump sum cash payment a SE crew member receives in lieu of an additional week of vacation after eight years of employment.
· Though the parties have already agreed to “book” language in Rule 19- Monthly Work on February 14th, on March 6th the state presented new language that forces a two by two work schedule on all unlicensed employees on all vessels.
· Rule 22 Overtime, reducing the minimum overtime payment to ½ hour from one hour and reducing Call Out OT to one hour instead of the contractual two hours when called to work on your designated time off.
· Rule 23 Vacation: Taking away two weeks of vacation from employees hired prior to April 1, 1985. The state is also working on a Personal Leave proposal replacing vacation and sick leave. There will be some offer to convert a portion of your sick leave balances to Personal Leave.
· Rule 25 reducing Show Up Pay to six hours from 12 hours. On March 6th, they decided to remove the language cutting the minimum pay for a “Turnaround” to three hours versus the normal 12 hours.
· Deleting Rule 34 Pass Privileges, the Palin Administration actually believes that by taking away the Annual and Retiree Passes, they will save $1.5 million in costs. It is also the reason they took the Malaspina off the Bellingham run. DOT&PF believe that at least 20% of the passengers on our Bellingham vessels were retirees and employees traveling on pass anyway.
We are scheduled to return to the negotiating table on March 20th and 21st and we are planning on passing additional proposals through e-mail. MM&P is scheduled to meet this week and MEBA the week following our March dates. We will send out information as it becomes available.
Last changed: Mar 11 2008 at 10:41 AM
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