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Tentative Agreement between SOA and IBUP |
| Posted by Darryl (darryl) on Apr 29 2008 |
| News >> AMHS BU |
What I have learned during the meeting is that most of our members do not understand the process of the negotiations and who “the union” really is. Your negotiating committee has worked diligently and endured much personal sacrifice to represent their respective departments and systems. Many hours were spent in the Juneau office and at the negotiation table preparing proposals and planning strategies to come up with best TA we, as a team, could bring back to the membership.
As I have reported in my updates, this negotiation process was the most antagonistic that I have experienced. With the Palin Administration merely focused on numbers and misguided beliefs, the state’s negotiating team was forced into slamming our bargaining unit with numerous unacceptable Rule changes and an unattainable goal of a “zero cost” for three years for all maritime unions. The differences between the Palin Administration and the crew working aboard our vessels were massive. The Alaska Marine Highway System was created to serve coastal Alaska where a road system was impossible. As in “ANY” government ran public transportation system worldwide, AMHS requires a government subsidy to operate; no bus, ferry or train can provide the necessary service to its citizens without a subsidy. Unfortunately, this Administration defines the word, “subsidy” as a loss.
Both sides of the table worked hard for the last two years to come up with what we hoped would be a fair contract for the membership. We were told by you, the membership, in no uncertain terms that the loss of our Retiree and Annual Pass in Rule 34 was definitely a strike issue and I have not doubts our membership would walk if that language was removed. In discussing this with the retired state employees’ organizations, their legal research found that the retiree pass was not protected by state statute and was a negotiable benefit. On April 4th, the state’s negotiating team came back with its “Best and Final” offer. Though your union officers and negotiating team were elected to represent you in this process, we do not have the right or responsibility to speak for you. Pete Lapinski, Monique Imboden and I merely serve the membership of all seven bargaining units within the State of Alaska. Your Negotiating Committee now needs your voice and vote. We collectively believe that based on the impact of a work stoppage and many positive language changes for our members, there will be many members that will support this TA. Please use this process to educate yourself about this proposed TA and list down the “good” and the “bad” and make your own informed decision before casting your vote in the coming months. YOU are the “IBUP” each and every one of you is the “UNION”. Now is the time for you to direct your union to the future.
In Solidarity,
Darryl
Rules remaining “Book language”
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 30, 34, 35, 37, 38
Supplements: SW, Kennicott, Fairweather, Chenega, Lituya and LeConte
Changes to Contract Language
Rule 7 Crew Requirements
Removal of Split Wage language
Removal of IBUP crew requirements while in Shipyards
Rule 9 Occupational Injury and Illness Benefits
Minimizing Unearned Wages until crew member is returned to their Change Port or Home Port, which ever is soonest. Employee must submit an Unfit for Duty within 72 hours from leaving the vessel.
Rule 11 Cash Allowance for Subsistence and Quarters
Cash allowance increases from $70.00 per day to $95.00 per day from May 16th through September 15 and from $60.00 per day to $85.00 per day from September 16th through May 15th.
If quarters are not available at the contracted allowance, employees shall be reimbursed for necessary receipted expenses for quarters.
Rule 12 Change Ports and Travel Between Assignments
Adding Metlakatla as a Change Port for SE System and Cordova, Valdez and Homer as SW System Change Ports
Removing Juneau Dispatcher language
Adding language to reimburse an employee for travel expenses or moving expenses if the State changes a vessel’s Change Port.
Rule 13 Visitation
Removal of language that allows Union Representatives to take meals at no cost in the Crew mess and Staterooms on a space available basis.
Rule 14 Settlement of Disputes
Rewrite of first paragraph to promote grievances being resolved on board vessels first if possible. Removed “must” and replaced with “may” in language to bring all disputes to the Vessel Master before being able to file a grievance.
Added Step 2 back into the Grievance process that was removed during the last negotiations.
Rule 15 Working Conditions
Housekeeping: removed reference to M/V Bartlett in 15.04 and 15.11, added the M/V Aurora and M/V LeConte to existing language allowing Jr. Engineers and Oilers to perform Wiper duties.
Added new language to create an IBU Training Committee made up of IBU and Management representatives. The IBU Training Committee will receive a Budget of $100,000.00 to provide training to IBU members.
Rule 16 Shipyard , Manned Lay-Up, and Terminal Work
Management maintains sole discretion to man vessels in Lay-up status with IBU crew or “may” elect to contract out any or all the services while the vessel is in it’s Lay Up period.
The minimum guaranteed 8.4 hours overtime pay for any work on days off while in the Yards language is struck. Vessel Supervisors will first seek volunteers for such overtime work and OT will be paid for hours worked. We explained the issue to the state’s team and we have agreed that in order for us to agree, we would need to meet as a Labor/Management Committee and draft policies that prevent vessel supervisors or management from working anything less than 8.4 hours on our scheduled days off.
Rule 17 Pay Plan
The final draft of 17.01 will provide the straight time hourly rate of all positions to reflect a 3% wage increase effective July 1, 2008 and an additional 3% wage increase each July 1st with the last 3% effective in 2010.
FVF Wipers will receive an additional 5% wage increase effective July 1, 2008 to reflect the increased responsibilities the Chenega and Fairweather Wipers have.
The Lump Sum Vacation payment after seven years will continue for all employees hired after April 1, 1985.
Rule 23 (Vacation) Now Personal Leave
New language will be effective on or about December 12, 2008, depending on any issues that may arise with Payroll. Sick Leave and Vacation will continue to accrue as in our previous contract until then. 40% of an employee’s Sick Leave balance will be credited to the Personal Leave Account and the remaining 60% will be stored in a personal Medical Leave Bank to be used when on Sick Leave for 10 days or longer and when all Personal Leave is exhausted.
A-Days will continue to be treated as it always has. SW members will have no change to their Leave Accounts. Tentatively a version of Rule 31 will be placed within the SW Supplemental Agreement.
Language to create a third tier of leave accrual, new employees hired after July 1, 2008 will be accruing a maximum of four weeks of Personal Leave, 336 hours annually. Leave will be earned immediately and an initial 42 hours of leave will be credited after 1,092 hours of work. An additional 42 hours will be credited after one year service. All current employees will continue to accrue Personal Leave at the same annual Vacation Accrual rate but no Sick Leave will accrue after the December 12th conversion
Housekeeping: changed the accrual rate to address our 26 pay periods. Leave accruals will be based on a four week accrual period which would equate to 1/13th of the annual accrual rate. All references to vacation were changed to personal leave.
New Language
Rule 23.08 Union Training Leave Bank
This new Rule calls for the creation of an IBUP Training Leave Bank; all members shall contribute six hours of Vacation/Personal Leave to the Bank on an annual basis. The purpose of the Bank is to pay those members taking required training to either maintain or upgrade their positions. The members’ hourly wage will be compensated through this account for the hours they are in class or training, reimbursement will be by request of the Alaska Region Regional Director and approved by the Director of Labor Relations. Employees may also voluntarily donate additional hours to the Training Leave Bank.
Rule 24 Holidays
Language changed to observe Holidays on the calendar day on which it falls regardless of weekends; Language was requested by MEBA. Also the addition of language that restricts crew members working in more than one bargaining unit to receive Holiday pay from only one collective bargaining unit.
Rule 25 Minimum Guarantee
Housekeeping; changes “semi-monthly” to “bi-weekly” pay period.
Rule 26 Seniority
Housekeeping; changes “calendar month” language to “seniority calculation period”.
Rule 27 Dispatch
Housekeeping; Language regarding “Quarterly Dispatch” removed and replaced with to a “four week work schedule”.
Entered language previously written in the policy and procedure for crew scheduling.
Added PSWIC and PSW to the Lines of Progression diagram.
Rule 28 Bid Awards
Addition of the Passenger Service Worker in Charge to 28.03.
Added PSWIC and PSW to the Lines of Progression diagram.
28.14 Bid Avertisements and Awards, added language referring to the Ketchikan Dispatch Office and refining the dates of the bid posting to January, April, July and October.
Rule 29 Health and Welfare
Language in 29.03 to acknowledge the increase to the employer’s contribution amount to $868.00 from $852.00 per month and effective each July 1 of each following years of the agreement to cover the Select Benefit Default Plan.
Rule 31 Sick Leave
New title for Rule from Sick Leave to “Medical Leave Bank and Transfer of Accrued Sick Leave”. 40% of Sick Leave on books on or about December 12th to be transferred to the employee’s Personal Leave Bank. The remaining 60% of Sick Leave to be transferred to the employee’s Medical Leave Bank.
Employee will use Personal Leave for any unfit time up to 10 days. If the unfit period lasts longer than 10 days, the previous Personal Leave will be credited back to the employee and hours from the employee’s Medical Leave Bank will be used to compensate the employee for time considered unfit for duty.
Family Medical Leave Act, (FMLA), language added to the Rule and language allowing all other Sick Leave language to sunset after the conversion to Personal Leave takes effect.
Rule 33 Shuttle Operations
Deleted the entire Rule, with the addition of the Lituya, Fairweather, Chenega and LeConte day boat operation Supplements, the parties believed the language in Rule 33 was not necessary.
Rule 36 Discipline
Removed language that stated disciplinary action to administered fairly and be commensurate with the offense committed by the employee. Replaced that language with, “Discipline and discharge of permanent employees shall be for just cause.” Legally, the language is similar.
Rule 39 Term of Agreement
Housekeeping; changed dates to refer to the present TA beginning July 1, 2008 and ending June 30, 2011.
Last changed: Apr 29 2008 at 5:38 AM
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