Click! Network Broadband Technicians Face Uphill Battle
Our newest members of Local 120, the Broadband Technicians of Click!
Network, have been getting a hard time from City management lately.
Since winning recognition as represented employees, Click!
management has spared no opportunity in attempting to ignore their
newly acquired union membership status.
A merger election will soon be held between
the City Bargaining Unit and the Click! Unit, to bring both groups
under one contract.
Cards Signed by an overwhelming
majority of both units. The management at Click! Network are
attempting to block the merger election, stating that the Broadband
Technicians do not have a 'community of interest' with the other IT
workers in the City Unit, even though the work they perform is
remarkably similar. A PERC hearing will be held on March 18th,
where the City will argue it's case against the merger.
Click! Network is costing the City of Tacoma thousands of dollars
in unnecessary legal expense, by contesting the merger election, and
forcing the Click! Network workers to negotiate a completely new,
separate contract, for ONLY 9 PEOPLE! An inquiry to the
City regarding the practicality of this effort was responded with
the following: "reasonable minds can differ".
Let's put an end to this nonsense, and get on with the merger!
UPDATE 7/10/10:
PERC rules against Click! Management - City loses challenge to Unit
Merger election, and the vote will go on! Unit Merger Election
to be held soon.
Pam Murray Wins AOR Grievance
On September 29, the City of Tacoma settled a Step 2 grievance
requesting the Principal Technical applied rate for ADSA Pam Murray,
IT Department. Even though she had met the qualifications for
Principal Tech long ago, and had been requesting the applied rate
through various venues, the City had not responded and advanced her
to the Principal Tech level.
The key criteria for receiving Principal Tech AOR is overseeing
three or more Developers, and being responsible for a mission
critical technology. Pam supervises 4 Developers; one of which is
already receiving Senior Tech AOR for maintaining the GovME website,
which has been designated as mission critical by Public Works
management.
The Union then filed a grievance at Step 2 in the grievance process,
and after reviewing the facts in the situation, the City finally
acquiesced, and granted her the applied rate. Winning this grievance
will increase Pam's pay by 15.4%.
Officers Elected for 2009 -
2010
At the December 1, 2008 General membership
meeting the following officers were elected to serve for the
2009 - 2010 term:
John Ohlson - President Angelo DeFazio - Vice President Dian Seider - Secretary Treasurer Celeste Suliin Burris - Recording Secretary Wayne Withrow - Sergeant at Arms
The Local 120 Executive Board would like to
thank outgoing officers Loralee Armstrong and Joyce Seeger for
their long years of dedicated service to our Union.
The City of Tacoma bargaining unit is
engaged in a review of the Class & Comp salary survey data.
Wages for 2010 are being negotiated from these surveys.
Contract negotiations are currently in mediation.
City Loses
"Citywide Bumping" Arbitration, Celeste Returns To
Work!
Local
120 Recording Secretary Celeste Suliin Burris has won her
grievance arbitration, challenging the City's assertion that
there are no city-wide bumping rights when employees are laid
off.
Celeste was laid off in July 2006, as part of a massive staff
cut requested by City management. She filed a grievance
against the city because past practice has been to allow
employees to bump across departmental lines in the event of a
layoff, yet she was not allowed to bump when her position was
eliminated. The Union presented various pieces of evidence
supporting our claims, including written policies, memorandums,
and city web pages that all acknowledged city-wide bumping
rights for employees.
As a result of the win, Celeste will have her employment
status at the city restored, will receive back pay, and will
retain the right to bump the least senior employee in her
classification.
UPDATE 5/27/07: Due to an unacceptable offer by the
City, Celeste has elected to return to city employment.
Update: 9/24/07: The Tacoma Fire
Department has created a new position for Celeste to work in, at
her original pay & classification.
How
did YOUR Rep Vote
on the important issues facing our Union today? Enter your zip code
below, and find out!
Quote of the
day: "For a worker to refuse to belong to a union is not to
exercise a democratic freedom. It is to accept benefits that others have
worked for without contributing to the costs. Democracy flourishes only
when freedom is accompanied by responsibility." (Australian Bank
Employees Union)......
This website is a Union Made Product This page last updated on:
07/11/10
This page last updated on:
03/14/07 Local 120 Home
This website is a Union Made Product Website Design by
Dragonwyck Web
Design
If you have questions or comments about this website,
please contact the
Webmaster
Copyright 2007 Local 120 AFSCME
Local 120 Home
Local
120 Recording Secretary Celeste Suliin Burris has won her
grievance arbitration, challenging the City's assertion that
there are no city-wide bumping rights when employees are laid
off.
