State arbitrator upholds ferry staff reductions
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - A state arbitrator has upheld crew reductions on 11 ferries.
Arbitrator Lisa Hartrich of the state Public Employment Relations Commission found no evidence that Washington State Ferries or the union intentionally or inadvertently left the staffing agreement out of the collective bargaining agreement, The Kitsap Sun reported Saturday.
In June, Washington State Ferries cut one ordinary seaman from crews of three vessel classes - Jumbo, Issaquah and Evergreen State. Twenty-seven full-time positions were eliminated.
The reductions were the result of an agreement between the ferry system and ferry unions that directed the Coast Guard to review and determine staffing levels. The Coast Guard on March 12 said crews could be reduced to the minimum it requires on the ferries' Certificates of Inspection, which is one person fewer than the ferry system was employing. A fourth vessel class - Super - requires further review, the Coast Guard said.
But the Inlandboatsmen's Union, which represents ordinary seamen, filed a grievance, claiming the agreement between ferries and the unions was invalid because it wasn't incorporated into the collective bargaining agreement, which sets minimum staffing levels for each vessel.
The union argued that the contract prevails over the later staffing agreement; therefore, the ferry system violated the contact by reducing staff levels.
"The (memorandum of understanding) stood alone as a separate agreement to resolve a particular dispute by leaving it up to the Coast Guard to decide what the parties were unable to determine on their own," Hartrich wrote in a document dated Tuesday.
Hartrich said the memorandum of understanding doesn't require the Coast Guard staffing review to be completed on every vessel or class before changes can be implemented.
"Both parties entrusted the Coast Guard to determine what 'safe' staffing levels are," Hartrich concluded.
Inlandboatmen's Union national president Alan Cote deferred comment to Puget Sound Region director Dennis Conklin, who couldn't be reached.
Arbitrator Lisa Hartrich of the state Public Employment Relations Commission found no evidence that Washington State Ferries or the union intentionally or inadvertently left the staffing agreement out of the collective bargaining agreement, The Kitsap Sun reported Saturday.
In June, Washington State Ferries cut one ordinary seaman from crews of three vessel classes - Jumbo, Issaquah and Evergreen State. Twenty-seven full-time positions were eliminated.
The reductions were the result of an agreement between the ferry system and ferry unions that directed the Coast Guard to review and determine staffing levels. The Coast Guard on March 12 said crews could be reduced to the minimum it requires on the ferries' Certificates of Inspection, which is one person fewer than the ferry system was employing. A fourth vessel class - Super - requires further review, the Coast Guard said.
But the Inlandboatsmen's Union, which represents ordinary seamen, filed a grievance, claiming the agreement between ferries and the unions was invalid because it wasn't incorporated into the collective bargaining agreement, which sets minimum staffing levels for each vessel.
The union argued that the contract prevails over the later staffing agreement; therefore, the ferry system violated the contact by reducing staff levels.
"The (memorandum of understanding) stood alone as a separate agreement to resolve a particular dispute by leaving it up to the Coast Guard to decide what the parties were unable to determine on their own," Hartrich wrote in a document dated Tuesday.
Hartrich said the memorandum of understanding doesn't require the Coast Guard staffing review to be completed on every vessel or class before changes can be implemented.
"Both parties entrusted the Coast Guard to determine what 'safe' staffing levels are," Hartrich concluded.
Inlandboatmen's Union national president Alan Cote deferred comment to Puget Sound Region director Dennis Conklin, who couldn't be reached.
With staff reductions... hmmm? Now they should be honest and reduce ferry rates because they are paying less employees.  Less service, pay less. Never Gonna Happen  :( This State is so cheezy!
All public employee unions should be outright banned, as they are a menace to the public that they, supposedly, serve.
 @Glitchus GlitchÂ
HEY!!! This is what they get when one dishonest scumbag thief of a manager and one dishonest scumbag thief of a MECHANIC steal more than a million dollars in less than a year. Didn't hear the union make a peep about that at the time though. This IS the way it is. Public union workers, just go right on stealing, and being lazy. and backstabbing, and sabotaging, and goldbricking--because SOONER OR LATER someone will come to realize that they can have people that would really take pride in those jobs--and do 'em for less.Â
If Romney wins the White House, do you honestly think he won't be looking real hard at these public unions that have been suckling that government teat for so long?  He could save U.S. about a trillion a year--to start with.Â
Union still has SOME value in the private sector, but it only makes our government operations less effective each and every year; no matter how many plaques and awards you want to give yourselves.
@FreeCoffeeNow! "If Romney wins the White House, do you honestly think he won't be looking real hard at these public unions that have been suckling that government teat for so long?  He could save U.S. about a trillion a year--to start with".
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What will he do for the banksters though? You're worried about cutting a person off from his right to representation even after the banksters pull off the greatest heist in mankind's history, which is the looting of the US Treasury to the tune of 16 to 20 trillion $, none of the "Banksters" are doing time in the big house. In-fact, they continue with their thieving ways while the politicians they own lock, stock, and barrel continue to be enablers for them. The picture gets even worse when the reality that the "Banksters" are holding 240 Trillion $ in derivatives on the US economy. So, they are betting 4 to 5 times the nation's worth in bets on failure of the US. The fact that we the people let these thugs of unprecedented thievery walk the face of the planet as free men is way beyond what any science fiction novel has put forth. There's to much just plain wrong with that picture to be put into words. People could no doubt learn something from the women of the French Revolution when they shouted Robespierre down and the next day he faced the guillotine, which ended the reign of terror. The "Banksters" are currently laughing all the way to the bank and getting bonuses to boot!
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And you're worried about a union who BTW was at its pinnacle while the US middleclass was at its pinnacle? They have you right where they want you and the rest of you sleeping wannabe millionaires. Wake up, please.