The Olympian

State, union wade into negotiations

By Adam Wilson | The Olympian • Published April 17, 2008

In a prebargaining pep rally, three dozen state workers exited Pipefitters Hall in Lacey to the cheers of co-workers.

Then the other side, Gov. Chris Gregoire's bargaining team, emerged from the building to shouted welcomes.

"You'll find what state employees want is what every American wants: decent, living wages, health care for their families," Washington Federation of State Employees president Carol Dotlitch told them.

Shortly after those opening ceremonies, negotiations for a new two-year contract started. Other unions will start the process in the coming weeks, the third round of bargaining for about 60,000 unionized state workers.

The Personnel Reform Act allowed them to bargain for pay for the first time in 2004. They've won pay raises every year since, after four years with none. Those successes have been extended to nonunion state employees, but with a two-month delay.

The state's budget picture soured since the last round of talks, however. Workers say they may face stiffer resistance from the governor's team, but they still need to keep up with costs.

"That's the point of collective bargaining. You've got tough times, but you want to be treated by your employer fairly," said Susan Hendricksen, a union bargaining team member from the Department of Social and Health Services.

State workers face the same factors wearing on the national economy, added Joe Nilsson of the Department of Labor and Industries. "I drive a pickup, and granted it's larger than some, but it cost about $100 last time to fill it up."

Pay raises have been the last, toughest issues for negotiators in the past. The early talks going on now generally focus where there is agreement.

It helps to have contracts refined through the two previous rounds of talks, said Vince Oliveri, a representative with the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers Local 17.

"It certainly has changed a whole lot since 2004, when we started a whole new canvass. Since then we've been streamlining the original document," Oliveri said.