The ten-day employee furlough proposed by organized labor as a means to help close the 2009 King County budget gap while preserving as many jobs as possible was unanimously ratified today by the Metropolitan King County Council, whose members also formally committed to share the sacrifice by returning part of their own salaries in 2009 to the County general fund.
“King County’s greatest asset is its skilled, dedicated group of public employees,” said Council Vice-Chair Dow Constantine. “The furlough proposal is a tough measure that enables us to keep the maximum number of employees on the job serving the citizens of King County.”
Today’s Council action ratifies a formal proclamation of financial emergency issued by the County Executive on December 10 in connection with the $93.4 million shortfall in the 2009 County general fund. The Council also approved agreements reached between the Executive and the unions representing King County employees that adopt the ten-day furlough schedule negotiated last month.
The Council further adopted a motion committing members to individually limit their personal cost-of-living (COLA) increases for 2009 to the same effective COLA of about 1 percent that was negotiated with represented employees and also adopted for non-represented employees.
Unlike regular employees, Councilmembers as elected officials are essentially “on-the-clock” all the time and are not prescribed certain work days or hours, nor are they granted vacation time or sick leave. Because the Washington State Constitution and state law do not legally permit Councilmembers to change their salaries as elected officials during their current term of office, members agreed to make the same personal sacrifice that is being asked of employees.
Due to the intensive work required during the annual budget cycle late in the year, the Council is adopting a furlough schedule for the Legislative branch of County government that is slightly different from that negotiated for the Executive branch:
Legislative |
Executive |
Jan. 2, 2009 |
Jan. 2, 2009 |
Feb. 13 |
Feb. 13 |
March 13 |
|
April 10 |
April 10 |
May 22 |
May 22 |
June 19 |
June 19 |
July 6 |
July 6 |
First Friday during |
|
Sept. 4 |
Sept. 4 |
Oct. 12 | |
Nov. 25 |
Nov. 25 |
Dec. 24 |
The separately-elected officials of the County, including the Sheriff, Prosecutor, Sheriff and the Superior and District Court, will determine their own furlough schedules.