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More than 90 percent of all King County employees would forgo COLA for 2011 under new proposal

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King County Executive
Dow Constantine


More than 90 percent of all King County employees would forgo COLA for 2011 under new proposal

Summary

More than 90 percent of all King County employees would be joining to waive their cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2011 under a proposal from King County Executive Dow Constantine to freeze the COLA of all non-represented employees.

Story

More than 90 percent of all King County employees would be joining to waive their cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2011 under a proposal from King County Executive Dow Constantine to freeze the COLA of all non-represented employees.

“As Executive I have implemented a policy that, to the extent possible, all employees should be treated equitably,” said Executive Constantine. “Now that 91 percent of our unionized workers have stepped up to help preserve services to the public, it is only fair that we propose the same terms for non-represented employees.”

The Executive will transmit an ordinance next week to the Metropolitan King County Council proposing the COLA freeze for non-represented workers as a means of helping to restore positions and services to the public that would otherwise be reduced or eliminated.

If approved by the Council, 12,100 workers out of a total 13,400 will waive or vote on waiving COLA for next year – just over 90 percent of the entire King County workforce.

Altogether, these actions will preserve $23.5 million in services across all County agencies for 2011. Of that amount, $6.2 million of the savings is in the General Fund, the fund in which a $60 million shortfall was closed through draconian reductions to criminal justice and other services in the Executive Proposed Budget.

The Executive thanked the 70 bargaining units that, to date, have voted or will vote to waive COLA for 2011:

  • Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 587
    • Departments: Transportation, Executive Services
  • Animal Control Officers Guild
  • Ferry Coalition
    • Passenger only Vessels, Marine Division, Department of Transportation
  • Graphic Communications Conference of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 767
    • Print Shop - Graphic Communications; Department of Executive Services (Facilities Management Division)
  • International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers, Local 17
    • Business Relations and Economic Development - Executive's Office
    • Court Reporters - Superior Court
    • Departments: Development & Environmental Services, Executive Services, Natural Resources & Parks, Transportation
    • Departments: Public Health, Community & Human Services
    • Information Technology
    • Professional & Technical, Interest Arbitration - Department of Transportation, Metro Transit Division
    • Section Managers - Departments: Natural Resources & Parks, Transportation, Development & Environmental Services
    • Supervisors - Departments: Executive Services (Facilities Management Division), Natural Resources & Parks, Transportation
    • Transit Supervisors - Department of Transportation, Metro Transit Division
  • International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 117
    • Administrator I - Transit, Department of Transportation
    • Information Technology Managers and Supervisors - Office of Information Resource Management (IT Central), Executive Branch Departments
    • Legislative Analysts - King County Council
    • Professional & Technical and Administrative Employees
    • Prosecuting Attorney's Office
    • Transit Section Managers - Department of Transportation
    • Wastewater Treatment Division, Professional & Technical and Administrative Support - Department of Natural Resources & Parks
    • Wastewater Treatment Division, Managers and Assistant Managers - Department of Natural Resources & Parks
    • Wastewater Treatment Division, Supervisors - Department of Natural Resources & Parks
  • Joint Crafts Council, Construction Crafts
    • Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters
    • (Carpenters - Departments: Executive Services (Facilities Management), Natural Resources & Parks, Transportation)
    • International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers District No. 160, Local No. 289
      (Mechanic/Auto Machinist - Departments: Natural Resources & Parks, Transportation)
    • International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers, Lodge No. 104
      (Metal Fabricator - Department of Natural Resources & Parks, Department of Transportation)
    • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 46
      (Electricians - Departments: Executive Services (Facilities Management), Natural Resources & Parks, Transportation)
    • International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 117
      (Utility Worker - Departments: Executive Services (Facilities Management), Natural Resources & Parks, Transportation)
    • International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, District Council 5, Painters (Painter / Sign Painter - Departments: Executive Services (Facilities Management), DNRP (Parks), Transportation)
    • United Association of Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 32
      (Plumbing & Mechanical - Departments: Executive Services, Facilities Management Division, Natural Resources & Parks (Parks), Transportation;Plumbing Inspector - Department of Public Health)
    • UNITE HERE! Local 8
      (Cook/Baker - Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention)
    • International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 286
      (Operating Engineer)
    • Laborers’ International Union of North America, Local 1239
      (Utility Worker - Department of Executive Services (Facilities Management Division))
    • International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 117
      (Departments: Executive Services (Facilities Management, Records & Licensing Services), Natural Resources & Parks, Transportation; Inventory Purchasing Specialist - Department of Public Health; Road Use Investigator - Department of Transportation)
    • International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 117
      (Chemical Dependency Screener - Department of Community and Human Services)
    • International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 117
      (Security Screeners - Department of Executive Services (Facilities Management Division))
    • International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 117
      (Security Officers - Department of Executive Services (Facilities Management))
    • International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 117
      (Crew Chief - Roads Services, Department of Transportation)
  • King County Corrections Guild
  • King County Court Protection Guild
  • King County Juvenile Detention Guild
  • King County Prosecuting Attorneys Association
  • Office & Professional Employees International Union, Local 8
    • Dental - Department of Public Health
    • Department of Assessments
    • Departments: Public Health (Division of Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drugs Prevention), Community & Human Services (Mental Health, Chemical Abuse & Dependency Services Division)
  • Public, Professional & Office-Clerical Employees and Drivers, Teamsters Local 763
    • Department of Assessments
  • Public Safety Employees Union
    • Communications Specialists Supervisors - King County Sheriff's Office
    • Fire Marshal - Department of Development & Environmental Services
    • King County Television
    • Legal Administrative Specialists - Department of Judicial Administration
    • Non-Commissioned - Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention
    • Non-Commissioned - Department of Community & Human Services
    • Non-Commissioned - King County Sheriff's Office
    • Superior Court Clerks - Judicial Administration
  • Puget Sound Police Managers Association
    • Captains - King County Sheriff's Office
  • Service Employees International Union, Local 925
    • Department of Natural Resources & Parks - Parks & Recreation
    • Involuntary Commitment Specialists - Mental Health, Department of Community & Human Services
    • Wastewater Treatment Division - Department of Natural Resources & Parks
  • Technical Employees Association
    • Wastewater Treatment Division, Department of Natural Resources & Parks, Staff
  • Uniformed Command Association
    • Corrections Jail Captains - Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention
  • Washington State Council of County and City Employees, Council 2
    • Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention
    • District Court – Wages
    • Department of Public Health
    • Medical Examiner - Department of Public Health
    • WorkSource - Department of Community & Human Services
    • Industrial and Hazardous Waste
    • Department of Executive Services, Facilities Management Division
    • Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention (Juvenile Detention Division Supervisors)
    • Superior Court - Staff (Wages Only)
    • Superior Court - Supervisors (Wages Only)
  • Washington State Nurses Association
    • Staff Nurses - Departments: Public Health, Adult & Juvenile Detention (Juvenile Detention)

“Each one of these unions stepped up to the challenge of preserving services to the public, and I deeply thank each and every one of them,” said Executive Constantine.

Executive Constantine froze the salaries for all of his appointed staff and has been joined by the separately elected officials in putting the same measures in place for their offices.

King County Executive
Dow Constantine
Dow constantine portrait

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