Updates
Click an update for more information.
2/21/12
2/21/12
We've added this quarter's Seniority Lists, check it out here.
2/17/12
We just completed the
third round of contract negotiations... and it went pretty well. Check it out.
2/16/12
Retired Officer "Wild Bill" Rogers wrote a book. Check it out and order a copy.
2/16/12
Contract Negotiations
Updates
2/17/2012 - 3rd Round of Negotiations
2/1/12 - 2nd Round of Negotiations
12/12/11 - 1st Round of Negotiations
11/7/11 - Upcoming Negotiations
Links to Information Relevant to Negotiations
2/17/12 - Third Round of Negotiations
We finished our third, two-day round of contract negotiations with the State late Thursday afternoon, February 16th.
It was obvious that the State expended a lot of time and effort preparing for this session. They came with many suggestions and rewritten proposals that led to a lot of very positive back and forth discussion. The State moved off many of their original proposals and, although neither side moved far enough for us to reach an agreement on the whole contract, it was a very positive session and we thanked them for the time and effort they put into their new offers.
We are not in a position to say we are “close” to having an agreement, however, the State’s positive movement and good will makes me believe that there is a real possibility of a negotiated agreement.
ACOA’s first two contract negotiations ended up being resolved at interest arbitration. Getting a negotiated and ratified agreement would be a positive outcome for all concerned, Correctional Officers and the State. Also, unlike an arbitrated decision, a negotiated settlement is sent out to the membership for ratification.
The next round of negotiations will be held in Juneau on February 28th and 29th.
2/1/12 - 30th and 31st Negotiations Update
As with the last negotiations, the State offered us less than what they offered other unions. In fact, we believe that the regressive offer the State has made Correctional Officers may be the worst bargaining proposal ever made to any union in Alaska history. Taking back the leave is just one of the many concessions the State is proposing. We have conveyed our concern that negotiations must conclude in time to meet the Legislative deadline for funding. We will keep you informed. If you can, please come to the annual meeting on Sunday for additional information that would not be prudent to put on a public website. If you cannot attend the annual meeting please talk to your Board member or any of the Officers that were present at the meeting.
12/12/11 - 6th and 7th Negotiations Update
On the 6th and 7th of December ACOA’s negotiationing team flew to Juneau to meet with the State to begin talks for the next contract. ACOA’s team members are President Randy McLellan, Secretary/Treasurer Martin Crowley, Business Manager Brad Wilson, and Business Agent Jim Lecrone. The State’s team is made up of Superintendent Amy Rabeau, Superintendent Bob Hibpshman, Labor Relations Deputy Director Kate Sheehan, and Labor Relations Analyst Emily Wright.
Ground Rules proposals from each side were exchanged and discussed, with nothing signed. The State gave Article proposals for some non-monetary items. Since the last contract, ACOA has been compiling new contract language for non-monetary items, which were also presented for discussion purposes. With that dialogue in mind, ACOA will email our proposals to the State at a later date this month. In the past, ACOA usually brings monetary proposals to the negotiation table on the first day. This time around, we decided to wait until the State is in a position to bring their monetary proposals to ACOA. The State said that they will not have monetary proposals to us until sometime in January.
We set our next meeting dates for January 30-31, here in Anchorage.
If you have any thoughts or suggestions concerning the negotiations feel free to contact us.
11/7/11 - Upcoming Negotiations
Ever since the 2009-2012 Contract arbitration award was paid out, we have been urging the State to meet and negotiate. We first requested negotiations regarding the geographic differential study (which the State was required to do, as per that award) and, now more recently, to set dates to negotiate on the 2012-2015 contract. For many reasons, some reasonable, like the change of Administration, the State has not been able to meet. In response to our latest request they said they could not meet until December.
Upon hearing of our attempts to get the State to the negotiating table, some members suggested we should not push so hard. They reminded us that 9 out of 10 members voted in favor of the proposed “universal” 2012-2015 contract in March of this year. The primary concern of those who voted for it was to secure the gains we won in our current contract, while delaying any negative changes that are expected because of the State’s geographic differential study.
While this may seem desirable to many, we are obligated to move forward and to bargain. We are also obligated to represent members in locations such as Bethel and Nome, all of whom are suffering from the crippling increases in their “cost of living” due to the outrageous price increases in heating oil, fuel, and transportation costs.
In any case, delays caused by the State could result in our not obtaining a completed contract in a timely manner. For one thing, their delays mean that we will be starting negotiations later than normal, and we are miles apart on reaching an agreement. Remember, the State turned down a “one time” zero wage package offer last March. We will again be very fair in our negotiations; we will negotiate in good faith, but we will not settle for less than what other unions have received in wages. Our previous “zero wage offer” is completely off the table, except to remind Legislators that we did everything in our power to reach an agreement by putting forward a very fair offer. It is important for all members to remember that you, Correctional Officers, are Class 1 employees. If the contract lapses, all provisions of the previous contract stay in place, including wages, leave accrual, and geographic differential rates. In other words, if we don’t have a new contract, nothing changes.
If we should end up in arbitration, it will be the State that forced us there. Should we prevail in contract arbitration, when we go for funding on that arbitration award, we will remind the Legislature that the State turned down a great offer in order to gamble on winning concessions at arbitration. It is their right to take that risk and it might very well pay off, but if that gamble fails, the State cannot take another bite at the apple by fighting the funding as they did so vigorously last time.
To the Officers of Bethel and Nome, if we should not reach an agreement in a timely manner, we believe that any agreement on geographic differential increases should be retroactive. Just like with the last contract when the State illegally voided the arbitration award, we believe you should receive checks for the retroactive amount.
If you have any thoughts or suggestions concerning the upcoming negotiations feel free to contact us.
