Labor & Employment Law

Two Unions in Hawaii Seek to Block Governor from Ordering Furloughs?and More Bargaining News

By May Silverstein

Two unions in Hawaii seek to block the governor from ordering furloughs for thousands of state workers?and more updates here from the “Bargaining Digest Weekly.” The AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department delivers daily, bargaining-related news and research resources to more than 900 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.

WORK STOPPAGES AND JOB ACTIONS
Multiple, BART: Two of the larger BART unions, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) and SEIU Local 1021, agreed to extend their labor contracts beyond the June 30 expiration through July 9 at midnight. AFSCME, which represents white-collar workers at BART, expects to sign a similar extension. You can get real-time updates on Twitter at https://twitter.com/realbartworkers. 

LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS
Multiple, Hawaii: Two Hawaii state unions, the Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA-AFSCME) and the independent University of Hawaii Public Assembly (UHPA-Ind.), asked a judge to block Gov. Linda Lingle from unilaterally ordering thousands of state workers to take three unpaid days off per month, starting in July. “The defendants apparently contend that furloughs are not a required subject of collective bargaining,” the union motion stated, referring to Lingle and top aides. “But that is obviously wrong. The furloughs involve significant reductions in both wages and hours, which are both core subjects of collective bargaining.”

SETTLEMENTS
TNG-CWA, Boston Globe: Members of The Newspaper Guild (TNG-CWA) at the Boston Globe reached a tentative agreement, following three months of negotiations. It provides a smaller pay cut?5.9 percent?in exchange for contractual language designed to help the financially struggling newspaper. 

USW, Northern Indiana Public Service Company: Some 1,900 Northern Indiana Public Service Co. workers in two United Steelworkers (USW) bargaining units approved new five-year agreements that include pay increases averaging about 3 percent each year. 

IAM, Southwest Airlines: Members of the Machinists (IAM) District 142 ratified a new four-year agreement with Southwest Airlines that covers the carrier’s 5,300 customer service and reservation agents. The new agreement provides an immediate 3 percent wage increase and an increase in retirement benefits. 

AFT-NEA, New York: In New York, teachers, represented by a joint partnership between the AFT and the NEA, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg reached a deal designed to help with the city’s financial struggles. The deal centers around a pension-reform package the mayor estimated would save the city $2 billion while preserving the teachers’ right to retire at 55.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on June 29, 2009 (boomark / email).