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October 11, 2005
By a vote of 53% to
47% the voters of Sitka approved a collective bargaining
ordinance which will allow city workers to form unions and
collectively bargain employment agreements.
For the first time
ever the employees of the city of Sitka will be able to form
employee unions, meet with the city and bargain wages and
working conditions. PSEA applauds the voters of Sitka who
voted to level the playing field and enable City employees
and City management to sit down at the table and negotiate a
real and lasting agreement that will allow employees an
equal voice in determining their wages, benefits, and
working conditions.
PSEA also
congratulates the many people who worked so hard to make
this a reality. Well done!
August 16, 2006
PSEA NOW THE EXCLUSIVE CERTIFIED
REPRESENTATIVE OF
SITKA POLICE DEPT. EMPLOYEES
(8.16.06)
Almost 5 years since PSEA was first approached by Police
Department employees, final certification of PSEA by the
Sitka Labor Relations Board as the exclusive bargaining
representative for all police department employees occurred
yesterday. The Chief, his administrative assistant and the
lieutenants were excluded by agreement between PSEA and the
City’s attorney. However, the history behind this effort has
been monumental, and a tribute to those whose present and
past efforts made this day a reality should be made.
PSEA first met with Sitka Police Department employees in the
Fall of 2001. In the following months, a Sitka Police
Department Employees Chapter was organized and ultimately
accepted into PSEA. Though Sitka only had a “meet and
confer” ordinance, the bargaining unit membership joined
PSEA with enthusiasm. PSEA and the local membership crafted
a collective bargaining agreement which was presented to the
Assembly in June 2002. The Assembly was truly confused by
the submission, and could not reconcile the prospect of a
negotiated agreement with “meet and confer.” The City’s
then-attorney didn’t help matters, first saying the Assembly
could bargain with PSEA, then saying they couldn’t without
proof that PSEA represented every single person covered by
the proposed contract.
In 2003, PSEA and local Chapter members worked hard to
rescind the local “meet and confer” ordinance, and place
Sitka under the State’s Public Employment Relations Act.
During a local election, which saw record turnout for both
the Governor’s and U.S. Senator’s races, as well as local
issues on park land access, the ballot measure to establish
collective bargaining rights under state law failed by a
very narrow margin.
Notwithstanding this disappointing defeat, the membership of
the Chapter and PSEA continued to press forward. Another
attempt to substitute a comprehensive local “labor relations
ordinance” for the ineffective “meet and confer” version was
placed on the ballot. In October 2005, local voters approved
the labor relations ordinance. The election was then
certified by the Assembly.
Some months went by before members of the local Labor Board
were selected. Of particular note was the Assembly’s
inability to encourage local citizens to apply for the City
representative to the Board. However, once that process was
completed, the Board convened and began the business of
creating bargaining units.
PSEA filed its petition along with showing-of-interest cards
that exceeded the 30% minimum - a 93% submission (29 of 31
eligible employees signing in favor of PSEA)! The City,
which initially indicated it would challenge the proposed
police department employees’ bargaining unit, relented and
entered into a Mutual Recognition agreement. That agreement
survived the objection period, and was finalized on August
15, 2006.
The process has taken time; only the second phase has been
successfully reached. PSEA will next propose that the City
representatives meet with those of PSEA and Sitka PDEA to
begin collective bargaining. The advantage for PSEA is that
it has a proposed agreement already crafted. Still, expect
the process to take some time as the third phase –
negotiations – emerges.
The members of Sitka’s PDEA, particularly Tim White and Judy
Puckett, deserve applause for their untiring commitment to
making this day happen. Though Tim and Judy are expressly
mentioned, many others contributed to the effort with both
time and funds; Ed Green spent many weekends convincing
local citizens to sign petitions as did Betty Conklin,
Walter Smith, Kevin Richards, and the many others who have
since left the Department. Sitka was PSEA’s first new
municipal police Chapter since Unalaska PSEA joined in 1994.
The tenacity shown by its members will pay off as Sitka
becomes PSEA’s latest collectively represented Chapter with
a bargaining agreement that will set fair and equitable
wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment for
this group of employees.
JAG
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