Productive Coalition Night

We began ODOT Coalition bargaining at 6:30 pm with forty-plus Union members from a variety of agencies and coalitions present. We ended at 3:00 am with a large and representative group from ODOT Coalition agencies. Our thanks go to everyone who came, observed and contributed to making this bargaining session our most successful yet.

We were especially please to have with us Leslie Frane and Donna Glathar and to see some new faces on the State’s bargaining team as well. Craig Cowan, DAS Labor Relations Unit, led the State team and began negotiations by presenting us with a five-item package containing a mix of new, old and current proposed contract language. Our team also presented our own five-item package of proposals which marked some compromise on our part and served to move discussion forward. Our reaction to the State’s package was mixed: language dealing with ODOT work schedules was acceptable and our team felt that we could find compromises on filling of vacancies language and contract dealing with education, training and development. Our members identified some organizing opportunities for future use in the State’s proposals. Union members from Specials Coalition agencies who attended bargaining helped us clarify our thinking and our approach to these issues.

The State team later presented us with an additional five-item package which we reached tentative agreement on. Our language on client complaints was agreed to and we agreed to compromise language on overtime, penalty pay and filling of vacancies. We accepted current language on holiday scheduling.

During breaks we identified some core values we share: not settling at the Central Table until the ODOT Coalition contract is settled; finding agreement on protective gear, tools and boots; and bringing home a strong travel policy for our Coalition. We debated sending the travel policy to our Union’s Central Table for negotiation throughout the evening and we expect to hear from the State team on Tuesday if this is agreeable to their teams. We also worked on listing contract language and items or concepts which we share agreement with the State team on. This list formed the basis for a list of six stand-alone items the State presented to us for tentative agreement. We accepted their proposals. Workers at Fish and Wildlife will see increases in their uniform allowances and they also gained better work schedule language as a result of this movement.

The State team then gave us two additional proposals—one package—dealing with uniforms, protective clothing and tools. Union members led a strong discussion on who gets and does not get boots and why these differences exist. The rain gear issues and uniform allowances we have been working on for several months also remain unresolved. Leslie Frane summarized our position on finding a fair and equitable travel policy for our Coalition and this became a much-needed back-and-forth between the teams. The State team heard our concerns.

Union members Hal Boldt, Cory McIntosh, Mike Scott, Kermit Meling, Jim Harvey, Roger Upshaw, Randy Davis, Mike Johnson, John Ponce and Cam McGinnis and others helped lead discussions and find agreement. By the end of our session we had narrowed outstanding issues to boot, tool and uniform allowances and reimbursements, protective eyewear, travel policy and a few additional areas of concern.

Our next ODOT Coalition negotiations will be held on Monday, July 9. This promises to be a key and contentious session which should deal with all of our outstanding issues listed above. We need strong participation from workers at ODOT, DMV, Forestry, Parks, State Fair and Fish and Wildlife in order to win on our issues. And we need our supporters from other agencies with us for moral support and help.

We will meet at 5:00 pm at our Salem Union hall for dinner and a meeting and start negotiations at 6:30 pm at the ODOT HR center on 19^th Street SE in Salem. Please attend.