Court Halts Mandatory Furloughs for Hawaii State Workers, and More Bargaining News

by May Silverstein, Jul 13, 2009

Hawaii state workers won their battle against the governor’s proposals to mandate furloughs, 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 1,100 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.

LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS

Multiple Unions, Hawaii: Hawaii state workers won their battle against the governor’s proposals to mandate furloughs when a Circuit Court judge ruled the governor does not have the authority to unilaterally order furloughs. Gov. Linda Lingle (R) had ordered state workers to take three furlough days a month for two years starting this month. The governor did not indicate whether she would continue to defend her furlough plans in court. The workers are represented by multiple unions that include Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA-AFSCME), United Public Workers (UPW-Ind.) and Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA-NEA).

UMWA, Mammoth Coal: An Appeals Court upheld a ruling by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that 85 members of the United Mine Workers (UWMA) must be rehired by Mammoth Coal in West Virginia. The union miners lost their jobs after Mammoth purchased the Kanawha County mine in 2004 and refused to hire UMWA members working there.

AFSCME, Philadelphia: In Philadelphia, AFSCME District Council 47 and District Council 33 will file a class-action grievance for 20,000 Philadelphia city workers. Amid contract negotiations, Mayor Michael Nutter unilaterally froze salary increases. “This is not a positive development for contract negotiations,” said Cathy Scott, president District Council 47, which represents the city’s white-collar workers. “It’s never been done before. We think it’s an insult to city employees.”

AFSCME, University of California: AFSCME Local 3299, which represents service workers, is suing the University of California to see records of purchase orders and other contracts for three years at 10 UC campuses, contending that some campuses want to charge hundreds or thousands of dollars for records that should be public.

SETTLEMENTS

USW, NewPage: Some 700 production and mechanical maintenance workers at NewPage Corp. in Luke, Md., represented by the United Steelworkers (USW) Local 676, ratified a contract that increases wages by 2 percent in each year of the four-year agreement.

IBEW, Metropolitan Edison: In Reading, Pa., workers, represented by the Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 777 ratified a two-year contract agreement with the Metropolitan Edison Co., a subsidiary of FirstEnergy. The contract provides modest wage increases and work rule changes to provide additional operational efficiencies.

WORK STOPPAGES, JOB ACTIONS

UAW, Bell Helicopter: Some 2,500 striking Bell Helicopter workers, represented by the UAW Local 317, resumed negotiations. They went on strike about a month ago, rejecting a three-year contract that proposed increases in medical costs and plans to outsource janitors’ work. Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. has brought in some 1,000 temporary workers at plants in the Dallas-Fort Worth area where helicopter parts are made.

NEGOTIATIONS

AFSCME, Cincinnati: Some 2,300 Cincinnati city nurses, garbage collectors and sewer workers, represented by AFSCME, rejected a proposal for a six-day furlough.

Disclaimer: This information is being provided for your information only. As it is compiled from published news reports, not from individual unions, we cannot vouch for either its completeness or accuracy; readers who desire further information should directly contact the union involved.

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