Posted 2/21/2017
Mediator has been selected
Mediation dates March 8th & 9th
In an effort to advance contract negotiations, A&R and the State have agreed to mediation. Our goal is to make progress on some contract language issues. Although mediation is not binding on either party, it is hoped that tentative agreements can be reached on some of the less contentious contract language issues.
Mediation is much faster and less expensive than arbitration. These efforts will not prevent or delay binding arbitration procedures, which we are still pursuing. While some progress can be made via mediation, we expect the bulk of our successor contract will ultimately be determined through binding arbitration. By pursuing mediation as well as arbitration, our objective is to deliver a favorable contract to the membership as expeditiously as possible.
Originally posted 12/19/16:
A&R's focus has shifted from negotiations to arbitration. Paperwork for declaring impasse has been filed. There are a half-dozen other unions that have declared arbitration as well. We gave negotiations a fair chance and sat with the State for nearly a year without seeing a change in their offer of zero dollars for wages and far reaching things such as the elimination of travel expenses. Non-financial issues never changed either. Their offer of near complete obliteration of the contract remained on the table through the end. As a reasonable settlement with the State was nowhere on the horizon we took the appropriate step of declaring impasse. There is a 3 week waiting period and then the first phase will be the selection of an arbitrator. There are risks to binding arbitration, as both sides must live with whatever the arbitrator decides. We also don't get to vote on the final decision of the arbitrator; when the decision is awarded we can't reject it if we don't like it. Also, it is unclear if the legislature will demand a vote on all bargaining unit contracts. Please be aware that legislative votes on arbitrated contract awards require a 66% "Nay" vote in either chamber to be rejected while an agreed upon, settled contract only requires only a 50% threshold to be rejected.