Drafter
Clerk 02/25/2010
Title
A MOTION establishing King County labor policy to achieve cost savings during periods of flat or declining revenues.
Body
WHEREAS, from time to time, global, national and regional economies experience significant and severe downturns, and
WHEREAS, the timing, severity and length of economic downturns cannot be reliably predicted, and
WHEREAS, local government revenues, including those of King County, are greatly affected by economic downturns, which in turn requires policy makers to rapidly respond to significant revenue reductions, and
WHEREAS, a high percentage of King County's budget expenditures pay for staff that provide services to the public, and
WHEREAS, more than eighty percent of King County's labor force is represented by unions, and
WHEREAS, labor agreements with unions typically have three- to six-year terms, and
WHEREAS, King County is committed to preserving service levels and quality even during periods of declining revenues, and
WHEREAS, King County is actively considering a wide range of cost-saving measures, and
WHEREAS, King County must respond to changing financial circumstances within months rather than years;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
A. It is the labor policy of King County that the bargaining agent shall negotiate in good faith that annual cost of living adjustments to wages and salaries should range from 0.0 percent to no more than 6.0 percent.
B. It is the labor policy of King County that the bargaining agent shall negotiate in good faith that all collective bargaining agreements should have a reopener clause in order to reopen negotiations between the union and the county when county revenues are projected to remain flat or decline for the next calendar year.
C. It is the labor policy of King County that the bargaining agent shall negotiate in good faith that when county revenues are projected to remain flat or decline for the next calendar year, King County's bargaining agent shall bargain in good faith with the goal of reaching agreement on the following expenditure reduction strategies:
1. No cost of living adjustment;
2. Increase employee contributions for health care benefits;
3. No step increases;
4. Reductions in wages and salaries; and
5. Unpaid furlough days. Before negotiating unpaid furlough days, the bargaining agent should confer with the labor policy committee as provided in K.C.C. 3.16.050.
D. The policy objective of this labor policy motion is to minimize reductions in the level and quality of services to the public during times of declining revenue.