Insight
An Information Pipeline for Members and
City of Portland
Group Teams up
With Local 17
Jan./Feb. 2011
Volume 16
Number 1
Friends of Local 17
Local 17 Files
Grievances on
Contracting out at
the City of Seattle
Mind Your P’s and
Q’s When it Comes
to Information
Technology use
About This Issue
On the Cover:
T
he last couple months have
been a busy time for Local
17. This issue is chock full
of member stories from across the
state. In this issue, you can read
about many events including a
public health education day, a
state contract tentative agreement,
City of Seattle news, new alliances
in Portland, Ore. and interesting
feature articles. Read on!
News and Features
On Unity....................................................................................3
Briefly.................................................................................... 4–5
City of Seattle News.......................................................................6
City of Portland Group Teams up With Local 17........................7
Thurston Co. WSDOT Members get Active.............................10
Tentative Agreement Reached on State Employee Contract......11
Seattle King Co. Public Health Takes Round of Job Cuts........12
Local 17 Talks to Legislators at Public Health Day....................12
Chelan Douglas Health Members Continue Negotiations........13
Executive Board Column .............................................................16
Politics
Governor’s Budget: Legislature and Governor Make
Tough Choices..........................................................................14-15
Insight
Joe McGee, Managing Editor; Taryn Gerhardt, Editor
Insight (ISSN 1093-1694) is the official publication of Professional and
Technical Employees, Local 17. Insight is published bimonthly by Local
17, 2900 Eastlake Avenue East, Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98102. Periodicals
postage paid at Seattle, Washington. Postmaster: Send address change to:
Insight - 2900 Eastlake Ave. E., Ste. 300, Seattle, WA 98102-3012
www.ifpte17.org
2
Insight
Insight
Jan./Feb. 2011
Vol.16/ No. 1
Professional and Technical Employees,
Local 17
2900 Eastlake Avenue East, Ste. 300
Seattle, Washington 98102
Phone .......................... 206-328-7321
Toll-free......................... 800-783-0017
Fax............................... 206-328-7402
E-mail.................... [email protected]
Website..................... www.ifpte17.org
President: Allan Yamaguchi
Vice-President: Lois Watt
Secretary-Treasurer: Sean Simmons
Trustee: Hossein Barahimi
Trustee: Ray Ceaser
Trustee: Elizabethe Geier
Executive Director: Joe McGee
Ext. 101 • [email protected]
Finance Director: Jackie Miller
Ext. 102 • [email protected]
Operations Director:
Anthony Davidson
Ext. 121 • [email protected]
Union Representatives
Carrie Blackwood
Ext. 120 • [email protected]
Don Briscoe
Ext. 103 • [email protected]
Roberta Burnett
Ext. 113 • [email protected]
Diana Douglas
Ext. 116 • [email protected]
Whitney Hupf
Ext. 122 • [email protected]
Bill Kalibak
Ext. 107 • [email protected]
Natalie Kaminski
Ext. 117 • [email protected]
Patti Kieval
Ext. 106 • [email protected]
Kristen Kussmann
Ext. 110 • [email protected]
Jacob Metzger
Ext. 129 • [email protected]
Behnaz Nelson
Ext. 112 • [email protected]
Vince Oliveri
Ext. 108 • [email protected]
Janet Parks
Ext. 127 • [email protected]
Guadalupe Perez
Ext. 109 • [email protected]
Adrienne Thompson
Ext. 115 • [email protected]
Program Directors
Legislative: Vince Oliveri Ext. 108 •
[email protected] and Adrienne Thompson, Ext. 115 • [email protected]
Communications: Taryn Gerhardt
Ext. 118 • [email protected]
Research: Elliot Levin
Ext. 128 • [email protected]
Special Projects
Special Projects Coordinator: Nikola
Davidson , Ext. 111 • [email protected]
Office Staff
Communications Asst.: Donna Clarke
Ext. 104 • [email protected]
Membership Administrator: Laura Elia
Ext. 123 • [email protected]
On Unity
Which Side Are They On?
W
ho are “they?” They are the politicians, pundits, blogging heads, newspaper editorial
boards, and TV and radio loudmouths who have been so quick to jump on the public
employee bashing bandwagon. Surely you’ve heard the scathing and nasty attacks
on public employees that seem to permeate the atmosphere these days. The vicious and unfair
drumbeat has never been louder and it shows no signs of abating anytime soon.
The greedy Wall Street titans, the so-called “Masters of the Universe,” (how scary is that?) crash
the economy and walk away virtually unscathed with fat salaries and obscene bonuses intact and public
employees become the target of the nation’s misplaced rage and anger. It is bizarre, outrageous, and
wrong.
Joe McGee, Local 17
Executive Director
Sure, people everywhere are hurting—unemployment is at record levels, home values are at all time lows and economic
insecurity is the order of the day. But you and I know that hardworking people in the public sector, people like you and all
members of Local 17, are in the same boat. Every public employee has taken significant economic hits in this “Great Recession.”
In fact, you have done more than the average worker to help struggling state and local governments deal with their budget
shortfalls. But is there recognition and gratitude for this critical truth by those in the commentariat? Unfortunately, with only a
few exceptions, the answer is a resounding “No.”
So pay attention. Notice which political parties, politicians, and “news” sources play fair during these difficult times. Those
who foster misplaced anger directed at public employees do not deserve your support. They are not on your side.
There is a concerted effort underway by those who have long despised empowered workers in unions who have organized to
enhance and preserve decent family wage jobs with reasonably good benefits and working conditions. They are using the current
economic turmoil and insecurity to try to do to the public sector what they have successfully done to the private sector where, for
instance, real pensions have essentially been made obsolete. With only 6.9 percent of the private sector workforce unionized, they
are now focused on the public sector where more than 30 percent of the workforce has the advantage of contractual protection
and union representation. Wherever workers have power and protection, these forces aim to destroy it and, as you can see, it is
fairly easy to stoke public rage about paying for something too many of them do not have, like a decent defined benefit pension
plan. (FYI, the better solution would be to make decent pensions for all a national priority instead of trying to eliminate them).
To you as a public employee all of this can, understandably, be demoralizing and distressing. But together, through this
union and by working together with other public employee unions, elected leaders, candidates for public office, opinion influences
and groups who understand the value of the public sector and detest the scapegoating of public employees, we can be strong and
we will weather this storm. We do not have the resources to buy enough ink and air time to counter every negative message, but
we have unity and the truth on our side and we need to tell it—LOUDLY—whenever and wherever we can.
At Local 17 we are revamping our communications capabilities and we are channeling more resources into our efforts to
counter the offensive distortions “they” keep spreading about public employees. But it will take all of us, so do not hesitate to
tell it like it really is to your friends and neighbors if they repeat some of the negative demagogic nonsense that is so prevalent
these days. When you push back, you are not only standing up for yourself as a public employee, but you are also standing up
for all middle class workers with family wage jobs and benefits, including pensions. You are standing up for the best kind of
American values. You are on the side that thinks public service is important and adds value to our community. You are on the
side that thinks public employees and all workers deserve decent wages and benefits that are sufficient to support a family. You
are on the side that knows what really makes this country great and prosperous for all working people, not just the top 10 percent.
“They”—those who want to diminish these values, are wrong. Tell it like it really is.
In unity,
Insight
3
Briefly
Steward Statement Publication
Takes new Form
The paper edition of the Steward
Statement, which was formerly mailed
to Stewards' homes, has changed form.
To become a more useful, timely and
targeted publication, a steward mailing
with important event information and other
resources will now be emailed to stewards'
home email addresses. If you are a
Steward, please email Anthony Davidson
at: [email protected] to get on that list.
Many steward resources such as
grievance forms, the Steward Resource
Guide and training presentations are online on the Local 17 website. Additionally,
an archived library of Steward Statements,
including important articles on valuable
subjects such as grievances handling,
past practice, and contract bargaining can
be found at: www.ifpte17.org/member_
resources.php. 
Seattle Chapter Elects Officers
Ballots were counted on December
15, 2010 for Seattle Chapter Officers,
REC Delegates and REC Alternates.
The following members were elected:
President, Dan O'Sullivan; Vice President,
Stefanie Hegland; Secretary-Treasurer
Larry Works.
The following members were elected
unopposed as REC Delegates: John
Alton, Karthy Boone, Joe Mahony, Dan
Martin, Kent Nickel, Brenda Sevilla,
Ariska Thompson, Colin Vasquez,
Michael Wypyszinski, Tim Rood, Patty
Berg, Dave Rowan, Larry Works, and
Denise Krownbell. The REC Alternates
are: Sandra Gomez, John Alton, Diane
Thomas. 
Tacoma Chapter Elects Officers
The City of Tacoma Chapter Officers and
Delegates were recently elected as follows:
President, Gary Gates; Vice President,
Jim McDaniel; Secretary, Dori Bishop; and
Treasurer, Jason Harrell.
The REC Delegates are: Rita Oster,
Shane Stull and Vida Piera. Labor Council
Delegates are Dan Stillwell, and Oster.
The bargaining team—Ron Baldwin, Pete
Rambow, Gary Gates, Piera, Tim Peters,
and Karl Berner and Roberta Burnett, Local
17 Union Representative—is currently in
negotiations. 
4
Insight
Life After Work:
Mike Lynch &
Chad Ridgway
W
hen Seattle City Light
Chief Surveyor Mike
Lynch and Washington
State Department of Transportation
Surveyor Chad Ridgway decided
to climb Mount Rainier as part of a
scientific research team, they didn't
know they would be two of only three
climbers to spend the night on the
summit.
Both Lynch and Ridgway, are
Local 17 members and members
of Land Surveyors Association of
Washington. They were two of 40
to be selected to climb Mt. Rainier
(14,410 feet) to gather data for the
United States Geological Survey
(USGS). Their mission was to resurvey the mountain with current
technology. Brass monuments were
set in 1988 and Rainier was resurveyed in the 1990s, but USGS
wanted to add gravity measurements.
“We went up there to see if the
elevations were the same on those
monuments—and they were. This
time, they also wanted to include
gravity measurements,” Ridgway
said. “Gravity measurements are
used around the world to build a
Taking measurements on the mountain.
Left to right: Mike Lynch, Erynn Sullivan, Bob Maconie, Bob
Anderson, Chad Ridgway, Jim Guilland, Sara Polster.
better 3D model. The more gravity
measurements you get, the better you
can determine the center of mass.”
Ridgway and the other volunteers did
a rigorous training program starting in
February 2010, but after all the practice
climbs and training, the team was
whittled down to only 12 members. Their
final climb (up Rainier) began on July
21 and ended on 26th. However, only
Ridgway, Lynch and one other member
(Bob Maconie) were able to carry the
gear and complete the work at the
summit.
“It was a lot of training and it was a
good way to get in shape,” said Lynch.
Once at the top, the three were
rewarded with a rare night on the peak.
Usually climbers are not allowed to camp
at the summit, but because they were
doing research, they were permitted to
stay—which was a real treat.
“It was the night before the full moon
and it was just beautiful. There was a
crystal clear blue sky the day before and
the day after,” Ridgway said, “You can
see the silhouette of the Rockies from
the top of Mt Rainier. You can also see
the lights of the Tri-cities and Yakima.”
Ridgway, who currently works out
of the Aberdeen WSDOT office, said he
was a backpacker before the trip, but
now plans to do more mountain climbing.
“It was interesting to take my
enthusiast backpacking to the next level”
he said.
Both Lynch and Ridgway say they
had an amazing experience and would
do the climb and research again. 
News & Features
Pierce County Votes on new
Medical Plan and Officers
By an overwhelming majority, Pierce
County members voted to move to
Teamster Medical Plan A for both the
Supervisors and Engineers Units.
Pierce County members also voted
in new chapter officers as follows:
President, Troy Lee; Vice-President, Mark
Holden; Secretary, Sarah Motsenbocker;
and Treasurer, Dawn Anderson. The
REC Delegates are: Curt Bright, Helmut
Schmidt, and Randy Spinharney.
Serving as Stewards are: Raymond
Belleza, Bryan Chappell, Rod Gratzer,
Erica Grimm, Aaron Erickson, Chris
Estep, Sr., Hans Hunger, Troy Lee,
Juan Loyola. Mike Manley, Sarah
Motsenbocker, Kerry Obermire and Seth
Schade.
Union Membership Down
Nationally, Much Work to do
U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis
recently reported that union membership
is down nationwide, but workers need a
voice more than ever.
Solis commented on the Bureau
of Labor Statistics' “Union Members
2010 Report.” In the report, the Bureau
announced that, in 2010, the unionization
rate of employed wage and salary
workers was 11.9 percent, down from
12.3 percent in 2009. Among private
sector employees, the rate dropped to 6.9
percent from 7.2 percent in 2009.
The data also showed the median
usual weekly earnings of full-time wage
and salary union members were $917 per
week, compared to $717 for workers not
represented by unions.
“When coupled with existing data
showing that union members have
access to better health care, retirement
and leave benefits, today's numbers
make it clear that union jobs are not only
good jobs, they are central to restoring
our middle class,” Solis said. “As workers
across the country continue to face lower
wages and difficulty finding work due
to the recent recession, these numbers
demonstrate the pressing need to provide
workers with a voice in the workplace and
protect their right to organize and bargain
collectively.” 
Mind Your P’s and Q’s When it Comes
to Information Technology use
By Behnaz Nelson, Local 17 Union Representative
I
s it okay to forward humorous emails to my
colleagues? What if I need to do some last
minute holiday shopping online, is that okay?
Can I use my work cell phone to make personal
calls?
The answer to these questions is: it
depends. It depends on what policy your
employer has in place regarding the personal
use of employer information technology (IT)
assets. Usually there is a policy and the
standard is that personal use is allowed as long
as it is minimal and does not fall within a prohibited category. Prohibited use
tends to center around sexually explicit, indecent or offensive conduct or actions
to promote a personal business.
These employer provided IT assets are meant to improve productivity
and accessibility, however, they also provide an opportunity for abuse and
misuse. Public employees have a greater responsibility in the proper handling
of employer provided IT assets, since those assets were paid for with taxpayer
dollars and are subject to public disclosure requests.
In tough economic times when employers have to make the difficult choices
on cutting budgets and laying off employees, there is greater scrutiny of
employee behaviors. Union Representatives are now faced with a barrage of
investigatory and Loudermill meetings where employees are being admonished
for unacceptable use of employer provided IT assets.
Frequently, the abuse is one where common sense should have prevailed,
and the Union Representative is faced with filing a grievance to mitigate the
discipline with little room to argue the merits.
Take some time to familiarize yourself with your employer’s policy on IT
asset use and if you have any questions, get clarification from your Union
Representative.
Often, employees are trained and common sense will be the standard,
so arguments of “I didn’t know it was wrong” will more than likely not prevail.
When it comes to using email or the internet for non-work related activities, ask
yourself if you mind having your employer or the general public sees the content
of your e-mail or internet site. 
Why Unions?
. . . because unions fight for health care coverage.
nion workers are more likely than their non-union counterparts to be
covered by health insurance, and to receive pension benefits and
paid sick leave, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. In
March 2010, 84 percent of union workers were covered by health insurance
through their jobs, compared with only 55 percent of non-union workers. Also,
83 percent of union workers have paid sick leave compared to 64 percent of
non-union workers. 
U
Insight
5
City of Seattle News
Local 17 Files Grievances on
Contracting out at the City of Seattle
I
n the City of Seattle, members
voted to extend their Collective
Bargaining Agreement through Dec.
31, 2013.
One of the victories with the extension
was a change to the contracting out language.
Prior to the extension, Local 17 was able to
grieve contracting out only when it resulted
in a layoff. With the extension, Local 17 is
now able to file grievances on contracting
out regardless of whether a layoff that takes
place.
Contracting out is most utilized at
Seattle Department of Transportation,
Seattle Public Utilities and Seattle City
Light. With a recent audit performed by
the City Auditor, which was spearheaded
by City Council member Bruce Harrell, it
was found that in Seattle City Light it was
more expensive to contract out, by greater
than 25 percent, than to perform the work
by City employees.
Local 17 has asked the City Council to
do the same review in other departments
with the primary focus on the worst abuser,
the Seattle Department of Transportation.
With the new contract language, Local
17 filed grievances in December 2010 on two
different notices of contracting out. One of
the contracts handles multi modal traffic
improvements and the other centers around
2011 sidewalk development.
The City is facing huge layoffs in
multiple departments. The City should
be using this opportunity to keep
Local 17 members employed.
“A s contracting out notices
continue to come into Local 17, we
will look to utilize the new language
to hold the City accountable for the
work that is performed,” said Local
17 Union Representative Adrienne
Thompson.
The new language will allow Local
17 to challenge Departments to do the
right thing.
Thompson said: “By performing
the work in-house, they would be
able to keep valuable and trained
employees, save money for Cit y
taxpayers, and reduce the likelihood of
the work having to be redone.” 
Protecting our Bargaining Unit Work:
Skimming is an Unfair Labor Practice
It's become more common that the
employer, in response to recent budget
cuts, is transferring bargaining unit work
to persons outside the bargaining unit or to
persons of the incorrect classification. This
cost cutting strategy is used more often than
ever and will result in a great loss of Local
17 members’ work if it is not addressed
promptly.
A transfer of bargaining unit work
to someone outside the bargaining unit
is a mandatory subject of bargaining
and must be bargained with the union
prior to implementation. If the employer
refuses to bargain in good faith, this is
called “skimming” and it is an unfair labor
practice.
Recently, at the Seattle Center, this issue
arose when the Center laid off an admissions
dispatcher. Local 17 subsequently learned
6
Insight
that the employer intended to give his
bargaining unit work to one of the existing,
non-bargaining unit titles. Local 17 filed
a “cease and desist” order for transferring
Local 17 work and threatened to file an
Unfair Labor Practice (ULP). Consequently,
the Department obeyed the order and Local
17’s bargaining unit work was restored.
Recently, PERC cases demonstrate that
“skimming” can be successfully resisted if
the union acts swiftly. The union has the
obligation to make a prompt demand to
bargain to preserve the ability to challenge
the transfer of bargaining unit work.
“That is why it is very important
for members to contact their union
representative if they see any bargaining unit
work transferred to a person with a different
title. It could be an issue of “skimming”
or a violation of the Collective Bargaining
What ?
Another Vote?
D
oes it seem to you that Local
17 is in a constant mode of
“getting out the vote” at the
City of Seattle?
In the last year, Seattle Chapter
members have been asked to
decide on issues by voting five
times. It started this time last
year with the furlough/contract
extension vote. What followed was
the VEBA extension vote, Contract
Extension through 2013 vote, Local
17’s Executive Board election, and
Seattle Chapter Officer election.
Hang on to your hats, there is going
be another vote and it is important.
Each time the contract is
extended, employees who are
eligible to retire during the extension
(in this case 2013), must vote to
participate or not in VEBA (Voluntary
Employee Benefit Account). If the
majority of members vote in favor of
VEBA, 35 percent of their unused
sick leave balance will be put in a
fund that can be used for medical
expenses after retirement, including
health care premiums. The 35
percent cash-out is tax free both
going into the VEBA and coming out
as you submit receipts for payment.
“We will be conducting the VEBA
vote during the first quarter of 2011,”
said Local 17 Union Representative
Diana Douglas.
Only those members eligible
to retire through 2013 will be sent
ballots.
“We want to get the vote done
while the Contract Extension is fresh
in members’ minds. At the same
time, with budget cuts, and lay offs,
doing it before the end of 2010 just
did not seem practical,” Douglas
said. 
Agreement,” said Guadalupe Perez, Local
17 Union Representative. 
News
A
City of Portland Group Teams up With Local 17
s reported in the last issue, Local
17 recently signed a four year
agreement to provide professional
union representation services to the
City of Portland Professional Employees
Association (COPPEA).
COPPEA is an independent union
representing public employees at the City
of Portland, Ore. for more than 50 years.
COPPEA currently has over 700 members
in professional and technical classifications
which strongly parallel the positions Local 17
represents. Members
a r e r e p r e s e nt e d
across 12 Cit y
Bureaus and in 65
job classifications.
Local 17 Union
Representative
Behna z Nelson
will represent COPPEA and will work
closely with other Local 17 staff to provide
communication, training and research
resources.
The goal over the next four years is
to bring Local 17’s reputation, resources
and ability to affect positive change to the
working environment for COPPEA members.
Through Local 17's representational services
and through building a relationship together,
the mutual interest is to work towards a full
affiliation within these four years.
“As we know all too well, solidarity is
the linchpin which makes unions stronger
and employees more empowered,” Nelson
said.
Some COPPEA members will attend
the Local 17 Regional Executive Committee
(REC) meetings to get acquainted with
Local 17's governing body and familiarize
themselves with the officers, members and
staff.
The COPPEA Executive Board and
Representatives (stewards), met in early
January to meet with Local 17 staff and to
share their issues and interests.
“The meeting was a great turnout of over
20 people who expressed their excitement at
working with Local 17. I was pleased to see
many similarities of issues with our existing
bargaining units, and was impressed with
the level of knowledge and effectiveness
which COPPEA has been representing
themselves. I am thrilled for the opportunity
to share Local
17 ’s d i v e r s e
knowledge
and sk ills as
well as expand
C O P P E A’s
presence
i n t h e C it y
management and political environment.”
Nelson said.
“COPPEA is on the cusp of changes
and my goal as newly elected President
is to make sure they are positive for our
members. I look forward to the opportunity
to weld a more solid unity with our
members and a respectful relationship with
the City of Portland players,” said Gerry
Verhoe, COPPEA President. 
Insight
7
Labor Laws
Have Positive
Impact
News
News &
& Features
Features
By Mark Gruenberg, PAI Staff Writer
(Workday Minnesota contributed material for
this story. Press Associates, Inc.)
I
f you walk into Los Angeles
International Airport (LAX) next
year, you won’t find a McDonald’s.
They refused to pay their workers a
living wage, and dropped out of the bidding
for a restaurant concession at LAX, says
Madeline Janis, executive director of the
L.A. Alliance For A New Economy—
who is also a city redevelopment agency
commissioner.
Why? McDonald’s wanted to pay its
workers the minimum wage, not the living
wage that a city ordinance mandates. But
the chain is the exception at LAX, not the
rule. As a result, the ordinance at the airport
is a good one for workers there, Janis told a
Nov. 30 symposium hosted by the Center
for American Progress.
Other restaurant chains weren’t afraid
to bid for Los Angeles airport food court
slots and were willing to pay the workers
the living wage—typically $10-$14 hourly
plus benefits—she added. Both businesses
and workers benefited. Airport food court
sites are very profitable. And 20,000 families
rose out of poverty via living wage jobs at
LAX.
“They’re not middle-class jobs, but
they put food on the table, let the parents
buy their kids school supplies, the families
can pay the rent and they have an old car,”
Janis said at the center’s Washington, D.C.,
symposium on living wage ordinances.
Janis’ evidence was backed by a new
report by University of North Carolina
city planning professor William Lester.
He examined 15 cities with living wage
ordinances—which have been strongly
pushed by organized labor for the last
decade or more—with a “control group”
of 16 cities, with similar socioeconomic
characteristics, where the ordinances were
either never proposed or defeated at the polls
or in city councils.
8
Insight
Distribution of Wealth:
This chart shows which economic groups hold the most wealth and income in the U.S.
(For example, the top one percent of the population holds almost 34 percent of the
nation's wealth.)
Graph Source: Source: Arthur B. Kennickell, “Ponds and Streams: Wealth and Income
in the U.S., 1989 to 2007,” Federal Reserve Board Working Paper, January 7, 2009,
Figure A3a, p. 63
News & Features
According to the Economic
Policy Institute, in 1965,
U.S. CEOs in major
companies earned 24 times
more than a typical worker.
By 2007, they made 275
times more. U.S. CEOs
also make far more than
CEOs in other advanced
countries.
His object was to see if there was any
negative economic impact of the living
wage ordinances, in terms of driving
businesses out of the “living wage” cities
or deterring them from entering, as living
wage foes—usually led by local Chambers
of Commerce —claim.
Lester found virtually none. Instead,
his study showed two positive effects from
living wage ordinances, one for workers and
one for businesses. The workers’ wages rose,
and businesses saw their job turnover decline
by 20 percent.
“You get higher-quality labor,” Lester
added. “I predict the living wage movement
will spread, especially as the evidence grows
that it’s not a job-killer,” he declared.
The Chamber of Commerce
representative on the panel, labor law
director Marcus Freedman, admitted that
in some cases, living wage ordinances could
help workers, but defended the business
group’s contention that they also cost jobs.
“Making employees more expensive
is not a strategy for spurring economic
activity,” said Freedman.
But he also said the U.S. Chamber leaves
local living wage support or opposition
decisions to local affiliates. He admitted
that some businesses—in the construction
industry—have been living with a “living
wage” law for almost 80 years. It’s called the
Davis-Bacon Act. But “the market should
set wage rates,” Freedman maintained. 
Left to right: Aaron Erickson, Steward; Troy Lee, President; Juan Loyola, Steward;
Curt Bright, REC Delegate; Dawn Anderson, Treasurer; Hans Hunger, Steward; Sarah
Motsenbocker, Secretary; Randy Spinharney, REC Delegate and Mark Holden, VicePresident.
Pierce County Members Get Active
M
embers working at Pierce
County have been getting
active in preparation for
negotiating their preparation their
successor agreement.
Their contract expires at the end of
the year, but members are already on
the offensive for challenging bargaining
sessions.
“With the recently elected chapter
officers and appointed stewards—our
leadership team—we are strategically
planning the year,” said Local 17 Union
Representative Roberta Burnett.
The leadership team has already
scheduled chapter meetings throughout
the year and have implemented a new
Communications Action Network
(CAN), which sends an email to
members every time their website has
been updated with news.
They are also planning regular
Labor Management meetings (LMC)
to address as many issues as possible
before entering negotiations. Local
17 training sessions will also be held
including, Negotiations 101 and
Steward Training 101.
“The trainings will help us be as
prepared as possible in this round
of negotiations, which we expect
to be very difficult,” Burnett said.
“The team will also form a subcommittee on training to make sure
members get the tools they need and
give them a chance to put their best
foot forward in a quickly changing
environment.”
The leadership team is also
meeting every month.
This year, Pierce County Chapter
President Troy Lee is planning a
social community project and Lee
is currently looking for volunteers
to help with the event. 
“ The trainings will help us be as prepared as
possible in this round of negotiations, which we
expect to be very difficult. ”
Insight
9
News & Features
Thurston Co. WSDOT
Members get Active
T
he Thurston County WSDOT Chapter met in early
December to celebrate the holidays, do the business
of the union, elect chapter officers and honor
longtime union representative Vince Oliveri.
The meeting, held at Izzy's in Olympia, was well-attended by
more than 30 members. Chapter President Jeff Graham opened
the meeting and elections.
Chapter Secretary-Treasurer Christie Vintilo noted that
the December meetings have traditionally been the biggest of
the year in Thurston County, but this year's attendance was
unprecedented in recent history. She checked the minutes back
through 2001, and found that the December attendance ranged
from seven to 16 members. This year, they had 33, plus guests
and Local 17 staff.
“Our members are concerned about what's happening
around us and there was a lot of serious discussion. Even so, we
had a good time, and it was exciting to have such a tremendous
turnout.”
The chapter elected Jeff Graham as President, Eric Quinn as
Vice President and Christie Vintilo as Secretary-Treasurer. They
elected Paul Lovgren and Daniel Jones as REC delegates, Jeff
Graham as REC alternate, and Lloyd Briscoe, Daniel Jones, and
Dale Gietz as WSDOT engineering
policy committee members. (They
are pictured above right).
Some discussion about the
duties of officers, including what
it means to be an REC delegate,
ensued. Geitz emphasized: “Being
on the REC really gives you a more
global view of the union and you
realize there are other people who
Jeff Graham
are having the same struggles. You get to
meet a lot of different people who do similar
work.”
Additionally, the chapter honored Local
17 Union Representative Vince Oliveri with
an award for his 18 years of representing
WSDOT. Oliveri is working as the Local
17 Legislative Director for state issues and
heading up contract negotiations. Local 17
Union Representative Kristen Kussmann is
covering his prior duties.
Kussmann and Oliveri also updated the Kristen Kussmann
group about the status of negotiations. A
long discussion and brainstorming session
was held.
“Local 17 members truly care about contract negotiations
and the state budget. I heard so many thoughtful and insightful
comments, recognizing the difficult situation we face. This input
was invaluable to the negotiating team which is charged with
advocating for our state members’ interests at the bargaining table,”
Kussmann said. 
" Being on the REC really gives you a
more global view of the union and you
realize there are other people who are
having the same struggles. You get to
meet a lot of different people who do
similar work. "
10
Insight
Christie Vintilo and Vince Oliveri
News & Features
Tentative Agreement
Reached on State
Employee Contract
WSDOT Members
get Weingarten Training
I
n early January, Local 17 and the State
of Washington reached tentative
agreement on the 2011 - 2013 Local
17 state employee contract.
The agreement came right at the deadline
imposed by the governor in order to be
considered during the legislative session.
Local 17 negotiators worked up to the
deadline in order to get the best possible
agreement for members during some of the
most difficult economic times in decades.
Ballots have been mailed out for voting.
The TA includes cuts in salaries and
benefits that all state employees are being
asked to make sacrifices in order to balance
the state’s $4.6 billion deficit. As described
previously, the greatest negative impact
comes in the form of a 3 percent acrossthe-board salary cut and an increase in the
employee share of the health care premium
to 15 percent from 12 percent. When the
terms are applied throughout all of general
government, the savings to the state are
estimated to be over $350 million—more
than $10 million coming from Local 17
members.
In return, full-time employees will be
granted an additional 5.2 hours of paid leave
per month under a special leave program
which may be banked and used similar to
annual leave; current step increases and
special pay provisions will be retained and the
state has agreed to curtail the use of furlough
days over the term of the contract. It also
provides provisions to diminish the 3 percent
pay cut and the special leave program if state
revenues increase by 3 percent by November
2012. In either event, the State agreed to
end the salary reduction and the special
leave program at the end of this contract.
Members are reminded that the financial
terms of the agreement are still subject to
passage by the state legislature. Local 17 will
be working to keep critics of this agreement
from imposing additional cuts. Members can
access the Local 17 website, www.ifpte17.
org, for additional contract details and for
coverage of the legislative session. 
W
SDOT member leaders
The Weingarten Rights:
recently participated in
a training on Weingarten
Employees have a right to
rights, held at the WSDOT Eastmont
request union representation
construction field offices in Everett.
Local 17 Union Representative and
during investigatory
Training Director Carrie Blackwood
meetings. Once an
facilitated the training which focused
on educating members about what
employee has requested
Weingarten rights are, when they
representation, the interview
can and should be exercised, and
the role of a steward. Local 17 Union
must be discontinued until a
Representative Kristen Kussmann
also participated.
union representative can be
“This class helped empower
present.
members by explaining what their
Weingarten rights are and how to
use them.
Often,
members are focused on Local 17's efforts on behalf
of pay and compensation issues—this kind of training
highlights some of the other services and benefits
of union membership,” said Bruce Brodeur, Everett
Chapter Vice-President and Local 17 steward.
Go to www.ifpte17.org/PDFs/weingarten.pdf to
learn more about Weingarten Rights. 
Insight
11
News & Features
Seattle King Co. Public Health Takes Round of Job Cuts
S
eattle and King County Public
Health members are facing severe
cuts in their services and jobs.
In mid-Ja nua r y, the depa rtment
announced layoffs in public health that
reflect the State's proposed cuts to Maternity
Support Services (MSS) of 50 percent.
Local 17 recently suffered the loss of 54
positions; mostly Public Health Center based
MSS support staff such as Administrative
Specialists, Interpreters and Social Workers.
Nurses and Dental Assistants were also cut in
the decrease to MSS and the elimination of
Adult Dental Services in King County.
Concerns remain that the 2011 State
Legislature will follow the recommendations
of the Governor’s cuts to the Medicaid
Match, or Federally Qualified Health
Centers (FQHC).
Local 17 Union Representative Janet
Parks, along with County Public Health
officials, assert that cuts to services will
put vulnerable populations at risk and
compromise the health departments and
districts’ ability to deliver what little
preventive services are left, and could
hamper capacity, especially in an emergency.
The FQHC cuts could result in the closure
of many centers and a marked decline in the
infrastructure of the health department.
While many health districts around
the state have weathered this decline, most
are facing cuts to areas of local concern
such as home-based mother and newborn
visits, tobacco cessation programs and
some sexually transmitted disease (STD)
prevention programs.
“Continuing these cuts puts all of
public health into reaction mode more than
prevention mode. The county and district
health departments will only be able to
survey and monitor ongoing health trends
of the population, but will have little ability
to impact those trends in a positive way,”
said Parks. “Public Health departments
will be reduced to reacting to epidemics
and emergencies only. It seems so counterintuitive and many are scratching their heads
wondering how we are ever going to turn
away those in need.”
Parks said the irony of the cuts to public
health are great. Some members are fearful
that when they get laid off, they won't even
have access to Basic Health services that
“ We will be reduced to
reacting to epidemics and
emergencies only ...many
are scratching their heads
wondering how are we ever
going to turn away those in
need. ”
many of them currently provide to the
working poor and vulnerable populations.
Local 17 continues to lobby aggressively
in Olympia with many community partners
including the Washington State Public
Health Association, OPEIU, SEIU 1199NW,
Washington State Nurses Association and
Washington Community Action Network.
Local 17 participated in and co-sponsored
an education day in Olympia. That day,
members, staff and activists teamed up
to meet with legislators and continued to
educate them about what public health
is, what it does, and what these cuts will
mean to the programs and to the individual
families they serve. Read more below. 
Local 17 Talks to Legislators at Public Health Day
L
ocal 17 public health members got an opportunity to
meet face-to-face with state lawmakers and discuss the
importance of public health funding.
The opportunity was part of the Public Health Education Day held
in conjunction with the Washington State Public Health Association
held on January 19. It was an event organized by the Public Health
Roundtable, a coalition which is working for a sustainable funding
source for public health. Local 17 was a co-sponsor of the event.
Local 17 members from King County and the Snohomish Health
District attended the event, which included a morning session to
inform public health employees about the significant public health cuts
throughout Washington State as a result of the 2011 Supplemental
Budget proposal. In the afternoon, members talked to lawmakers
personally about what they do in their jobs and why a sustainable
funding source is crucial.
“I have never been here before. Maybe it will make a difference,”
said Snohomish Health District Member Konstantin Setiaev. “When
people are involved in politics, it’s not just about statistics and
numbers, they (lawmakers) can put the information with the faces.”
Insight12
Representative Jinkins
➲➲ More on page 13
News & Features
The Vicious Circle of Cutting Taxes:
No Revenue + No Services = Higher Costs Later
By Roberta Burnett,
Local 17 Union
Representative
I
t's no secret
that over the
last 12 years,
Erosion of public
health funding
has caused some serious questions about society's priorities.
When voters passed Initiative 695—the $30 license tab measure—it cut the Motor Vehicle
Excise Tax (MVET), one of the main sources of funding for public health. Since then,
public health funding has deteriorated and services and citizens have suffered. This legislative
session, legislators are trying to balance a budget deficit of nearly $5 billion.
Among other human services, public health programs are at risk. Deep cuts to funding
threaten the health and well-being of Washington State residents, as the public health system
that serves all Washington residents continues to be eroded.
While I don’t pretend to be an expert, there seems to be some basic logic missing. The
old adage “penny wise pound foolish” applies here. Prevention programs have been on the
chopping block repeatedly. Is there a connection? Of course.
We cut mental health programs and then folks “self medicate.” When cuts are made to
alcohol and drug outreach programs, people end up in jail. Then the jail systems become
overcrowded and overloaded. I realize that is just a small part of the issue, but are we moving
too far away from holding each other up?
We know that public health's preventive programs save lives and money. For example,
every state dollar invested in tobacco prevention and control saves $5 in health care costs.
Additionally, unintended pregnancies resulting from cuts to family planning programs will
cost the state an average of $8,675 per birth.
This was all for the sake $30 license tabs . . . now who’s picking up the tab? 
Chelan Douglas
Health Members
Continue
Negotiations
C
helan Douglas Health District
negotiations continue to be
an uphill battle during a time
of state budget issues, contract
cuts, funding reductions and new
mandates.
Local 17 Union Representative
Roberta Burnett said the offer on the
table is the best the health district can
do, but it is a burden to all.
“The health district has continued to
make difficult choices about providing
fewer and fewer services,” Burnett said.
The bargaining team, Margie Button,
Suzen Hyde, Christina Benavides,
Stephanie Snitily and Burnett, has
been bargaining for months to create a
successor agreement. 
Representative Jim Moeller and Representative Laurie Jinkins, who are champions
of the public health cause, addressed the attendees with sentiments about how difficult
the budget will be this year. They expressed how important it was to meet with their
legislative colleagues to discuss maintaining funding for public health.
After the morning session, participants went to the capitol to meet with their individual
district legislators.
“I hope this is not the last we hear from you,”
said Jinkins, encouraging members to keep in
touch throughout the session.
Jinkins said that most legislators already
understand the importance of public health. It’s
just that the budget crisis is so dire that they
know cuts have to be made. It’s difficult for
everyone.
“Legislators shared the realities of the
budget, but they were engaged and listened to
their constituents,” said Adrienne Thompson,
Local 17 Union Representative and Legislative
Co-Director.
➲➲ More on page 15
Insight
13
Legislature
Governor’s Budget:
Legislature and
Governor Make
Tough Choices
G
overnor Chris Gregoire
unveiled her budget on Dec.
15, noting that her choices
were severely limited by yet another
negative revenue forecast and the
recent election results eliminating
some taxes and requiring a super
majority vote by the legislature in
order to create new taxes.
As Washington State struggles to
shed the effects of the national recession,
state lawmakers are left with lagging
revenues, a limited ability to raise new
revenue and the requirement to maintain
balanced budgets. This combination
ma ke s it impossible to ma int a in
customary program levels for the citizens.
Budget Basics
The state budget is largely dependent
on revenue from sales tax and is also
funded by business and occupation taxes
and others. The General Fund budget
expenditures are based on projected
revenues from these sources. When these
Where are the Cuts to Government
Being Made in the Budget?
D
eep cuts are being made across all areas of state government. Many
Local 17 members' jobs will be affected. Here are highlights of the most
significant cuts and how those cuts will create savings in the budget:
• Elimination of the Basic Health Plan, which now offers subsidized health
insurance to 66,000 low-income individuals. This saves $230 million in state
funds and $117 million in federal funds.
• Elimination of the Disability Lifeline grant for the temporarily unemployable,
which serves 28,000 individuals each month, and the Disability Lifeline
Medical Program, which serves 21,000 clients each year who have a
temporary disability and are unable to work. This saves $327 million.
• Suspension of the Student Achievement Program under Initiative 728,
which provides smaller class sizes, extended learning time for students and
professional development for teachers. This saves $860 million.
• Suspension of employee salary increases under Initiative 732 for K-12 and
higher education teachers and other employees. This saves $280 million.
• Elimination of K-4 class-size reduction funds provided to school districts that
exceed the state’s basic education allocation. This saves $216 million.
• Reduction of three percent in compensation for state employees. This saves
$176 million in state funds and $269 million in all funds.
• Elimination of state general fund dollars for State Parks. This saves $47
million.
• Closing McNeil Island Corrections Center by April 2011. This saves $17.6
million. ( Source: www.governor.wa.gov) 
revenues are projected to decline, the state
must take steps to reduce spending on
programs developed by the legislature.
Washington’s current budget totals
approximately $35 billion for the biennium.
Of this amount, 60 percent is off-limits
and cannot be cut due to constitutional,
legal and contractual obligations, as well
as federal requirements. These programs
include basic education, mandatory medical
assistance, debt service and pensions.
Once funds are dedicated to the major
portion of the budget as described above,
only about $14 billion remains for additional
programs and possible enhancements to
mandated minimum programs. These
programs include corrections, education,
non-mandatory social services and health
care. It is within these programs only that
the state has discretion to cut or eliminate
services. The 2011-2013 biennial budget
will require additional cuts in these areas
in order to alleviate the current $4.6
14
Insight
billion projected shortfall. In short, the
state will eliminate nearly one-third of the
discretionary portion of the budget.
Over the past three years, the state has
dealt with deficits totaling $12 billion. The
deficits were eliminated by reductions in
programs, federal assistance to individual
states and the use of state reserves. Cuts also
included a reduction of nearly 8,200 FTEs
in state government. In this biennium, state
reserves are slim and there will probably
not be any federal assistance available.
The Budget Process
By law, the governor begins budget
discussions by presenting her biennial
budget proposa l to the legislature.
Legislators begin their part of the process
during the legislative session in debate over
the governor’s proposal and their own ideas
for developing a balanced budget. The
budget must eventually be agreed upon
by the majority of legislators and signed
by the governor before the legislature can
adjourn. 
Legislature
➲➲Public Health Day
continued from page 13
Representative Hurst, who has been in law enforcement
for 28 years said he knows how important public health is
to keeping people out of the criminal justice system. He
said he has been an advocate for community mental health
programs and understands that keeping people emotionally
healthy keeps people out of the criminal justice system.
Hurst met with constituents Donna Alosio and Donna
Maier. Alosio told Hurst about her experiences as a medical
interpreter at King County Public Health. She talked about
some of the failures of public health because of lack of
funding.
Hurst agreed and shared a few stories about working in
law enforcement as an investigator.
Donna Alosio, Donna Maier and Adrienne Thompson
“I actually understand how important this is. The
downside is we are going to lose some of these programs in
this budget. The question is what we do and how we do it.
“Both Local 17 members and legislators understand the
Do you have any ideas?” Hurst said.
difficulty
of this budget. The cuts being made are devastating and
“I think legislators truly understood our message. They
heartbreaking,
but Local 17 remains hopeful that activities like this
seemed to understand that preventative care saves money
do
make
a
difference
in the outcome," Parks added.
in the future—for example, mitigating cuts to Federally
As the legislature continues through the 2011 Supplemental
Qualified Health Centers across the state and keeping
Budget
and the 2011-2013 Biennium Budget process, Local 17 will
Maternity Support Services (MSS) intact,” said Taryn
continue
to advocate for public health. However, members will also
Gerhardt, Local 17 Communications Director.
be
asked
to help through action alerts or other opportunities.
Local 17 Union Representative Janet Parks added that
will be important
for public
healthtomembers
to pay attention
Help Support“ItMore
Success!
Donate
the PAC!
members were appreciative of the opportunity to speak
Now you can donate
through
payroll
deduction
or by using your
credit
card. Simply
fill out one
to
the
bills
that
may
be
introduced
and
be
ready
to
respond
at of the
directly with legislators and were able to see how theforms below and send it to Local 17ʼs Political Action Fund. Using Form 1, you can
set up a monthly

strategic
times
during
this
session,”
Thompson
concluded.
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budget process worked.
contribute to the PAC fund. The PAC contributes to political candidates who support working family and
Local 17 issues.
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ow you can donate through payroll
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By using Form 1, you can set up a monthly contribution
or make a one-time donation with your credit card or check.
By using Form 2, you authorize a monthly deduction from
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family and Local 17 issues. Send the form with a check,
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Insight
15
Periodicals
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P A I D
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Professional and
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Executive Board
Point of View
Allan Yamaguchi,
Local 17 President
W
elcome to the new Local 17, the Professional and Technical Employees (PTE), Local 17. With the morning sun rising, the
realization of a new day starts to sink in. It’s a new and exciting world with lots of change on the horizon.
PTE Local 17 is embarking on a journey that will be new to the organization. For starters, you’ll notice a new logo reflecting
our new name that is representative of the broad occupational demographic within Local 17.
I am also proud to announce the addition of a new feature to the Insight, a column written by a member of your Executive
Board. We hope you will find this will informative and that it gives you, the membership, a better understanding of your Board
Members and the responsibilities of the various Executive Board positions.
As we move forward day by day, taking on challenges facing Local 17 members, success achieved by all will secure PTE
Local 17 well into the future. By working together, we can continue to make good things happen at Local 17. I look forward to
working with you and for you as we move ahead.
On behalf of the Executive Board, thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you, especially at this exciting time.
With Gratitude,
Allan Yamaguchi