Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Labor Committee

HB 2078

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Summary of Bill

Provides that ferry employees and the state may negotiate four-year contracts for nonwage-related issues.

Background:

Representatives of ferry workers in the Marine Transportation Division of the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), who are members of a collective bargaining unit represented by a ferry employee organization, bargain with a representative of the Governor over wages, hours, working conditions, insurance, grievance procedures, and other matters mutually agreed upon. Negotiations begin about February 1 of every even-numbered year, and must be finally resolved by October 1 of each even-numbered year. The collective bargaining law states that it is the intent that agreements commence on July 1st of each odd-numbered year and terminate on June 30th of the next odd-numbered year to coincide with the biennial budget year, to the extent practical. After an agreement expires the terms and conditions remain in effective until the effective date of a subsequently negotiated agreement, but not to exceed one year.

Summary of Bill:

Any ferry employee organization and the representative of the Governor may negotiate four-year contracts for nonwage-related issues. Wage-related issues are subject to two-year negotiations. "Wage-related" means all items that affect or relate to, directly or indirectly, employee compensation, including for example wages, benefits, benefits accruals, holidays, vacation accruals, sick leave, and penalty pay.