PrintFeb. 24--Members of the city of Duluth's largest union voted Tuesday to reject a contract offer and authorize a strike.
Ninety-three percent of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 66 members participated in the vote, with an "overwhelming majority" refusing the city's final offer, said Jim Dreier, chairman of the union's negotiating team. He declined to provide any greater detail on the vote tally.
AFSCME represents 461 city workers, including 418 who are full voting members, paying prescribed dues.
The proposed one-year contract would provide no raises for workers in 2010, but compensation wasn't the sticking point, Dreier said.
Rather, AFSCME cited other concerns including a provision that could authorize the city to force four days of unpaid furlough on union members, potentially weaken seniority protections in the existing contract and make it easier to replace established employees with temporary workers. The union also continues to push for a multiyear contract containing language that would guarantee members receive future raises commensurate with other city bargaining units.
The proposed contract is consistent with one-year agreements already signed by unions representing Duluth police, confidential units and supervisors, said David Montgomery, chief administrative officer for the city.
"This is the predominant type of agreement we're seeing across the state," he said. "A multi-year agreement like AFSCME is requesting is out of the mainstream in the state right now."
Given current economic uncertainties, Montgomery contends that efforts to piece together longer-term agreements are problematic.
But Nick Economos, chairman of the AFSCME bargaining unit, pointed out that a one-year contract would push the city and union back to the negotiation table in just seven months. He suggested precious tax dollars could be saved through entering a multiyear deal.
Dave Weisen, a member of AFSCME Local 66's negotiation team, pointed out that members of his unit would be the only city employees faced with the prospect of mandatory unpaid furloughs in 2010 under the proposed contract.
While that is the case, Montgomery said the city has proposed simply to extend the terms and language of the 2009 contract for an additional year.
"The AFSCME vote is hard to understand given the city's proposal is consistent with the contract language that is in effect today," he said in a prepared statement.
Tuesday's vote clears the way for AFSCME Local 66 to notify the Bureau of Mediation Services of its intent to strike within 10 days, and Dreier said the union probably will make that call today, potentially setting the stage for a work stoppage as soon as March 7.
While Montgomery said he still hopes a strike can be averted, he said the city has been developing contingency plans so that essential services can be delivered even if talks break down.
"We're eager to sit down and talk with city administration," Economos said. "But it's up to the mayor whether that happens."
Montgomery expects a mediator assigned to negotiations between the city and AFSCME to play an active role in finding a way forward. But he said it was too early to tell exactly what the next step will be.
"We're not ready to make any decisions until we hear from the union and hear from the mediator," he said.
While Montgomery said the city values its employees, he noted that Duluth faces serious financial challenges.
"The city was unallotted $3.5 million in local government aid [LGA] for 2010 and faces an additional $4 million reduction in LGA this year. This financial pressure and uncertainty has forced the city to make very difficult decisions and was a reason for asking our unions for one year agreements with zero percent increases."
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