May 9, 2017 statement to KING 5 from Franklin Plaistowe, assistant director, State Human Resources
Division at OFM.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your questions about the collective bargaining agreements
covering relief employees at Washington State Ferries.
In negotiating on behalf of the state, the Office of Financial Management’s labor relations team strives
to reach agreements that enable state agencies and employees to provide the best possible service to
the citizens of Washington. At the same time, we recognize the importance of reaching agreements that
use taxpayer dollars wisely.
While many of the terms of current and past contracts with WSF bargaining units are the result of
negotiated agreements, others are the result of decisions made by independent arbitrators.
Background:
In 2011, through collective bargaining, WSF relief employees began receiving assignment pay for all
relief hours worked. The assignment pay — 17.5 percent of the base pay — was instituted in recognition
that relief employees are assigned throughout the system as needed and are therefore required to
maintain expertise on multiple classes of vessels and routes. The assignment pay replaced the prior
travel pay practices, which were widely believed to be subject to manipulation and abuse.
In 2012, an independent arbitrator increased assignment pay for the Mates bargaining unit to 20
percent. Also that year, another arbitrator awarded assignment pay for all compensable hours (paid
leave, not just hours worked) for the Masters bargaining unit.
During collective bargaining for the 2015–17 biennium, relief employee assignment pay was increased
to 20 percent for the Masters and IBU bargaining units, and the assignment pay was applied to all
compensable hours for the Mates bargaining unit. In exchange, the unions agreed to a number of work
rule changes that increased efficiency in the WSF staff dispatching process.
In the most recent round of bargaining (2017–19), the state agreed to include the provisions in
agreements for relief employees in the rest of the fleet bargaining units. Under the agreement, the 20
percent will be incorporated in base wages and no longer be designated as assignment pay.
For example, the agreement for the IBU unit (which already receives assignment pay at the 20 percent
rate) extends the 20 percent provision to all hours by incorporating it in the base wage. In exchange, the
union agreed to work rule changes that will mitigate missed sailings through more efficient dispatching
of relief deck employees, and improved the vacation scheduling process to allow WSF to more efficiently
plan for staffing vessels. In addition, the parties avoided an arbitration process that potentially would
have been more costly to the state — and to taxpayers.
Since 2010, WSF bargaining units have steadily received wage increases through arbitration awards. The
total increase in compensation costs is attributable to many factors, including wage increases and more
employees.