We Need You!

Have you ever wanted to be more involved in how your work environment functions?  

Want to know what Management is up to? 

Do you like to help people resolve problems?

Have any good ideas how the Union could be serving us better?

If you answered YES to any of the above questions, then you might enjoy being a Shop Steward.

At the end of December, Tanya Mercier will resign her Shop Steward position with Commerce and we need a replacement.  Bill Mandeville will continue on as Shop Steward but it is best that more than one person have this responsibility in the Department.

If you are interested, contact Tanya (951-6010) or Bill (725-3051) or Inti Tapia (786-1303) for more information.

2013/2015 Contract Ratification

To ratify the contract this year you must vote ON-LINE!

The online voting instructions for General Government members in Western Washington is in the mail today 9/19/2012.

In order to vote on-line, you will need the log-in information and password that is coming to you in the mail. DO NOT throw away any communications from the Union you receive in the next few days.

Voting must be concluded by 5:00pm on Friday 9/28/12, so vote as soon as you can. Comprehensive information on the tentative agreement is online at www.wfse.org

Here’s the schedule of General Government contract ratification information sessions where you can get information in person, ask questions and get any assistance with online voting.

9/19 WED Noon-1pm Spokane HCS Lunch-n-Learn

9/19 WED Noon-1pm Seattle OIC, 1st Floor Conf Rm

9/20 THU 8-10am Tukwila LNI Open House

9/20 THU 11:30am-1pm Maple Park Hotdog Event/Q&A

9/20 THU 11:30am-1pm OIC Bargaining Unit Meeting

9/20 THU Noon-1pm Spokane Ecology Lunch-n-Learn

9/20 THU Noon-1pm Oak Harbor DSHS, Lunch Room

9/20 THU Noon Kent DDD/CSO Office Lunch-n-Learn

9/20 THU Noon-2pm Rainier CSO/Financial Services Office

9/20 THU 4-6pm Uptown Espresso near the OICW office on Delridge

9/20 THU 6-8pm Aberdeen Information at Local 970 Meeting

9/21 FRI 11am-1pm Olympia CSO/CA/DDD Bldg 2 Rm TBD

9/21 FRI Noon-1pm Olympia HCA, Cherry Street Plaza

9/21 FRI Noon-1pm Tumwater WSP Lunch-n-Learn

9/21 FRI Noon-1pm Renton WorkSource

9/21 FRI Noon-1pm Bellingham CA, Conf Room A

9/21 FRI 2-4am ESH Admin near switchboard, online voting assistance

9/21 FRI 11am-6pm ESH QM Conf Room, online voting assistance

9/24 MON 11am-1pm Olympia NRB/OB2/HLB Rm TBD

9/24 MON 11am-1pm Olympia DSHS Cap View One, First Floor Quince Rm (Cap View Two folks,
check-in at reception)

9/24 MON 11am-1pm Ecology Lacey Building, Rm TBD

9/24 MON 11:45am-1pm Bellingham CSD, Oak Room

9/14 MON Noon-1pm Olympia DOH Lunch-n-Learn

9/25 TUE 8am-4pm Olympia Field Office - online voting assistance. Stop by or call 786-1303.

9/25 TUE 4pm-8pm Olympia Field Office - Open House. Bargaining Team members available to answer questions. Online voting assistance.

9/25 TUE Noon-1pm Spokane Southwest CSO Lunch-n-Learn

9/25 TUE Noon-1pm DES Olympia Bldgs & Grounds, Capitol Campus, brown bag

9/25 TUE Noon-1pm DOC Olympia Central, brown bag

9/25 TUE Noon-1pm Auburn WorkSource

9/25 TUE Noon-1pm Mount Vernon DOT, Maint Conf Room

9/25 TUE Noon Cherry Street DDD Field Office/CSO Lunch-n-Learn

9/25 TUE Noon-2pm Renton CSO

9/25 TUE Time TBD Port Angeles, Location TBD

9/25 6-8pm Local 843 E-Board Meeting

9/26 WED 8-10am Fircrest Coffee Shop Open House and online voting

9/26 WED 11am-4pm TESC, Evergreen members only!

9/26 WED 11:45am-1:30pm Mount Vernon DSHS, Skagit Room

9/26 WED Noon Seattle CJC Conf Rm B Lunch-n-Learn

9/26 WED Noon-1pm Redmond WorkSource

9/26 WED 3-5pm Fircrest Coffee Shop Open House and online voting

9/26 WED Time TBD, Location TBD

9/27 THU 2-4am ESH Admin near switchboard, online voting assistance

9/27 THU 11am-6pm ESH QM Conf Room, online voting assistance

9/27 THU 11:30am-1pm Seattle ESD, KCTC Lobby Conf Rm

9/27 THU Noon-1pm DOC Olympia Martin Way

9/27 THU Noon-1pm DOH Barganing Unit Meeting

9/27 THU Noon Seattle L&I with Bellevue FO Conference call Lunch-n-Learn

9/27 THU Noon-1pm Skagit ESD/DVR Mount Vernon, Room 220

9/27 THU 5pm-9pm Olympia Field Office - Open House. Bargaining Team members available to answer questions. Online voting assistance.

9/28 FRI 11am-1pm L&I Tumwater, Rm TBD

WFSE Next Wave Sponsored Blood Drive

Halloween Blood Bash (Blood Drive)

When Sat, October 20, 1pm – 4pm
Where 906 Columbia Street SW Olympia WA 98501 
Contact Allie Van Nostran 360-852-2488 or Nathan Mountain 360-529-7275

What is the 21-Day Rule and Why Should You Care?

Per the Collective Bargaining Agreement:  “ The Union and Employer agree that it is in the best interest of all parties to resolve disputes at the earliest opportunity and at the lowest level. The Union and Employer encourage problem resolution between employees and management and are committed to assisting in resolution of disputes as soon as possible.” There are both informal and formal means available to Union members to resolve disputes. Resolution can come through discussions between the employee and employer where the employee has been coached by the Shop Steward; through mediated discussions that directly involve the Shop Steward, employee and employer; and through the Grievance Procedure outlined in the CBA. Regardless of the method, timeliness is in everyone’s best interest.

The twenty-one (21) day rule applies when there is a situation that the Union Member on their own has not been able to resolve and they decide to involve the Union to help resolve the dispute.  A non-disciplinary grievance or a grievance related to an oral or written reprimand must be filed with the Union within twenty-one (21) days of the situation occurring or the date the grievant knew or could reasonably have known of the occurrence.  Disciplinary grievances, disability separation grievances or grievances related to layoff must be filed with the Union within twenty-one (21) days of the effective date of the discipline, disability separation or layoff.   Therefore it is very important that you either let your Shop Steward or Union Representative know right away when a situation is not resolved to your satisfaction or favor.

When you contact your Shop Steward or Union Representative they will need time to collect information to help them determine if the case is grievable and also in appropriate situations try to help resolve the situation before going through the more formal Grievance Procedure as outlined in the CBA. The time it takes them to do these activities is part of the twenty-one (21) day period afforded to the grievance process.  If you wait too long to involve the Shop Steward or Union Representative you may exhaust the twenty-one (21) day period allotted to begin the process.  Twenty-one (21) days is not the amount of time allowed to complete a grievance it is just the amount of time allowed to lapse between the time of the occurrence and the start of the grievance process.

As of 8/10/12 your Commerce Shop Stewards are Bill Mandeville 360-725-3051  Bill.Mandevill@commerce.wa.gov and Tanya Mercier 360-951-6010  Tanya.Mercier@commerce.wa.gov

To reach a Union Representative, contact WFSE Local 443 360-236-0443

Let's Do Lunch: Wednesday, August 8 12noon - 1pm

Commerce Union Shop will have its next monthly lunch on Wednesday, August 8, in the large conference room on the first floor of Building #5. Come meet our new WFSE Representative and discuss any issues or concerns you may have.