By TIM WOOLERY

Council 75 Corrections Coordinator

The AFSCME Security bargaining unit membership recently voted overwhelmingly to ratify the settlement reached in negotiations with the State of Oregon. A team of Corrections members and Council staff meticulously counted ballots in the Salem office, with the result being an approximately 97 percent "Yes" vote for ratification. About 52 percent of the bargaining unit members returned ballots.

All provisions of the contract went into effect on June 1, other than provisions that are otherwise date specific (i.e. wage increase effective Dec. 1, 2013). The Department of Administrative Services and Department of Corrections have estimated that they will be able to complete necessary calculations for the retroactive payment aspects in time for the July 1 paychecks. DOC Payroll has to individually review each employee's work history and recalculate overtime and other percentage of base pay to provide the proper compensation levels negotiated. Base wages increased by 1.5 retroactive to Dec. 1 through the current time, so five months plus June need to be reviewed and corrected. 

Other factors such as the increase in maximum vacation accrual, improved vacation sell-back provisions, increased bereavement leave (for uncle, aunt, niece and nephew) and other changes are now in place as well.

Here is a summary of the contract highlights:

• Wages — 1.5 percent increase retroactive to Dec. 1, 2013 and a 2 percent increase effective Dec. 1, 2014.

• Lump Sum Payment — All AFSCME Security members will receive a $200 cash payment in July 2014 (included in their Aug. 1, 2014 paycheck).

• Steps — Regular step increases both years of the contract.

• PERS — No change to the 6 percent pick-up.

• Insurance — Maintained the current 95/5 insurance premium share in 2014. In 2015, employees who choose to select the least cost plan available to them will see their premium share drop to 97/3. Additionally, information from our PEBB representative on the board shared that premiums will not increase as much as already budgeted. Therefore the 2015 wage increase will be moved forward one month for each 1.6 percent savings on premiums. We also added a new survivors insurance benefit for employees killed on duty for the state to continue to provide family 12 months of coverage.

• Salary Step Slide — Agreed to apply the same "fix" that other units accepted. Added language to ensure applicable transferring employees from AOCE or AFSCME Security Plus would be included if they had not yet received this.

• Bereavement Leave — Increased paid leave for aunt, uncle, niece and nephew from 8 hours to 24 hours per occurrence (the same as other members of immediate family).

• Rest Breaks — Improved language to better ensure breaks are provided/received.

• Staff Assault — Improved and clarified parties interpretation of Article 33 (Staff Assault) supplementary benefits to more liberally apply these benefits beyond employees directly assaulted to include employees otherwise injured in the course of these types of events on a case-by-case basis and upper level management review.

• Vacation — Increased maximum accrual to 350 hours from 320. Incorporated and improved vacation buy-back and matrix language for all locals except PRCF. Buy-back is now reduced to requiring 40 hours in the bank instead of 80, and the number of weeks that can be taken by lower seniority staff was increased (three weeks at three years instead of five).

Please do not hesitate to contact the staff rep for your institution or myself (twoolery@oregonafscme.com) if you have any contract questions.