Buckley’s tree lighting last weekend had a surprise attraction — a picket line.
Several members of the Operating Engineers Local 302 members union, which represents employees from various city operations like administration, Parks and Recreation, and utility services lined up on Main Street across the Christmas tree with signs and fliers to pass out to the hundreds of tree-lighting attendees on Nov. 30.
However, the union was mum on what they were picketing for and representatives declined to comment. Additionally, the handout only asked supporters to attend a Dec. 10 city council meeting to “urge your Buckley City Council members to provide us a fair contract now!”
Two sources said there were even plans for a union member to officially speak at the tree lighting, but union representative Tony Frascone said that was canceled and that the union aimed for their picket to be “totally supportive” of the event.
According to City Administrator Courtney Brunell, the picket came out of the blue.
“Last we had was a handshake agreement over the table, so we’re very surprised,” she said during a Nov. 27 interview. She confirmed as of Monday, Dec. 2, that the city has still received no additional information as to why the picket was held.
The tentative agreement was made on Oct. 28, but a membership vote on Nov. 26 turned down the contract; sources say it was a split vote.
The proposed 4-year agreement included a 5% COLA (cost of living) wage increase to union members’ salaries in 2024, decreasing 1% each year to 2027, when an additional 3% (6% total) would be given to senior staff.
In 2028, all staff would receive between a final 3% to 5% COLA wage increase, depending on the CPPI (Consumer Price Index) of the Seattle-Tacoma area.
Several employees — including the wastewater treatment plant supervisor, the police records clerk, the support services officer, and custodians — would receive an immediate 5% wage increase starting Jan. 1, 2025 because a market analysis found they were being underpaid.
In comparing this proposed contract to the 2021-2023 contract (it was extended a year), there are two areas where union employees may see a loss: the medical insurance opt-out rate and administration certification pay.
For the former, union workers that could opt-out of the city’s medical insurance plan received an opt-out benefit of 50% of what the city would pay for their insurance, which was included in their paycheck. Brunell said this amount, depending on whether it was a spouse/dependent opt-out or a full family opt-out, ranged between $400 and $900 dollars.
The new contract set a flat rate of $400 for spouse/dependent opt-out and $700 for a full-family opt-out.
Brunell said this is less than what was previously being offered, but a study of eight different Pierce County cities showed that this is one of the highest medical insurance opt-out rates in the county.
As for certification pay, the previous contract allowed for administration employees to receive a 1% increase in pay for every certification they receive, up to a maximum of five certifications.
However, Brunell said that there were very few administrative certifications available for administration staff, so the proposed contract allowed for only one certification for a 1% increase in pay.
In order to compensate employees for that actual or potential loss (only two administrative staff had more than one certification), the city offered a $2,200 buy-out.
