King County Council Proposal Would Expand Union Power and Increase County Costs
King County faces serious budget pressures, and county residents already pay the highest taxes in the state. So people are wondering why King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn chose this moment to introduce a proposal (K.C.C. 3.16.050) that could increase county costs by expanding mandatory binding arbitration to more public-sector unions. Binding arbitration drives up costs because any dispute between the King County Council and the union is settled by an unelected third party, one that is not responsible to the public for the money needed to fund a labor agreement.
At a time of ongoing budget problems, councilmembers who write and approve the budget should have as much control over spending as possible so they can set clear priorities in funding vital public services.
All compensation-related decisions should remain part of the normal budgeting process, to allow elected officials to fairly weigh the money requests of unions against other priority programs. Dunn’s proposal would move the budgeting process in the opposite direction.
Binding arbitration goes against responsible budgeting because it ties the hands of councilmembers before the budget is even written. As a result taxpayers could be forced to shoulder higher taxes to fund the demands of an arbitrator who is not accountable to the public.
To add to the confusion, just what problem is the Dunn proposal trying to solve? Are the public unions seeking the binding arbitration benefit threatening to strike? Is there a shortage of qualified people to fill important public service positions? Has the county council treated its employees badly or is it threatening illegal lockouts? Are working conditions so unsafe that an outside arbitrator has to be brought in?
The answer to all these questions seems to be “no.” This county council proposal to give power to more unions by expanding binding arbitration is not good public policy, especially in a time of tight budgets.
Comments
KC to be as effective as the Postal Service? R U Nuts?
This is one of the main problems the US Postal Service has, they cannot effectively terminate bad employees because of the contracts negotiated through binding arbitration. The unelected third party has no concern in the outcome and often ends up being a pawn of the unions giving away the farm blessing bad employees jobs for life. If there is one really bad idea this is it. Reagan Dunn what are you thinking? Now I understand why my father voted against you even though the I thought other guy was worse.
Ignorance
You evidiently have poor sources or are ignorant of the rules regarding bargaining and the right to strike. Law Enforcement members and most public sector employees, unlike private employees such as Boeing and most teachers unions, do not have the right to strike. The only process to obtaining a contract for employment is by having someone, in this case a third party, help resolve the issues.
Without the right to strike, binding interest arbitration is a much needed solution.
Wa Public Policy Center Hits A New Low Attacking Reagan Dunn
Mr. Guppy,
You may not make the connection to my name, but I am the Legal Advisor for the King County Court Protection Guild, King County Corrections Guild, King County Security Guild and King County Juvenile Detention Guild. I am also the author of I-18, the King County Initiative the reduced the King County Council from 13 to 9. Surely you remember that measure, the one that the late-Republican Norm Maleng sued me over which I won a 9-0 Supreme Court Decision that opened the King County Charter to Citizen Initiative. I also wrote I-23 which converted the King County Records/Election Manager into an elected office. I have been representing King County Law Enforcement Officers since 1984. I am a former King County law enforcement officer. I take GREAT exception to your attack on Reagan Dunn, a King County Council Member who exemplifies the epitome of well-reasoned legislation. Likely, you have been unduely influenced by a certain Council Member who is ignorant of both the issue and rationale behind this legislation.
First off, Mr. Dunn's measure, which is supported by at least 5-Councilmembers, merely mandates their employees, King County Executive Constantine and Sheriff Urquhart to go to the bargaining table and negotiate with the Court Protection Guild, a group of 34 law enforcement officers who are the ONLY armed, uniformed, commissioned law enforcement officers in King County who do not have binding arbitration provision ON A TEST BASIS. Whoever has provided you the information for your commentary is likewise ignorant as to the rationale of the legislation behind Interest Arbitration. That person forgets that in the State of Washington, while public employees do not have the RIGHT to strike, there is no law AGAINST striking. That is, with the exception to those that the State has given Interest Arbitration status to. You see, under State Law, law enforcement, firefighters, transit operators and corrections officers are statutorily prohibited in striking in exchange for the right to take a contract negotiation impasse to a fair, neutral arbitrator who has strick statutory guidelines in what he/she must use to justify an Award.
Your barbs at Councilmember Dunn are unjustified, threatening and to be honest, insulting. Reagan Dunn thoroughly investigated this issue, far more than apparently you did and your source(s). Reagan Dunn understands that labor equalization and fairness with the people that are charged everyday with keeping you safe and free from terror, hostility and even death, inside a King County Courthouse, Harborview Mental Health Court, the Washington State Court of Appeals-Division One, the VA and any other Governmental Building that elects to contract with the King County Sheriff is far more important to the citizens of King County than the risks associated with labor unrest. You see, when people are treated fairly at the bargaining table, YOU DON'T GO TO INTEREST ARBITRATION. I have done countless arbitrations, I bet you haven't done one. I'd be curious how your audience felt when their garbage wasn't being picked up because of the Teamster's Strike or how SeaHawk's Fans felt when their team was on strike. THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN WHEN A GROUP IS GRANTED INTEREST ARBITRATION. Rather than condemn Reagan Dunn, I'd welcome the opportunity to speak with you directly so that you understand the point of view of those that risk their lives EVERY DAY for you and everyone of your readers that wasted Councilmember Dunn and his staff's day having field phone calls from people that you and your sources stirred up with poor research journalism/commentary. My cell phone is 206.396.9742. This is the same opportunity I gave Councilmember Lambert and all of the King County Council. I have no problem agreeing to disagree in any issue, but I resent, as a conservative who has supported many Republican issues and candidates, an attack on a friend of the law enforcement community that has stuck his neck out to insure equality for the men/women that wear a badge and stand in harms way every day. What I find irronic is the fact that Ms. Lambert, who has publicly condemned this measure, works in an office that is rendered free from violence and possible death, by the very people she is working so hard against. Ms. Lambert had no problem accepting my Guild's, all of my Guild's agreement to take a ZERO PAY RAISE in 2010 to help balance the King County Budget, but apparently your research failed to unveal that fact. Again, I welcome the opportunity to discuss this further, but my guess is that I likely wont even see this comment posted.