Anchorage assembly members responded to a report that says some city labor contracts are invalid.

Last week, an attorney hired by the assembly released the report saying contracts approved under the last administration for Police and IBEW members are not legal.

The finding from the report was only a legal opinion and does not change anything to existing contracts. That report is now in the hands of MUNI's Department of Law but it definitely took center stage at the assembly meeting.

Assembly members passed a resolution asking the administration's Department of Law to review, analyze and present the assembly with a written report by November 15th with its findings on the report that deemed Police and IBEW 5 year contracts invalid.

It also encourages the administration and the bargaining units go back to the table regarding the labor agreements.

During the assembly's debate, the city attorney disagreed with one of the points raised in the report which said the city's chief financial officer failed to certify the city had the money to pay for the contracts.

"It is the conclusion, in my office that a fund certification does not require for a collective bargaining approval process" said Dennis Wheeler, with a Muni Department of Law. Assembly members say with one of the items already addressed by the Department of Law that is a good indication what the final report will look like in a couple months from now. "He has already

Advertisement
told us tonight he does not agree with one of the principle conclusions of Mr. Levesque which is that a fund certification was required to approving an assembly contract," said Assembly Member Matt Claman.

But according to assembly Assembly Chair Debbie Ossiander there are still other items in the report that need to be addressed and investigated.

"There were a bunch of points in the letter, one of them was about federal law, one of them was about unclear drafts given to us so he is going to look at that but he has already kinda decided one part, the main part," said Assembly Chair, Debbie Ossiander.

The assembly also unanimously passed an ordinance that makes sure the assembly is alerted to any changes in labor contracts.

Another ordinance on the table that would have made it a crime to implement a labor contract without assembly approval did not pass.

To contact the Newsroom, call 907-274-1111.