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Mayor Targets Collective Bargaining in New OrdinancePolice and firefighters would see drastic changes to union rulesRelated Content
ANCHORAGE - Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan is targeting unions in a move that is not unlike that of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. Late Friday afternoon the mayor’s office submitted a proposed ordinance to the Anchorage Assembly that could completely overhaul collective bargaining rights and dramatically change the relationship between the municipality and its employees. (See notes to the proposed ordinance here.) The ordinance is aimed at city employees and organizations across a wide spectrum of jobs, but the language goes out of its way to define two jobs with new language: police and firefighters. While some of the changes proposed in the ordinance are small, like standardizing recognized holidays across all branches of the municipality, the mayor proposes sweeping changes with this ordinance. The mayor also wants to redefine overtime, and the proposal also seeks to eliminate all pay increases tied to performance, longevity, or recognition, and instead tie all pay raises to "enhanced qualifications" -- a term which the proposal doesn't define. There are other major changes, and many have to do with how the city deals with unions. If the city and a union are unable to agree on a new contract, the mayor's proposal would allow the Anchorage Assembly to vote on which side's proposals sounds best. And most drastically, the new proposal removes four pages of rules that dictate how unions go about strikes, and it affirms several times that "strikes or any work disruptions" are prohibited outright. This proposal isn't limited to firefighters and police officers. It also includes sewer and water employees, and electrical employees and port employees, as well. A final section of the proposed ordinance reads, “If passed, it would not affect the terms of any existing agreements.” But the new rules would be applied to all future agreements. The proposal will be first heard in the Anchorage Assembly this coming Tuesday and is expected to be voted on at the February 26 meeting. |
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aktroutbum said on Wednesday, Mar 13 at 8:19 PM
People wake up the mayor is just turning the public against muni workers to get more money for his good ol boys club. What club? Tennis anyone? Yep 55,000 square ft of that elite sport that all of 300 Alaska Club tennis members enjoy. The day after assembly cut off public speaking the ATA (Alaska Tennis Assoc.) sent out a email to its members. It has the plans for this MASSIVE club. Sullivan Arena is 32,000 square ft, this is nearly double that. And guess who gets stuck with the bill FOREVER after the muni workers pick up the first end of the tab. Yep every TAX PAYER in this city. Wake up people!! Go to the ATA web site it is right there. Pretty scary. Go to alaskatennis.org Or just google Alaska Tennis Assoc. alaskatennis.org Were all about to be taken on the biggest political scam this city has ever seen!!
115931512Robo said on Wednesday, Feb 13 at 12:01 PM
Folks our assembly members are suppose to represent us and not the unions. We as the taxpayer need to receive value for our tax dollar. A worker should receive a fair wage for the work performed -- he/she should not be paid a wage higher than required for the skills required in the performance of the work. Someone should not receive 30 dollars an hour to hold a shovel.
113439755jusayin said on Tuesday, Feb 12 at 2:00 PM
when you fail at negotiating. change the rules.
113378161Anonymous said on Tuesday, Feb 12 at 8:13 AM
I'm no fan of APD, but this is bogus. From what I'm seeing these fair weather Libertarians that complain about their rights taken away by Obama, fail to see others rights taken away by their own party. Wake up America, these issues are not "Liberal vs. Conservate". They are "The People vs. The Institutions"...
113352792save our city said on Sunday, Feb 10 at 4:21 PM
About time the unions are reigned in. I cant believe police offers are paid 6 figure salaries? Put my tax money to better use. Put all future city pay raises to a vote, let the tax payers dictate how OUR money is spent
113253301ahahah said on Saturday, Feb 9 at 9:42 PM
It's really nice of Dan to get ahead of the Alaska Supreme Court hearing the oral arguments of the AWWU contract issue. After all the supreme court can take 2 years to decide on the case. Sigh, so rate payers have been paying more money for a while now to pay for the AWWU raises will be reimbursed right? After all if this passes the assembly will agree with the city on contracts and the groups will have to live with it. I can see a mass exodus of city employees if this goes through. That way those who stick around can earn obscene amounts of OT like they did back in 2010.
113210596Mike J said on Saturday, Feb 9 at 8:12 AM
So basically work hard, earn awards, stay with same job, and gain nothing? Guess maybe enhance yourself with more schooling, training, volunteering? How do you measure the effectiveness, relevancy, etc.? Guess the administration doesn't know. Probably hasn't reached that chapter in some new management book they came across. Just wanted to jump on the 'unions are bad (unless they're mine)' bandwagon in hopes of a little popularity. Something to hopefully hold us over until the magic 'yay, I found a deficit' speech this fall.
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