Port of Oakland seeking to end impasse with employees

   The Port of Oakland has initiated “impasse actions” in an effort to negotiate a new contract with Service Employees International Local 1021, which represents 250 employees in janitorial, maintenance and security areas.
   The agreement between the union and port expired nearly a year ago, on June 30, 2011.
   The port and SEIU negotiators had reached and signed a tentative agreement for a new contract in late March of this year, but SEIU members rejected the tentative agreement when they voted in April.
   The port said using the impasse actions enables it “to move negotiations forward toward a constructive resolution.”
   “In response to concerns raised in negotiations, the port has altered or withdrawn a number of its proposals to the union leadership,” the port said. “When negotiations began a year ago, the port advanced 42 proposals. Today, 29 of those issues have been resolved, including the port’s withdrawal of 25 proposals in response to the concerns of SEIU members.”
   Sam Singer, a spokesman for the port, said the four-year contract would not provide for any wage increase, but said SEIU workers at the port are making about 20 percent more than union members doing similar workers for the City of Oakland in other locations.
   In addition the port says it is offering:

• Continued 100 percent employer-paid healthcare
• No changes to retiree healthcare for current employees
• Current employees would pay a 5 percent of employee share of CalPERS retirement plan with the Port paying 3 percent of the employee contribution and the full 23.6 percent member share
• New employees would pay an 8 percent share of CalPERS retirement plan with the port paying the full 23.6 percent member share
• No cost of living adjustment increases, but a COLA re-opener on July 1, 2014

   The port said “given the increasing likelihood that an agreement would not be reached at the bargaining table,” its board authorized the impasse proceedings.
   Both sides are now in the process of trying to agree on a mediator. If mediation does not succeed, the port can implement its last, best and final offer.