Press Release:
More than 90 percent of all King County employees would be joining to waive their cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2011 under a proposal from King County Executive Dow Constantine to freeze the COLA of all non-represented employees.

“As Executive I have implemented a policy that to the extent possible, all employees should be treated equitably,” said Executive Constantine. “Now that 91 percent of our unionized workers have stepped up to help preserve services to the public, it is only fair that we propose the same terms for non-represented employees.”

The Executive will transmit an ordinance next week to the Metropolitan King County Council proposing the COLA freeze for non-represented workers as a means of helping to restore positions and services to the public that would otherwise be reduced or eliminated.

If approved by the Council, 12,100 workers out of a total 13,400 will waive or vote on waiving COLA for next year – just over 90 percent of the entire King County workforce.

Altogether, these actions will preserve $23.5 million in services across all County agencies for 2011. Of that amount, $6.2 million of the savings is in the General Fund, the fund in which a $60 million shortfall was closed through draconian reductions to criminal justice and other services in the Executive Proposed Budget.

The Executive thanked the 70 bargaining units that, to date, have voted or will vote to waive COLA for 2011:

Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 587
Departments: Transportation, Executive Services
Animal Control Officers Guild
Ferry Coalition
Passenger only Vessels, Marine Division, Department of Transportation
Graphic Communications Conference of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 767
Print Shop - Graphic Communications; Department of Executive Services (Facilities Management Division)
International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers, Local 17
Business Relations and Economic Development - Executive's Office
Court Reporters - Superior Court
Departments: Development & Environmental Services, Executive Services, Natural Resources & Parks, Transportation
Departments: Public Health, Community & Human Services
Information Technology
Professional & Technical, Interest Arbitration - Department of Transportation, Metro Transit Division
Section Managers - Departments: Natural Resources & Parks, Transportation, Development & Environmental Services
Supervisors - Departments: Executive Services (Facilities Management Division), Natural Resources & Parks, Transportation
Transit Supervisors - Department of Transportation, Metro Transit Division
International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 117
Administrator I - Transit, Department of Transportation
Information Technology Managers and Supervisors - Office of Information Resource Management (IT Central), Executive Branch Departments
Legislative Analysts - King County Council
Professional & Technical and Administrative Employees
Prosecuting Attorney's Office
Transit Section Managers - Department of Transportation
Wastewater Treatment Division, Professional & Technical and Administrative Support - Department of Natural Resources & Parks
Wastewater Treatment Division, Managers and Assistant Managers - Department of Natural Resources & Parks
Wastewater Treatment Division, Supervisors - Department of Natural Resources & Parks
Joint Crafts Council, Construction Crafts
o Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters
§ (Carpenters - Departments: Executive Services (Facilities Management), Natural Resources & Parks, Transportation)
o International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers District No. 160, Local No. 289
§ (Mechanic/Auto Machinist - Departments: Natural Resources & Parks, Transportation)
o International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers, Lodge No. 104
§ (Metal Fabricator - Department of Natural Resources & Parks, Department of Transportation)
o International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 46
§ (Electricians - Departments: Executive Services (Facilities Management), Natural Resources & Parks, Transportation)
o International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 117
§ (Utility Worker - Departments: Executive Services (Facilities Management), Natural Resources & Parks, Transportation)
§ International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, District Council 5, Painters (Painter / Sign Painter - Departments: Executive Services (Facilities Management), DNRP (Parks), Transportation)
o United Association of Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 32
§ (Plumbing & Mechanical - Departments: Executive Services, Facilities Management Division, Natural Resources & Parks (Parks), Transportation; Plumbing Inspector - Department of Public Health)
o UNITE HERE! Local 8
§ (Cook/Baker - Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention)
o International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 286
§ (Operating Engineer)
o Laborers’ International Union of North America, Local 1239
§ (Utility Worker - Department of Executive Services (Facilities Management Division))
o International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 117
§ (Departments: Executive Services (Facilities Management, Records & Licensing Services), Natural Resources & Parks, Transportation; Inventory Purchasing Specialist - Department of Public Health; Road Use Investigator - Department of Transportation)
o International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 117
§ (Chemical Dependency Screener - Department of Community and Human Services)
o International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 117
§ (Security Screeners - Department of Executive Services (Facilities Management Division))
o International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 117
§ (Security Officers - Department of Executive Services (Facilities Management))
o International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 117
§ (Crew Chief - Roads Services, Department of Transportation)
King County Corrections Guild
King County Court Protection Guild
King County Juvenile Detention Guild
King County Prosecuting Attorneys Association
Office & Professional Employees International Union, Local 8
Dental - Department of Public Health
Department of Assessments
Departments: Public Health (Division of Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drugs Prevention), Community & Human Services (Mental Health, Chemical Abuse & Dependency Services Division)
Public, Professional & Office-Clerical Employees and Drivers, Teamsters Local 763
Department of Assessments
Public Safety Employees Union
Communications Specialists Supervisors - King County Sheriff's Office
Fire Marshal - Department of Development & Environmental Services
King County Television
Legal Administrative Specialists - Department of Judicial Administration
Non-Commissioned - Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention
Non-Commissioned - Department of Community & Human Services
Non-Commissioned - King County Sheriff's Office
Superior Court Clerks - Judicial Administration
Puget Sound Police Managers Association
Captains - King County Sheriff's Office
Service Employees International Union, Local 925
Department of Natural Resources & Parks - Parks & Recreation
Involuntary Commitment Specialists - Mental Health, Department of Community & Human Services
Wastewater Treatment Division - Department of Natural Resources & Parks
Technical Employees Association
Wastewater Treatment Division, Department of Natural Resources & Parks, Staff
Uniformed Command Association
Corrections Jail Captains - Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention
Washington State Council of County and City Employees, Council 2
Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention
District Court – Wages
Department of Public Health
Medical Examiner - Department of Public Health
WorkSource - Department of Community & Human Services
Industrial and Hazardous Waste
Department of Executive Services, Facilities Management Division
Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention (Juvenile Detention Division Supervisors)
Superior Court - Staff (Wages Only)
Superior Court - Supervisors (Wages Only)
Washington State Nurses Association
Staff Nurses - Departments: Public Health, Adult & Juvenile Detention (Juvenile Detention)

“Each one of these unions stepped up to the challenge of preserving services to the public, and I deeply thank each and every one of them,” said Executive Constantine.

Executive Constantine froze the salaries for all of his appointed staff and has been joined by the separately elected officials in putting the same measures in place for their offices.