Gregoire, maritime labor unions reach tentative agreement

For Immediate Release: March 4, 2011

Gov. Chris Gregoire today announced that the state has reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement with the majority of the Washington State Ferries� labor unions. The state expects the labor agreement to save $10 million annually and address many of the major concerns from the public and Legislature about the system. Next week, the labor unions will present the tentative agreement to their members for a vote.

In addition to savings in the tentative labor agreement, WSF announced $10 million of additional management savings over the next two years. This brings the total, new 2011-2013 savings in the ferry system to approximately $30 million.

�This shows the shared sacrifice by both labor and management,� said Gregoire. �The state expects its tentative agreement with the labor union to save about $10 million each year and management to save another $10 million this biennium. This shows the progress we can make when we work with state employees and management, not against them. I�m proud of workers and management stepping up to the plate and helping solve these challenges.�

Previously, WSF achieved $26 million in annual savings by reducing its use of consultants, eliminating staff and making across-the-board cuts. But despite the ongoing and additional savings, cuts alone won�t fill the ferry system�s $900 million budget gap.

WSF has lost more than $1.2 billion in funding since 1999 when voters repealed the motor vehicle excise tax, or MVET, with Initiative 695. According to the national Passenger Vessel Association, the lack of stable funding is a critical challenge to the ferry system�s sustainability and level of service.

�We must continue to find savings and efficiency in the ferry system, but these alone can�t solve the problem,� said Gregoire. �I urge the Legislature to act now and keep the ferries sustainable, safe and accessible.�