News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 21, 2004
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
Alt Contact:  Meagan Macvie, Washington Works Communications Manager, 360-902-0527

Gov. Gary Locke Appoints State’s Chief Negotiator

Gov. Gary Locke today named Eva Santos the state’s chief negotiator in historic contract talks with labor unions representing state employees.

As director of the Washington State Labor Relations Office, Santos will represent the governor’s office in collective bargaining over the first labor agreements to be reached under the state’s new personnel system reform law.

Santos has been serving as deputy director of the Labor Relations Office and has played a leading role in negotiations under the reform law that greatly expands collective bargaining. The new law makes wages and benefits subject to negotiations with state employee unions. In the past, the Legislature unilaterally set those terms.

Santos replaces Gary Moore, who has resigned to take a position with a Seattle public relations firm, Pacific Public Affairs.

Locke said that Santos already has demonstrated her leadership ability in contract talks scheduled for completion in October.

“I have full faith and confidence in Eva’s ability to negotiate new labor contracts that are fair to both state employees and the taxpayers of Washington State,” the governor said.

Santos has both private and public sector experience related to labor negotiations. Before joining the state Labor Relations Office last year, she was a key administrator in the state Department of Labor & Industries for 17 years. Prior to entering state service, she was human resources manager for Tacoma Boat.

As director of the Labor Relations Office, Santos will lead the state’s labor negotiations team in collective bargaining over seven master agreements with unions that represent state employees in general government. Her team also represents The Evergreen State College and most of the state’s community colleges in negotiations with unions representing employees on those campuses.

“I look forward to establishing collective bargaining agreements that make Washington State a better government, and a better place to work,” Santos said.

Bargaining rights for state employee unions were expanded as part of the Personnel System Reform Act that the Legislature approved in 2002. The new law also reforms the state civil service system and allows state agencies to improve service delivery through a process known as competitive contracting.

Chief goals of the legislation are labor agreements that enable state managers and employees to perform their jobs more effectively, are consistent and easy to understand, and create a flexible personnel system that anticipates and responds to changing needs.

Negotiated collective bargaining agreements are due to the Office of Financial Management on Oct. 1, so they can be incorporated in the governor’s 2005-07 budget proposal to the Legislature.

The 2005 Legislature will have the role of approving or rejecting the cost of the agreements. If the cost proposal is rejected, that would trigger a return to negotiations or unions could request mediation.

Santos’ appointment is effective immediately. Her annual salary will be $125,000. Moore will remain with the Labor Relations Office until July 31 and assist with the transition there as Santos takes charge of the office.

Locke praised Moore for his contributions to state government, including the work he’s done as labor relations director.

“Gary has done a great job in laying the foundation for successful collective bargaining,” the governor said. “He and Eva worked together to get this vastly complex process on the right track, and I know I can count on Eva to get the job done.”

Moore has held executive management positions in state government, but also worked for a union earlier in his career. He worked for the Washington Federation of State Employees for 19 years, including 10 years as executive director of the union.

In state government, Moore was director of the Department of Labor & Industries before becoming labor relations director. He also has served as commissioner of the state Employment Security Department and was legislative director for former Gov. Mike Lowry.

For more information on collective bargaining and personnel system reform in Washington State government, go to the Washington Works website at www.washingtonworks.wa.gov



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