News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 8, 1999
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

McDonald misunderstands labor proposal, Locke says

OLYMPIA—Gov. Gary Locke said today that Republican state Sen. Dan McDonald misunderstands the intent of legislation the governor is drafting that would modernize state government, streamline civil service regulations and allow for contracting out some state services.

McDonald issued a press release today charging that Locke planned to introduce a bill that would "encourage state-hired employees to strike."

"That is absolutely false," Locke said. "I cannot imagine how Sen. McDonald came to that conclusion. The final bill hasn't even been drafted."

"I have never tolerated strikes by state workers," Locke continued. "In addition to allowing contracting out, my bill would give collective bargaining rights to state employees, the same rights now enjoyed by city and county workers. But strikes by state employees would still be illegal under my bill."

Locke noted that virtually identical legislation introduced by him in the last legislative session had Republicans as prime sponsors.

McDonald's press release criticized Locke for proposing collective bargaining for state employees without also requiring binding arbitration. This charge especially surprised Locke.

The governor said, "If binding arbitration were included in the bill, which Sen. McDonald seems to want, the governor and the legislature would surrender their right to a third party -- an arbitrator -- to determine the salaries of state employees. This is simply too large a chunk of taxpayer dollars to hand over to someone who is not accountable to the voters."

Locke added, "To say that collective bargaining automatically means strikes is an insult to state employees and their representatives. Collective bargaining means that management and employees will meet to resolve critical issues, including economic issues, within a time-honored framework. Frankly, it is high time that state government move beyond the outmoded civil service restrictions and begin working together with employees to make state government work better."

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