Berkeley Lab, AFSCME Union Reach Tentative Contract Agreement

Negotiators for Berkeley Lab and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) have reached a tentative agreement on a new multi-year local wage agreement for SX (service) unit employees -- including bus drivers, custodians, truck drivers and technical assistants. The ratification process for the agreement should be completed within a couple of weeks.

Specifically, the wage agreement covers FY 2005-07 and provides for 3.0% increases in FY05, 2.5% in FY06 and 2.5% in FY07. A joint labor-management committee was also established to proactively identify ways to improve labor-management relations, achieve productivity improvements, and address other workplace subjects that are outside the grievance procedure and collective bargaining.

Bill Elkins, who headed the Lab's bargaining team, was pleased with the settlement. "It provides for three years of labor-managment continuity with fair wage increases. While this agreement contains no provisions for equity adjustments, increases for promotions or reclassifications, it does provide for fair and equitable across-the-board wage increases. We were also able to establish a standing labor-management committee to address workplace concerns and improvements on subjects outside the grievance procedure."

This new wage agreement is retroactive to October 1, 2004 and extends through September 30, 2007.