After a year of negotiations, the union’s Government Services Division, with support from its CIVMAR members, has reached an agreement with the U.S. Military Sealift Command about how the parties will proceed with several key labor relations issues —including the negotiation of the collective bargaining agreement and the CMPI (Civil Mariner Personnel Instructions, the agency’s workplace instructions and guidance).After the merger between the SIU and NMU in June 2001, the union contacted MSC to discuss certain labor relations issues that affected the status of the merged union and the west and east coast employee units. The union wanted to file a petition before the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) to reflect the change in the status of the newly merged union. The union also requested that MSC begin negotiating a new contract which would cover east and west coast unlicensed CIVMARS. The union’s major goal was to secure one contract and bring wage parity to employees on the east and west coasts.
At the beginning of the discussions, MSC took the position that the Afloat Personnel Management Center, the human resource division of MSC, was the employer of CIVMARS. MSC also wanted to finish all CMPI negotiations prior to any collective bargaining discussions. For many months the parties were deadlocked in their respective positions, and all issues remained on hold.
In June 2002, after persistent efforts and continual contacts with MSC, the union achieved its goals. Several APMC representatives worked diligently with union representatives Chet Wheeler and Kate Hunt to achieve resolution of these outstanding issues. This agreement lays the foundation for significant changes for MSC employees.
Based upon the months of negotiations leading up to this pact, the union is hopeful that the parties will continue working together to accomplish the negotiation and implementation of wage parity for all CIVMARS. These talks will take many months to complete, but the union is confident that its negotiators will achieve fair agreements on a contract and the CMPI with positive results for the CIVMARS.
A brief summary of the agreement follows. It was established that MSC would be designated as the employer on the FLRA petition. This means the union will receive recognition at the MSC headquarters level and will be able to discuss policy issues at command headquarters. Day-to-day matters and disciplinary matters will be worked out with the APMC staff as it is currently done. For disciplinary grievances, APMC will be the final step decision maker, prior to taking the grievance to arbitration, if necessary.
MSC also agreed to work with the union to file a joint petition before the FLRA asking the authority to recognize the merged union as the exclusive bargaining representative for MSC employees.
Another goal of the petition process is to consolidate the east and west coast units into one unit. MSC also agreed to negotiate certain collective-bargaining subjects that the union considers most important at the same time the parties are negotiating the CMPI.
The agreement ensures that, when wage parity is implemented, no mariner will receive a lower base pay as a result of implementing wage parity for all CIVMARS. A mariner will receive the higher rate of pay for the position in which he or she sails for the ship class to which he or she is assigned. If a higher rate of pay exists for a position on the west coast, the east coast mariner will receive the increase. The same will be true if the east coast position is paid at a higher base pay wage rate. Once wage parity has been achieved, MSC will implement an “any ship, any ocean” policy. As is currently done in the private sector, CIVMARS will receive assignments to ships sailing from either coast to any destination.
For employees who serve as West Coast supply officers and junior supply officers, the union will seek to represent these employees through the appropriate FLRA procedures.
The parties have targeted early fall to begin collective bargaining negotiations and continue CMPI negotiations. A final phase of collective bargaining negotiations will take place after the CMPI negotiations are finished.
The union’s Government Services Division representatives have been working carefully to develop comprehensive bargaining proposals. If you have suggestions concerning proposals, please contact your ship’s delegate, who should forward them to the union.
With the signing of this agreement and the eventual consolidation of the two MSC bargaining units, the union has achieved several significant goals. The LOG will publish frequent updates to advise CIVMARS about the negotiations and the FLRA petition process.
Most importantly, for the first time in MSC history there will be one union representing the unlicensed employees. The SIU, supported by the strength of its membership, will be able to speak with a single voice, one that will effectively represent and protect the interests of all unlicensed CIVMARS.
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