City Hall
City Prosecutors Seek to Form Union
Twenty-five prosecuting attorneys---the majority of the criminal division---at City Attorney Pete Holmes' office are seeking union representation, reportedly in anticipation of upcoming layoffs at the city attorney's office. The attorneys filed a petition to organize with the Public Employment Relations Commission on August 6.
Union members in other city departments, including the Seattle Department of Transportation, Seattle City Light, and the Department of Planning and Development, are challenging Mayor Mike McGinn's request that they forgo a cost-of-living pay increase next year; instead, they want the city to cut back on outside contracts and eliminate hundreds of strategic-advisor and upper management positions. The city faces a budget shortfall of about $56 million next year, and McGinn has asked most departments to come up with cuts between 10 and 15 percent.
Holmes spokeswoman Kimberly Mills says the city attorney's office will post a notice that the prosecuting attorneys have filed a union petition and "noting our respect of all employees' rights to bargain collectively." The petition with PERC is the first step toward forming a union; next, 70 percent of employees in the bargaining unit will have to sign union cards to demonstrate support for the union.
Mills did not characterize Holmes' reaction to the union drive, but it seems---unlike similar efforts under former city attorney Mark Sidran---to be more in response to potential layoffs than to Holmes' leadership of the office.
Union members in other city departments, including the Seattle Department of Transportation, Seattle City Light, and the Department of Planning and Development, are challenging Mayor Mike McGinn's request that they forgo a cost-of-living pay increase next year; instead, they want the city to cut back on outside contracts and eliminate hundreds of strategic-advisor and upper management positions. The city faces a budget shortfall of about $56 million next year, and McGinn has asked most departments to come up with cuts between 10 and 15 percent.
Holmes spokeswoman Kimberly Mills says the city attorney's office will post a notice that the prosecuting attorneys have filed a union petition and "noting our respect of all employees' rights to bargain collectively." The petition with PERC is the first step toward forming a union; next, 70 percent of employees in the bargaining unit will have to sign union cards to demonstrate support for the union.
Mills did not characterize Holmes' reaction to the union drive, but it seems---unlike similar efforts under former city attorney Mark Sidran---to be more in response to potential layoffs than to Holmes' leadership of the office.
