City signs Collective Bargaining Agreement with Teamsters Local #117

Lake Forest Park City Council unanimously approved a long-awaited collective bargaining agreement with the Teamsters Local #117 representing maintenance workers at its regular meeting on July 11, 2013.

The current agreement between the City of Lake Forest Park and the Teamsters Local #117 expired on December 31, 2012. City Administration and the Teamsters Local #117 have been negotiating for a successor agreement since September, 2012. Tentative agreement was reached in early July, 2013. The three-year contract provides for 0.5% wage adjustment in 2013, a 1% wage adjustment in 2014, and a 1.5% wage adjustment in 2015.

The most significant aspect of the contract is that it provides for a transition to Washington Teamsters Medical Trust, Plan B, a $300/$600 deductible health plan effective September 1, 2013.  

This is a lower cost health plan but provides comprehensive coverage to employees and their families. In addition, the contract provides for a one-time payment in 2014 and 2015 to union members if the annual increase in medical premium for the plan is less than 8%. If the increase in medical premium is greater than 9%, the City and employees will split the increase 50/50.

“This was a long negotiation process because we were trying to achieve some very difficult things,” said Mayor Mary Jane Goss. “Because of decreased City revenues, we were asking our maintenance workers to change health plans in order to achieve cost savings. At the same time, we were only able to offer the Teamsters very modest wage increases. I applaud Teamsters Local #117 for recognizing the budget realities that the City is facing and doing their part to keep the City on sustainable financial path.”

“The Teamsters are pleased to offer a healthcare plan that will work for the City financially and will provide excellent care for our members,” said Tracey A. Thompson, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local #117. “We worked with the City to find a benefit package that was meeting our members’ needs as well as the City’s need for cost control to achieve stability in jobs and public services for the next 3 years.”

The Lake Forest Park Public Works Department provides a wide variety of services to the citizens of Lake Forest Park and to the City of Kenmore through a contract. The Public Works Department is responsible for the maintenance, operation and repair of the city’s streets, surface water infrastructure, buildings and grounds facilities, parks, sanitary sewer, and 24/7 emergency response. Teamsters Local #117 represents 11 maintenance workers in the Public Works Department.