West Virginia Public Employees Gain ‘Seat at the Table’
April 12, 2007
HISTORIC DAY – West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin III (D) is joined by a few of the 5,000 state workers who will be included in the “meet and consult” pilot program that he announced on April 11.
Photo Credit:
AFSCME
For the first time, thousands of employees from three state agencies will have a direct line of communication with management to improve working conditions as well as the services they provide.
A two-year pilot project to begin this month will allow employee representatives of certain divisions within the departments of Administration, Transportation, and Military Affairs and Public Safety, to “meet and consult” with agency heads to address issues such as staff shortages, efficiency in the delivery of services, wages and benefits.
West Virginia does not permit formal collective bargaining, so gaining this right is a landmark achievement for some 5,000 state workers covered by the agreement, announced April 11 by Gov. Joe Manchin III (D) during a press conference in Charleston.
Joining Manchin were dozens of employees represented by AFSCME Council 77, the Communications Workers of America and the United Mine Workers of America. Among them was Jeffrey Atkins of Charleston, a Division of Highways equipment operator and a member of Local 3248 (Council 77). “West Virginia taxpayers expect safe roads, scenic drives and hassle-free commutes,” he says. “No one knows how to meet these expectations better than highway employees – and Governor Manchin’s reforms will help us do it with maximum efficiency for taxpayers.”
Council 77 Exec. Dir. Ed Hartman says this is the first time that state employees will have “a seat at the table” with managers. Specifically, employee representatives will be elected from each division of the participating departments. They will sit on the “meet and consult” committee, which will make recommendations to cabinet secretaries who will then evaluate and forward to the Office of the Governor.
“What we hope to do,” adds Hartman, “is show success both in meeting the employees’ needs and concerns, as well as any that management may have. Hopefully, this process will then be expanded to other agencies, and strengthened to allow even more input from employees.” Council 77 represents about 3,300 workers in the Department of Transportation’s Division of Highways, which is included in the innovative program.
In addition to the Division of Highways, the “meet and consult” pilot program includes employees in the Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority, the General Services Division, and the Purchasing Division.
Read news coverage of the announcement from the Charleston Daily Mail.
