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State of Washington
Marine Employees' Commission
-Working
together for uninterrupted ferry operation-
Photo by Stephen
J. Brown, courtesy of Washington State Ferries
Welcome!
-What's
New-
MEC's
Rules
Review of MEC's
rules concerning public records are underway-Chapter
316-02-800
and 316-02-810. The first drafts are available:
Chapter 316-02-800
and a
draft public
records request form. Comments may be submitted by e-mail to
mec@olywa.net,
fax at (360) 586-0820, or U.S. mail
by June 19, 2009
to present at the June 26, 2009 MEC public meeting.
Review
of MEC's rules,
WAC
316-55, Impasse Resolution, continues. This chapter needs revision due to
legislative changes made in 2007. The
first draft is available:
Chapter 316-55 Working Copy. Proposed
language to be added is in blue and underlined; proposed language to be deleted
is in red and struck through.
About the MEC
The Washington State Ferries system is the nation's largest ferry fleet,
consisting of 28 vessels--24 passenger and vehicle and 5 passenger only. The WSF
system carries 25 million passengers each year (5 million more than Amtrak carries
nationwide) and 11 million vehicles; it is very important to
transportation, tourism, and the overall economy of the Puget Sound area.
In 1983, the Washington State Legislature established the Marine Employees' Commission
(MEC) to protect the rights prescribed by Chapter 47.64 of the Revised
Code of Washington (RCW): rights of employers, employees, labor
organizations, and the public. The MEC is to ensure the operation of the ferry
system is not disrupted by labor disputes, by providing the specialized
attention required to resolve the unique and complex labor relations questions
that arise in the operation of the Washington State Ferry (WSF) system. The WSF system operates 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week, so disputes need to be resolved quickly.
The Marine
Employees' Commission is composed of three part-time Commissioners appointed by
the Governor representing labor, industry, and maritime affairs.
MEC's Mission
MEC's mission is to encourage peaceful labor relations between WSF
management, state ferry employees and their bargaining representatives,
in order to provide continuous operation of the Washington state ferry system.
MEC's Purpose
MEC's
purpose is to:
- Adjudicate all complaints, grievances, and disputes between labor and
management arising from ferry system operations
- Provide impasse mediation
- Determine bargaining units
- Conduct salary survey
- Certify fair representation organizations
MEC operates under Chapter 47.64 of the
Revised Code of Washington
(RCW)
and Title 316 of the
Washington Administrative Code
(WAC).
MEC's Goal
MEC's goal is to quickly resolve the unique and complex labor
relations questions that rise. Commission members are trained as administrative
law judges and hold formal administrative hearings to resolve in a timely manner
the often complex disputes in which parties allege violations of the
contract or the law. Monthly meetings are held with labor and management, to
provide a neutral forum for on-going labor relations dialogue.
The Commissioners participate in other collective bargaining roles as well,
including the provision of a biennial salary survey to be used by labor and
management during contract negotiations.
The labor unions under MEC jurisdiction are:
Important MEC Information
Calendar
Case List
Decision Digest
Forms and
Info
GMAP
MEC Decisions
MEC History
Meeting Information
Personnel
Statutes and Rules
Links
Marine Employees' Commission
Evergreen Plaza Building,
Suite 104
711
Capitol Way South
PO Box 40902
Olympia WA 98504-0902
(360) 586-6354
(360) 586-0820--fax
This web page was updated June 29,
2009.
Send mail to
mec@olywa.net with questions
or comments about this web site.
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