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Mass DOT Contract Updates

January 27, 2020

SEIU Local 888 has been negotiating a successor Collective Bargaining Agreement ("CBA") as part of the Coalition of Mass DOT Unions. The other unions in the Coalition are the Teamsters, Steelworkers, and AFSCME.

On January 17, the Coalition reached a tentative agreement. We completed our review of the final version of the proposed CBA and related documents, and now it's ready to be circulated and signed.

The CBA now needs to be ratified. After all this time, it may seem odd to have to "hurry up," but the Coalition member unions would all like to notify the employer of a ratified contract by Friday, Feb. 7, in order to have acceptance of the new CBA on the agenda for the MassDOT Board of Directors meeting scheduled for Feb. 10.  As soon as the Board votes to accept, the Employer can submit a request for funding of the CBA cost items to the Governor.

SEIU Local 888 MassDOT Contract Documents*

*Any changes to these documents will be updated ASAP and will only be technical corrections, the nature of the agreement will not change.

AGREEMENT HIGHLIGHTS 1. Contract Salary Increases: All members of Unit B will receive a six percent increase over the life of the three-year contract running from July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2020. (2% retroactive to year one; 2% retroactive to year two and another 2% retroactive to year three)

2. Top Step Increase: Effective June 30, 2020, Step 12 in the Unit B salary scale shall be increased by seven hundred dollars ($700) for all employees at that step or who later move to that step.

3. Compressed Workweek: Effective April 1, 2020, MassDOT may implement a compressed workweek consisting of either three (13.34 hours per day) or four day (10 hours per day) workweeks. This work opportunity will first be offered to volunteers in the order of seniority. If further employees are needed, temporary employees will be mandated first, and then regular full-time employees will be mandated in the order of reverse seniority, provided that the top 20% of the senior employees in Units B and C will be exempt from such requirement if they chose to exercise that option.

4. Compressed Workweek Differential: Employees who work a compressed workweek that includes both Saturday and Sunday shall be paid an additional differential for all hours worked in their compressed workweek at the rate of $1.25 per hour.

5. Sick Time Option for Overtime Worked: Employees who use sick time during a workweek in which he/she works either emergency or mandatory overtime may use up to three such days for purposes of calculating overtime pay earned provided that the sick time is used before notification of overtime work requirement.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIT B CONTRACT SETTLEMENT, PLEASE REVIEW THE UNIT B "SUCCESSOR AGREEMENT COVERING EMPLOYEES IN BARGAINING UNIT B "WHICH CONTAINS ALL CHANGES IN ADDITION TO THE MAJOR ONES DESCRIBED ABOVE.

CLASSIFICATION STUDY IMPLEMENTATION AGREEMENT 1. Classification Study Upgrades: For certain members of the bargaining unit whose titles were recommended by the outside expert for upgrades, those upgrades will be effective retroactive to July of 2016.

2. Upgrades/RECLASSIFICATIONS Other Than Through the Classification Study: A number of job titles will be upgraded or reclassified to higher paying titles as a result of market adjustments implemented through agreement between the Union and MassDOT. These upgrades/reclassifications will become effective on the date of ratification by Unit B.

3. Transfers to Unit C: Units B and C will undergo a reorganization under which some Unit B employees will be transferred to Unit C and some Unit C employees will be transferred to Unit B.

4. Appeals: Any employee who filed a JAQ during the time table for doing so under the Classification Study and who is disappointed with the failure to be awarded and upgrade may be eligible for an appeal to an outside arbitrator. If you fit in this category, and wish to file an appeal, it is important to let union leadership know of this immediately so that steps can be taken to initiate that appeal.

5. Confirmation of Retroactive Pay Calculations: For employees who have received upgrades under paragraph 1 and 2 above, MassDOT will provide worksheets showing pay growth and retroactive pay amounts to each of you. You will then be able to review those calculations and have 30 days to dispute them. If you feel that these calculations are inaccurate, please contact your union leadership for assistance in challenging them.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CLASSIFICATION STUDY PLEASE REVIEW THE CLASSIFICATION STUDY IMPLEMENTATION AGREEMENT WHICH CONTAINS ALL CHANGES IN ADDITION TO THE MAJOR ONES DESCRIBED ABOVE.

RATIFICATION PROCESS The ratification vote will ask whether you "accept" or "reject" the proposed CBA. The other documents will go into effect once the CBA is ratified by a majority of Unit B members who vote.

As you will hopefully all have access to all the documents electronically, and in light of the target date of Feb. 7 or earlier for counting the ratification vote, we are going to conduct it electronically as well. This notice may be the only "hard copy" material you receive. If you would prefer a "hard copy" of the documents, please email Local 888's Senior Internal Organizer Larry Higgins at lhiggins@seiu888.org or call him at 617-241-3329.

If you access the materials electronically, but still prefer to vote via hard copy, you can complete the enclosed ballot and mail it to SEIU Local 888, 25 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 306, Braintree, MA 02184.  If you choose this option, please put your completed ballot in the "ballot" envelope and seal it inside the return postage-paid envelope. You must put your name and return address on the outside of the return envelope. Your vote will be confidential inside the ballot envelope.

If you vote electronically, either scan and email the completed ballot to Larry Higgins at lhiggins@seiu888.org, or just send him an email indicating "Yes" or "No" as to whether or not to accept the CBA. SEIU Local 888 will keep your vote confidential.

Whether you vote electronically or via hard copy, please keep the Feb. 7 deadline in mind. The earlier you vote, the better.

The links to which we direct you have explanatory material regarding the posted documents, as well as full copies of the documents themselves.

If you have any questions about the CBA or any related material, please call or email Larry Higgins at lhiggins@seiu888.org.

Thank you for your patience and prompt response.  If you have not yet sent your personal email address to SEIU Local 888, please send it ASAP to Larry Higgins at lhiggins@seiu888.org.