COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM

Item No.

ACTION ITEM

Date of Meeting

DATE:

October 22, 2019

TO:

Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director

FROM:

Greg Gauthier, Labor Relations Manager
David Freiboth, Sr. Director, Labor Relations

6e
October 22, 2019

SUBJECT: New collective bargaining agreement between the Port of Seattle and the Teamsters
Local 117 representing Rental Car Facility Bus Drivers.
Additional cost over term:

$1,805,327

ACTION REQUESTED
Request Commission authorization for the Executive Director to execute a new collective
bargaining agreement (CBA) between the Port of Seattle and Teamsters Local 117 representing
Rental Car Facility Bus Drivers in our Aviation Landside Operations Department, covering the
period from March 15, 2019, through March 14, 2023.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Good faith bargaining between the Port of Seattle and Teamsters Local 117 resulted in a fair
collective bargaining agreement consistent with the Port's priorities.
The bargaining unit consists of 51 full-time, part-time, and seasonal Rental Car Facility Bus Drivers
who support the Airport Transit Operations' (ATO) Mission, which is to provide safe, reliable, and
efficient transportation services to customers of Sea-Tac International Airport and the Rental Car
Facility. In 2018 the ATO was responsible for the transportation of 5,059,508 passengers between
the lower drive of Sea-Tac Airport and the Rental Car Facility.
The agreement is for four years covering the period from March 15, 2019, through March 14,
2023. The estimated total cumulative additional cost for wages, pension, healthcare, and other
benefits is $1,805,327.
The costs are based upon an estimated 3.38% average annual wage increase for each year of the
CBA, a safe driving incentive premium of 1% above the base wage rate each year, and 3.5% annual
estimated increases to healthcare premiums.

Template revised September 22, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA - Action Item No. 6e
Meeting Date: October 22, 2019

Page 2 of 3

Other changes include alignment with both the Washington Paid Sick Leave Law and Paid Family
Medical Leave; expanded Commuter Trip Reduction benefits; removal of entry step rate1;
overtime after 9 hours of work; expanded non-discrimination language; overpayment recovery
waiver language, the deletion of language regarding mandatory Union membership in
compliance with Federal law; an increased employee monthly health insurance premium share2;
and language regarding the use of tracking systems in Port vehicles.
The estimated cumulative additional cost per year of the contract is Year 1, $218,562; Year 2,
$399,498; Year 3, $515,524; and Year 4, $671,743.
JUSTIFICATION
RCW Chapter 41.56 requires the Port of Seattle to collectively bargain wages, hours and working
conditions with the exclusive bargaining representative designated by the employees.
SCOPE OF THE AGREEMENT
Term of the Agreement
March 15, 2019, through March 14, 2023.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Wages
Bus Drivers

Entry
0 to 12 months
After 1 Year
After 2 Years
After 3 Years
After 4 Years
After 5 Years
After 6 Years

Current

$19.73
$20.25
$21.05
$21.86
$22.66
$23.45
$24.79
$25.59

March 15,
2019
3.5%
Entry Deleted
$20.96
$21.79
$22.63
$23.45
$24.27
$25.66
$26.49

March 15,
2020
4%

March 15,
2021
3%

March 15,
2022
3%

(Estimated
Increase)3

(Estimated
Increase)4

(Estimated
Increase)5

N/A
$21.80
$22.66
$23.53
$24.39
$25.24
$26.68
$27.55

N/A
$22.45
$23.34
$24.24
$25.12
$26.00
$27.48
$28.37

N/A
$23.12
$24.04
$24.96
$25.88
$26.78
$28.31
$29.22

1

Entry rate was from 0-6 months of employment.
Currently employee's monthly premium share for healthcare is $25 and increases to $50 on March 15, 2021
3
CPI-U (0% to 6%) plus 1%
4
CPI-U (0% to 6%); if less than 3% but greater than 0%, the Port shall make up the difference via a lump sum
payment.
5
CPI-U (0% to 6%); if less than 3% but greater than 0%, the Port shall make up the difference via a lump sum
payment.
2

Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA - Action Item No. 6e
Meeting Date: October 22, 2019

Page 3 of 3

Paid Leave
Sick Leave, currently accrued at .025 hour worked, will be accrued at a rate of .025 per
compensated hour and will be separated into two distinct banks identified as "Paid Sick Leave"
and "Protected Sick Leave."
Maintained Paid Parental Leave Benefit
Medical, Pension, Retirement Medical, PCBT
•

Health Insurance

Teamsters Plan B

•

Pension

PERS

Current Monthly Premium
Employee Premium Share

$1481
$506

Other Changes
•
•
•
•
•
•

Daily overtime after 9 hours worked.
Alignment with the Janus Decision regarding Union Security.
Alignment with the Washington Paid Sick Leave Law.
Alignment with the Washington Paid Family Leave Law with an administrative waiver.
Additional Commuter Trip Reduction benefits.
New language regarding the use of tracking systems in Port vehicles.

ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST
(1) Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Port of Seattle and Teamsters Local 117
representing Employee Rental Car Facility Bus Drivers (red lined).
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
June 13, 2017-Commission authorization of previous Collective Bargaining Agreement

6

Currently $25 and increases to $50 on June 1, 2020

Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.