Cleaning vomit doesn’t mean double time pay should be given
Washington State Ferries have a reputation for cleanliness, and seasick passengers have yet to besmirch that record. When cleaning up vomit, the workers get double time pay. Haugen claims this is costing Washington too much money.
"That's one that really stuck in my craw," Haugen told HeraldNet. "We certainly don't give overtime to some prison guard who cleans up after an inmate or someone working in a mental institution or even someone who worked caring for a person at their home and had to do an unpleasant task."
Sen. Haugen doesn’t have very many friends among Washington ferry employees anymore that are upset about what was said. This is especially true since the pay applies to a lot of situations including cleaning blood, feces and vomit, pumping sewage and cleaning bilges.
"That is in there for a reason," said David Williams of the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association union. "We have to clean it up and smile about it."
Washington State Ferries is broke
The nation's largest waterborne transportation system, Washington State Ferries carried nearly 23 million passengers across the waters of Puget Sound last year with its 23-vessel fleet. A passenger fatality has never been seen on the ferry system, the only one in the world with that record. In spite of the belief that fares cover almost 70 percent of operating costs, the organization is currently broke and in need of additional taxpayer dollar to remain afloat.
Unfortunately, what legislators see are high-salaried ferry employees whom they believe should not be making double-time for mopping up puke. However, union representatives insist that such workers represent only a small minority of the Washington State Ferries workforce.
"I blame us for allowing that perception to be out there," said union lobbyist Gordon Baxter. "We should have responded more forcefully, with more facts."
Clause all about cleaning throw-up
Proposed changes to ferry worker contracts - changes Gov. Christine Gregoire called “historic sacrifices” - would reduce salaries by 3 percent, make overtime time-and-a-half and shrink crew size on some routes.
The vomit clause must be taken away to make ferry worker wages more accurate, states Sen. Haugen. No more “penalty pay” for cleaning up vomit, bird droppings and human excrement, states the Senator. About $1.65 million was paid in penalty pay to Washington State Ferry workers in 2010. Haugen believes it needs to end.
Information from
Herald Net
heraldnet.com/article/20110320/NEWS01/703209926
U.S. Department of Labor
dol.gov/dol/topic/wages/hazardpay.htm
Washington State Labor Relations Office
ofm.wa.gov/labor/agreements/09-11/default.asp
Emetophobics, beware (There will be vomit)
youtube.com/watch?v=D6WYT45DSPw
Source for this article - Washington state ferry workers fighting for vomit pay by Newsytype.com.
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