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Alaska Department of Administration

Department of Administration Press Release

No.14-13

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

State Reaches Tentative Agreement with IBU

June 16, 2014, Juneau, AK – The State of Alaska’s Department of Administration has reached a tentative agreement with the Inlandboatmen’s Union of the Pacific (IBU) on a three-year contract covering the period of July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2017.  Monetary terms for the agreement must be approved by the Alaska State Legislature and the contract must be ratified by IBU union membership.  IBU is the first of three State of Alaska marine unions to reach a tentative agreement.

“We are pleased that after months of negotiations we were able to find common ground on a tentative agreement with IBU,” said Alaska Department of Administration Commissioner Curtis W. Thayer.  “IBU is the largest of the three ferry system unions representing around 650 Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) employees. With this tentative agreement we are responsibly balancing good wages and benefits with ferry system sustainability.”    

“It was important through this process to find an agreement that maintains high quality service for our ferry system customers, provides a living wage to the hard working brothers and sisters of the IBU and recognizes the specialized service our members provide every day,” remarked Kerry Crocker.

The tentative agreements contain the following provisions:

  • Maintains current cost of living at zero percent (0%) increase to the wage schedule effective July 1, 2014, adding a one percent (1%) increase effective July 1, 2015 and a two percent (2%) increase effective July 1, 2016.
  • Members must now pay an annual fee of $100 to receive ferry pass privileges for the year.
  • Cash draws will be limited to times when ship is in the yard or in emergencies and will be issued by check only.
  • AMHS gains the ability to contract for automated services such as automated ticket machines (i.e. self-serve customer kiosks).
  • Supplemental agreements for the Fairweather and Chenega fast ferries have been converted to day boat agreements allowing for operational flexibility to supplement new day boat vessels.

For more information about labor contracts contact Division of Personnel and Labor Relations (DOPLR) Director, Kate Sheehan (kate.sheehan@alaska.gov; 907-465-4403), or the union representing the bargaining unit.  Members of public employee bargaining units with questions about their own contracts should contact their union representatives.

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