August 31, 2018

Some contractors reach deal with striking union

Some contractors signed an independent labor agreement with Local 302 on Wednesday outside of negotiations with the Associated General Contractors of Washington.

Operating engineers have been on strike since Aug. 21.

Mayfield's Hoisting Service in Lynnwood was one of the firms to sign the agreement. Mayfield's operates cranes at about two dozen jobsites in the Puget Sound area.

Taylor W. Mayfield, president, said he signed the agreement Wednesday night and his workers were back on the job Thursday morning.

Mayfield said at least a dozen firms were part of the independent agreement, which gives workers a raise of $13 an hour in wages and benefits over three years, a 21.5 percent increase. He didn't name the other firms involved in the independent contract.

The AGC's second offer to the union earlier this month was for a 15 percent increase in the total package over three years. It was turned down by members, and they walked off the job Aug. 21.

“It was just to a point where (negotiations) weren't going anywhere, so something had to be done,” Mayfield said. “It came to an impasse, you can't do this to this city.”

Mayfield let his employees vote on the proposal Wednesday before he signed with union leaders. The vote was 29 in favor and two against.

A call to Local 302 business manager Daren Konopaski was not returned, neither were inquiries to the AGC.

Local 302's master labor agreement with the AGC expired on June 1.

Operating Engineers Local 612's labor contract, which covers Tacoma and other areas, also expired June 1 but a new contract was ratified afterward. That deal gave workers a 13 percent increase in the total package over three years.

The AGC of Washington's website shows that a master labor agreement with the Teamsters union has not been ratified. That contract expired on June 1.