EWEB decides to impose final offer on union members.

Byline: Jeff Wright The Register-Guard

The Eugene Water & Electric Board said Wednesday that it will unilaterally implement its final offer on a new contract with union-represented workers on May 28.

In a letter to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 659, the public utility also proposed that the two sides resume bargaining next week and, if needed, the last two days of May.

EWEB is legally entitled to impose its final offer 30 days after the parties declared an impasse, which occurred April 19. The utility also must give five-day advance notice of its intent to impose its final offer.

EWEB's elected commissioners gave the go-ahead to implement the final offer Tuesday night. The commissioners also rejected the union's proposal to submit unresolved contract issues to binding arbitration.

The utility's final offer includes wage increases totaling 12.4 percent over three years, plus other enhancements and no reductions in benefits. EWEB has moved to implement the offer in part to ensure that union workers' pay remains competitive with the market, spokesman Marty Douglass said.

The 155-member union seeks reduced health premiums and the inclusion of Veterans Day as a paid holiday. The union last Thursday gave its leaders authorization to call a strike, but has not formally informed EWEB of its intention to go on strike.

The union cannot strike until 10 days after informing EWEB of its intent to do so.

Ron Johnson, the union's lead bargainer, said it's within EWEB's prerogative to implement its final offer. He also said the union is willing to continue meeting.

"We'll meet with them any time or any place if they want to continue negotiations," he said.