EWEB moves to extend paid holiday to all workers.

Byline: The Register-Guard

All Eugene Water & Electric Board employees will enjoy Veterans Day as a paid holiday beginning this November as a result of action taken by the utility's commissioners.

EWEB's 161 union-represented workers won the right to have Veterans Day as a paid holiday during bargaining last year. Commissioners decided Tuesday to extend the paid holiday to the utility's 341 non-union workers and managers.

The holiday will cost EWEB nearly $230,000 in pay - $156,000 for nonunion workers and $73,800 for union employees. EWEB workers now receive 11 paid holidays each year. That compares to nine at Lane County, 10 at the city of Eugene, 11 at Springfield Utility Board and 13 at Emerald People's Utility District.

Commissioner Ron Farmer voted against the Veterans Day extension. Farmer said he wished to be consistent with his position during labor negotiations last year with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. EWEB employees years ago asked to have the day after Thanksgiving as a paid holiday in lieu of Veterans Day. Farmer contended that union workers, in pressing for Veterans Day as a paid holiday, should have given up the day after Thanksgiving.

Veterans Day is Sunday, Nov. 11. EWEB offices will be closed Monday, Nov. 12.