Operating Engineers Local 302 on STRIKE in Western Wash.

UPDATE (Aug. 31, 2018) — IUOE 302 reports: “We have met and discussed with many of our dirt, vertical, paving, and crane contractors the new Master Labor Agreement of Western WA (MLAWW) option. We have voted and signed several contractors to this agreement and many more meetings and ratification votes are scheduled. This new agreement is taking hold and, once approved, our members are cleared to go to work for these contractors ASAP.”

UPDATE (Aug. 30, 2018) — As contractors that part of the Western Washington Master Labor Agreement have so far refused to improve the contract offer rejected by IUOE 302 members, the union reports: “The Local has been approached by numerous independent contractors that are interested in signing one independent agreement with significant economic increases for our membership.  The Local is currently meeting with contractors and their employees and may have agreements in place soon putting many of our members back to work. More updates will follow.”

UPDATE (Aug. 29, 2018) — The IUOE 302 strike continues. Daren Konopaski, International VP & Business Manager of IUOE 302, posted the following statement on Tuesday: “We met today with the Employers for the second time since the strike began.  Unfortunately, there was no change from the Employer’s position yesterday.  This is a serious situation and we are committed to coming to a resolution that will be approved by the membership.  To that end, we remain ready and available day or night.”

UPDATE (Aug. 28, 2018) — The IUOE 302 strike continues today. Konopaski posted the following statement on Monday: “We met today with the Employers for the first time since the strike began. The parties exchanged their positions in an effort to reach an agreement. The meeting was short because the Employers’ position has not changed from their last proposal. There are no scheduled negotiation dates but we offered our availability day or night.”

UPDATE (Aug. 27, 2018) — The strike continues. IUOE 302 reports picket actions are being well received… and are clearly communicating the resolve of the membership.” See the union’s statement from last Friday.

UPDATE (Aug. 23, 2018) — The Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 302 strike continues Thursday. The union is reminding its members and supporters that the strike excludes a number of job sites and contractors. Check the union’s website or call your union reps for more details.

UPDATE (Aug. 22, 2018) — The Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 302 strike continues Wednesday. Following is a statement posted late Tuesday by Konopaski:

The International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 302 is currently involved in a labor dispute relating to our wages, hours, and working conditions.

Local 302 is asserting our rights under the National Labor Relations Act to withhold our labor from contractors signatory to our Western WA AGC Master Labor Agreement. After months of negotiations our members voted down two tentative contract offers and have elected to withhold our labor and picket jobsites until a more agreeable offer is presented.

We appreciate the public interest and support of our efforts. The dispute over this agreement is between our members and the contractors signatory to it. We have a long standing relationship with the AGC and our contractors and we are hopeful a resolution will be reached soon.

BOTHELL (Aug. 21, 2018) — Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 302 working under the Western Washington Master Labor Agreement went on strike this morning at 6 a.m. after members voted to reject management’s latest contract proposal. The strike affects tower cranes, concrete pumpers, dirt work, pavers, hoisting and materials handlers, and other heavy equipment operators on job sites in the Puget Sound region from King County north to Whatcom County, the Olympic Peninsula, and Central Washington.

The union notes that the strike does NOT apply to Local 302 members who are working outside of the union’s Districts 1-4, working under a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) or Community Workforce Agreement (CWA); working for Skanska (which has a CBA with a different expiration schedule), and certain other specialized agreements. Local 302 members should monitor their union’s website for details and picket rules.

The following notice was posted at IUOE 302’s website on Monday:

The 2nd Tentative Agreement contract vote was counted today by the ballot committee and it was rejected by a majority of the membership that voted.

EFFECTIVE at 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 21, 2018, there will be an immediate economic stand down for all Western Washington Master Labor Agreement work.  This means that all members of Local 302 working under the Western Washington Master Labor Agreement are expected to withhold their labor, and not report to work, for the duration of the strike. You are to exit the job on your last shift, and it is imperative that all Local 302 hands comply with all safety protocols with regard to equipment and job site maintenance. Do not leave any job site before all safety protocols have been executed.