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Rain, rain go away!
TER
OVER
ROADWAY
Will it ever end?
OLD FARMER'S Almanac accurately predicted Last week's three-plus inches in North Mason proved
1999 edition that November through March that fact.
bring much wetter than normal conditions.
• Be00ah
Serving Belfair - Allyn - Grapeview - Tahuya - Mason Lake - South Shore - Victor
• Thursday, March 4, 1999
Section of the Shelton-Mason County Journal
Home Rule proposal
explained at open forum
By RICK STEDMAN
Several dozen enlightened citi-
zens left Theler Center last
Thursday, February 25, armed
with the knowledge that Home
Rule is a method of government
whereby citizens have a say in
how to run that government.
A majority of attendees at the
Home Rule open forum initially
thought the meeting - and the ef-
forts of a Home Rule initiative -
could result in changing the
Growth Management Act and re-
ducing taxes. Attorney Russ Aus-
tin clarified those misconceptions.
"The Growth Management Act
was implemented in 1990, and
that state law still takes prece-
dent," said the former state repre-
sentative from the 33rd District
who lives in Union. "But, by in-
creasing the number of county
commissioners and making it a
citizen's panel instead of a place
for career politicians, then those
running the government would be
more responsive to the people's
wishes, and taxes would certainly
fall into that category."
.THE MAIN REASON to
change, contends Austin, is to let
people have more say in their
government.
The forum was sponsored by a
steering committee called We,
The People of Mason County. To
get a Home Rule measure on the
November ballot, the group needs
to obtain signatures of 10 percent
of the number of voters in the last
election, or about 2,000 sig-
natures. According to We, The
People member Bill Quigley, Au-
gust 1 is the deadline for gather-
ing that number of signatures.
If the measure is presented to
voters this fall, they would not
only vote on adopting a Home
Rule form of government, but also
elect a group of freeholders to
draft the Home Rule Charter. The
Home Rule initiative would re-
quire a simple majority to pass.
Freeholders, on the other hand,
would take up to 18 months to
draft the charter, which would in-
clude selecting the number of
commissioners to run the govern-
ment.
Austin said the current three-
commissioner system in Mason
County is inadequate. Increasing
the number of commissioners will
allow for a broader base of repre-
sentation for Mason County resi-
dents, he said.
THE CURRENT commission-
ers are full-time employees. Un-
der Home Rule, commissioners
would serve on a part-time basis,
with one full-time administrator
running the day-to-day business.
"We have a huge leverage with
the number of retired people here
who wouldn't consider working
full time, but maybe on a part-
time basis," suggested Don Cady,
a member of We, The People.
Russ Austin echoed that senti-
ment. "I think it's a mistake to
pay so much to legislators that
they want to keep the job," he
said. "I don't think we ought to
encourage career politicians in
county government."
If the needed 2,000 signatures
are validated and the Home Rule
measure is approved in Novem-
ber, Mason County could feasibly
have a new form of government
within a year or two. "If we work
faster we can get it done faster,
maybe one year total," said Aus-
tin.
Quigley summarized Home
Rule by saying, "It's about in-
creasing citizens' involvement,
strengthening administrative ac-
countability, promoting better
communication, and creating a
renewed sense of trust between
citizens and local government."
contract in question:
eview bus drivers at impasse with school district
School District
drivers and school
have waged a two-
OVer a union security
with both sides en-
In their beliefs, this im-
surfaced to a pub-
Union security clause
• sch°ol bus drivers to
within 30 days of
or face termination.
only two bus drivers
Kepner, who has
district for 10
d Susan Friedlander,
for Grapeview for
cards of
1996 to join
Food and Commercial
381 (UFCW 381)
the same local that
drivers for North
District (NMSD).
TOO many employees
aCtured out of their
She explained
Years as the Grape-
has struggled finan-
have been various
Save money by com-
and eliminating
anyone who has
about forming a
been one of the
these cost-saving
Friedlander. She said
obs haven't al-
as school dis-
nor have the
ees always been
o, "in reality, those
jobs without due
drivers are weary of
based solely on
they know policy
any time at the
e School board. In fact,
sOae relevant policies
and others have
so their no-con-
Is of great concern to
nt job security,
believe a con-
Union can help them
to policy changes
Kepner and
that there has
in working
the process of
When a bus
someone needs to
raaintenance, and
added to the driv-
TO district
there is a field trip,
the regular drivers are to have
the first opportunity to take those
additional hours. Both these
tasks have recently been routine-
ly assigned to a substitute driver
without the regular drivers hav-
ing any chance to make those
runs, said Friedlander.
"During collective bargaining it
is an unfair labor practice charge
to change working conditions,"
said Bob Freimuth of UFCW 381.
But Kepner and Friedlander
have kept driving their buses. "I
love my job!" they both said si-
multaneously. "We both consider
the kids we drive to be our kids,"
said Friedlander. She added, "The
parents have become our friends,
too." Both drivers are mothers
themselves.
Jim Snyder, superintendent/
principal for Grapeview School
District, said the holdup on the
contract is union security. "I do
not see the board trying to keep
the union out. They [the board
members] don't want union secur-
ity," he said. He explained that
the board of directors does not
want to have to fire someone in
the future who chooses not to join
the union, and that would be re-
quired by the union security
clause.
"I DO NOT oppose the union,
but I am all for choice," Snyder
said. "They could have a contract
tomorrow if it were not for union
security being in there."
Willa Werner, director of trans-
portation for NMSD shared with
the Herald that their bus drivers
do have the union security clause,
and it is her belief that the choice
is available to potential drivers to
either accept the job with this
condition, or not take the job. She
said she had never seen it be a
problem for employees. "My job is
much easier because we do have a
contract. It is black and white,
and this is how we do it," she said
of having an explicit contract to
follow when there are any ques-
tions.
In a copy of the proposed
agreement between GSD and
UFCW 381, which has not been
adopted, one portion (which is
called the "union security clause")
reads:
"All employees covered by this
Agreement shall be required to
become and remain members of
the Union in good standing as a
condition of employment during
the term of this Agreement."
THE FOLLOWING sub-sec-
tion includes "Any employee who
is required hereunder to become,
or remain, a member of the
Union, but fails to do so by failing
to pay dues and initiation fees
uniformly required as a condition
of membership, shall be termi-
nated..."
(According to UFCW 381's
Freimuth, the initiation fee is
waived for members of a newly
forming unit, and is $150 to new
members thereafter. The monthly
dues are based on hourly wage
and for the current drivers, would
be $29 per month for 9 months of
the year.)
The negotiations began in
January 1997. School board mem-
ber June Hill and school secretary
Arlene Snyder (no relationship to
the superintendent) have nego-
tiated on behalf of the school dis-
trict. Ms. Snyder, a former bus
driver herself, had previously
held the part-time position of di-
rector of transportation. Since
Jim Snyder took over as Superin-
tendent in August 1998, he has
replaced the secretary in nego-
tiating with and supervising of
the drivers.
"No employee shall be required
to join the union, but all em-
ployees covered by this agree-
ment, who are or become mem-
bers of the union shall be re-
quired to remain members of the
union in good standing as a condi-
tion of employment..." Failure to
comply would result in termina-
tion, according to the clause. Hill
was willing to submit this propo-
sal to the full board.
WHEN THE SCHOOL board
rejected that compromise, the ne-
gotiations ceased. The drivers
were informed in September 1998
of the rejection. "We were
shocked!" exclaimed Friedlander.
They immediately withdrew the
so-called "June Hill Clause" they
said, and have reverted to seek-
ing the union security clause,
with no increase in pay or bene-
fits.
When reached for comment,
Arlene Snyder, who negotiated
for the school district for over a
year on this issue claimed to have
"no opinion" on the current state
of affairs.
HILL STATED THAT the
board has been together and una-
nimous in this decision, not be-
cause they have anything against
union's, but because they believe
it is up to each individual person
if they join or not. "It won't cost
us any money," she acknowl-
edged.
Hill said that although the
drivers do not have a contract,
they are working under school
district policy. She also claimed
that there has been no expendi-
ture of district money on the ne-
gotiating process. She said the
school secretary was not working
any overtime hours when she was
in the negotiating sessions. She
also said that the attorney who
had advised them works for the
Educational Service District 113,
and that GSD pays an annual fee
for those services, not based on
time spent.
Hill said she last met in nego-
tiations prior to the holidays, but
that in the past two months the
superintendent had been dealing
with the drivers. She also indicat-
ed, "The vote hasn't changed from
"IT IS JUST mind.boggling that the school would take something this
far that won't cost them anything. This clause is negotiated in, and can
be negotiated out. If members in the future don't wish it in their contract,
they can negotiate it out," he said. For now, the school district is denying
the bus drivers their freedom of choice by not allowing them to have the
union security they have requested."
- Bill Bokovay
Bargaining for the drivers have
been both Kepner and Friedlan-
der, along with Bill Bokovoy of
UFCW 381.
Proposed Contract
The two drivers say that they
took relevant, current policies,
plus some wording from the
NMSD drivers' contract, and
made their proposal. Over the
months of negotiating, the previ-
ous superintendent exited the
Grapeview School District. There
has been some turnover on the
board as well.
The drivers claim they bar-
gained away every point in nego-
tiations but union security. A me-
diator from the Public Employee
Relations Commission was
brought in to mediate in June
1998 for three sessions.
In August 1998, in an attempt
to please the board's negotiator
and end the process, the drivers
compromised and agreed with
what they dubbed the "June Hill
Clause," which reacl in part:
Board Member Positions
Board President Bob Love,
owner of a small business and a
former attorney, has been on the
board for about seven years. He
clarified that he is not a member
of the negotiating team. Love
then said he understood that
there was "agreement on every-
thing but union security." He ex-
plained the reason for rejecting
that issue by saying, "The board
has always taken a position of be-
ing neutral. We won't use the
board's authority to compel any-
one to join the union."
Board member and negotiator
Hill, who works for the state, said
of the lack of contract, "The only
thing that's holding it up is the
union safety clause." She elabo-
rated by saying, "We're not com-
fortable with the wording on it.
The board hasn't ever approved
that at school, and we're uncom-
fortable starting now. The teach-
er's union doesn't have union se-
curity."
the beginning. Several times we
have voted" to deny the union
safety clause.
None of these votes are on the
record, since they have occurred
in executive (closed) sessions of
the board• No action has been
taken in a public meeting.
LILIS NOGLER, A board
and a retired educator, said her
understanding of the holdup is
that "the union wants a closed
shop. If you are hired as a bus
driver, you must belong to the
union." She was unwilling to
speak on executive meeting dis-
cussions.
Don Torrey, a retired educator,
is the newest board member, hav-
ing served for less than a year.
Torrey stated, "We are involved
in good faith negotiations." He
considers the union security
clause a "discriminatory practice,"
he said, "and I don't like discrimi-
nation. I like choice."
Board member Roger Denny,
owner of a small business, is serv-
ing his first four-year term on the
board. When asked about the lack
of a bus driver contract, his state-
ment was, "Being it is still in ne-
gotiations, I do not care to com-
ment on that."
According to board president
Love, all the board positions ex-
cept his will be open for election
in the fall of 1999. His term ends
in 2001.
In addition to North Mason,
Shelton, Pioneer and Hood Canal
School Districts all have union
contracts for their bus drivers,
and all carry the union security
clause. No other districts were
contacted by the Herald.
Union Representatives
Paul Festag, spokesperson for
UFCW 381, said of the situation
at Grapeview, "The school ,board
is involved in political grand-
standing. We don't know if there
are hidden agendas there. The
union security clause effects driv-
ers only, not the school district in
any way. There is no fee to board
members nor the district,"
Festag also stated that the two
drivers "only want self-gover-
nance, and this should be their
decision• Why should it take over
two years to grant their desire?"
he asked. "This has taken time
away from public matters by the
public school, and is costing the
district money. The law allows
people to negotiate a contract. We
are investigating whether any
public servants on the board have
violated any of those laws."
Bill Bokovoy of UFCW 381,
shared information provided by
GSD indicating expenses for an
attorney from the law offices of
Curran, Klewena, and Johnson of
Kent was $945 for a hearing dur-
ing the original certification pro-
cess. That same office has been
paid $58.50 in miscellaneous
charges as well.
According to Superintendent
Snyder, the district secretary's
hours have been estimated at
"about 20 to 25 hours that she
spent with negotiation business.
This would place the cost in the
neighborhood of $300 to $350," he
said.
"IT IS JUST mind-boggling
that the school would take some-
thing this far that won't cost
them anything," said Bokovoy of
the union security clause. "This
clause is negotiated in, and can
be negotiated out. If members in
the future don't wish it in their
contract, they can negotiate it
out," he said. For now, he added,
"The school district is denying the
bus drivers their freedom of
choice by not allowing them to
have the union security they have
requested."
"They made us feel like little
kids," Friedlander said of the
school board's actions during the
lengthy process. The drivers
chose to go public with their
plight at the February school
board meeting. "We've stopped
being compliant," Friedlander de-
clared.
Principal
recoverinu
after suroe
Rodger DeBritz, principal of
Sand Hill Elementary School, is
recovering nicely from surgery
performed at Swedish Hospital in
Seattle on Wednesday, February
24.
Just three weeks after his ini-
tial diagnosis of colon cancer, De-
Britz underwent a colostomy. He
has chosen to be very open about
it because he did not want to wor-
ry his students over his extended
absence. He also wanted to en-
courage others who may have
symptoms, saying, "if there is any
doubt, see your doctor and get it
checked out."
Doctors indicated to DeBritz
that they got all of the tumor, and
that he can resume a normal life
soon. He looks forward to "snow
skiing, water skiing, swimming,
and everything else," he said re-
cently.
DeBritz is also looking forward
to eating steak, eggs, pizza and
other solid foods, and really looks
forward to going back to school. "I
miss the kids," he said. As of the
Herald's deadline, he hoped to be
home by Wednesday, March 3.
Roger DeBritz
mSmmm
Rain, rain go away!
TER
OVER
ROADWAY
Will it ever end?
OLD FARMER'S Almanac accurately predicted Last week's three-plus inches in North Mason proved
1999 edition that November through March that fact.
bring much wetter than normal conditions.
• Be00ah
Serving Belfair - Allyn - Grapeview - Tahuya - Mason Lake - South Shore - Victor
• Thursday, March 4, 1999
Section of the Shelton-Mason County Journal
Home Rule proposal
explained at open forum
By RICK STEDMAN
Several dozen enlightened citi-
zens left Theler Center last
Thursday, February 25, armed
with the knowledge that Home
Rule is a method of government
whereby citizens have a say in
how to run that government.
A majority of attendees at the
Home Rule open forum initially
thought the meeting - and the ef-
forts of a Home Rule initiative -
could result in changing the
Growth Management Act and re-
ducing taxes. Attorney Russ Aus-
tin clarified those misconceptions.
"The Growth Management Act
was implemented in 1990, and
that state law still takes prece-
dent," said the former state repre-
sentative from the 33rd District
who lives in Union. "But, by in-
creasing the number of county
commissioners and making it a
citizen's panel instead of a place
for career politicians, then those
running the government would be
more responsive to the people's
wishes, and taxes would certainly
fall into that category."
.THE MAIN REASON to
change, contends Austin, is to let
people have more say in their
government.
The forum was sponsored by a
steering committee called We,
The People of Mason County. To
get a Home Rule measure on the
November ballot, the group needs
to obtain signatures of 10 percent
of the number of voters in the last
election, or about 2,000 sig-
natures. According to We, The
People member Bill Quigley, Au-
gust 1 is the deadline for gather-
ing that number of signatures.
If the measure is presented to
voters this fall, they would not
only vote on adopting a Home
Rule form of government, but also
elect a group of freeholders to
draft the Home Rule Charter. The
Home Rule initiative would re-
quire a simple majority to pass.
Freeholders, on the other hand,
would take up to 18 months to
draft the charter, which would in-
clude selecting the number of
commissioners to run the govern-
ment.
Austin said the current three-
commissioner system in Mason
County is inadequate. Increasing
the number of commissioners will
allow for a broader base of repre-
sentation for Mason County resi-
dents, he said.
THE CURRENT commission-
ers are full-time employees. Un-
der Home Rule, commissioners
would serve on a part-time basis,
with one full-time administrator
running the day-to-day business.
"We have a huge leverage with
the number of retired people here
who wouldn't consider working
full time, but maybe on a part-
time basis," suggested Don Cady,
a member of We, The People.
Russ Austin echoed that senti-
ment. "I think it's a mistake to
pay so much to legislators that
they want to keep the job," he
said. "I don't think we ought to
encourage career politicians in
county government."
If the needed 2,000 signatures
are validated and the Home Rule
measure is approved in Novem-
ber, Mason County could feasibly
have a new form of government
within a year or two. "If we work
faster we can get it done faster,
maybe one year total," said Aus-
tin.
Quigley summarized Home
Rule by saying, "It's about in-
creasing citizens' involvement,
strengthening administrative ac-
countability, promoting better
communication, and creating a
renewed sense of trust between
citizens and local government."
contract in question:
eview bus drivers at impasse with school district
School District
drivers and school
have waged a two-
OVer a union security
with both sides en-
In their beliefs, this im-
surfaced to a pub-
Union security clause
• sch°ol bus drivers to
within 30 days of
or face termination.
only two bus drivers
Kepner, who has
district for 10
d Susan Friedlander,
for Grapeview for
cards of
1996 to join
Food and Commercial
381 (UFCW 381)
the same local that
drivers for North
District (NMSD).
TOO many employees
aCtured out of their
She explained
Years as the Grape-
has struggled finan-
have been various
Save money by com-
and eliminating
anyone who has
about forming a
been one of the
these cost-saving
Friedlander. She said
obs haven't al-
as school dis-
nor have the
ees always been
o, "in reality, those
jobs without due
drivers are weary of
based solely on
they know policy
any time at the
e School board. In fact,
sOae relevant policies
and others have
so their no-con-
Is of great concern to
nt job security,
believe a con-
Union can help them
to policy changes
Kepner and
that there has
in working
the process of
When a bus
someone needs to
raaintenance, and
added to the driv-
TO district
there is a field trip,
the regular drivers are to have
the first opportunity to take those
additional hours. Both these
tasks have recently been routine-
ly assigned to a substitute driver
without the regular drivers hav-
ing any chance to make those
runs, said Friedlander.
"During collective bargaining it
is an unfair labor practice charge
to change working conditions,"
said Bob Freimuth of UFCW 381.
But Kepner and Friedlander
have kept driving their buses. "I
love my job!" they both said si-
multaneously. "We both consider
the kids we drive to be our kids,"
said Friedlander. She added, "The
parents have become our friends,
too." Both drivers are mothers
themselves.
Jim Snyder, superintendent/
principal for Grapeview School
District, said the holdup on the
contract is union security. "I do
not see the board trying to keep
the union out. They [the board
members] don't want union secur-
ity," he said. He explained that
the board of directors does not
want to have to fire someone in
the future who chooses not to join
the union, and that would be re-
quired by the union security
clause.
"I DO NOT oppose the union,
but I am all for choice," Snyder
said. "They could have a contract
tomorrow if it were not for union
security being in there."
Willa Werner, director of trans-
portation for NMSD shared with
the Herald that their bus drivers
do have the union security clause,
and it is her belief that the choice
is available to potential drivers to
either accept the job with this
condition, or not take the job. She
said she had never seen it be a
problem for employees. "My job is
much easier because we do have a
contract. It is black and white,
and this is how we do it," she said
of having an explicit contract to
follow when there are any ques-
tions.
In a copy of the proposed
agreement between GSD and
UFCW 381, which has not been
adopted, one portion (which is
called the "union security clause")
reads:
"All employees covered by this
Agreement shall be required to
become and remain members of
the Union in good standing as a
condition of employment during
the term of this Agreement."
THE FOLLOWING sub-sec-
tion includes "Any employee who
is required hereunder to become,
or remain, a member of the
Union, but fails to do so by failing
to pay dues and initiation fees
uniformly required as a condition
of membership, shall be termi-
nated..."
(According to UFCW 381's
Freimuth, the initiation fee is
waived for members of a newly
forming unit, and is $150 to new
members thereafter. The monthly
dues are based on hourly wage
and for the current drivers, would
be $29 per month for 9 months of
the year.)
The negotiations began in
January 1997. School board mem-
ber June Hill and school secretary
Arlene Snyder (no relationship to
the superintendent) have nego-
tiated on behalf of the school dis-
trict. Ms. Snyder, a former bus
driver herself, had previously
held the part-time position of di-
rector of transportation. Since
Jim Snyder took over as Superin-
tendent in August 1998, he has
replaced the secretary in nego-
tiating with and supervising of
the drivers.
"No employee shall be required
to join the union, but all em-
ployees covered by this agree-
ment, who are or become mem-
bers of the union shall be re-
quired to remain members of the
union in good standing as a condi-
tion of employment..." Failure to
comply would result in termina-
tion, according to the clause. Hill
was willing to submit this propo-
sal to the full board.
WHEN THE SCHOOL board
rejected that compromise, the ne-
gotiations ceased. The drivers
were informed in September 1998
of the rejection. "We were
shocked!" exclaimed Friedlander.
They immediately withdrew the
so-called "June Hill Clause" they
said, and have reverted to seek-
ing the union security clause,
with no increase in pay or bene-
fits.
When reached for comment,
Arlene Snyder, who negotiated
for the school district for over a
year on this issue claimed to have
"no opinion" on the current state
of affairs.
HILL STATED THAT the
board has been together and una-
nimous in this decision, not be-
cause they have anything against
union's, but because they believe
it is up to each individual person
if they join or not. "It won't cost
us any money," she acknowl-
edged.
Hill said that although the
drivers do not have a contract,
they are working under school
district policy. She also claimed
that there has been no expendi-
ture of district money on the ne-
gotiating process. She said the
school secretary was not working
any overtime hours when she was
in the negotiating sessions. She
also said that the attorney who
had advised them works for the
Educational Service District 113,
and that GSD pays an annual fee
for those services, not based on
time spent.
Hill said she last met in nego-
tiations prior to the holidays, but
that in the past two months the
superintendent had been dealing
with the drivers. She also indicat-
ed, "The vote hasn't changed from
"IT IS JUST mind.boggling that the school would take something this
far that won't cost them anything. This clause is negotiated in, and can
be negotiated out. If members in the future don't wish it in their contract,
they can negotiate it out," he said. For now, the school district is denying
the bus drivers their freedom of choice by not allowing them to have the
union security they have requested."
- Bill Bokovay
Bargaining for the drivers have
been both Kepner and Friedlan-
der, along with Bill Bokovoy of
UFCW 381.
Proposed Contract
The two drivers say that they
took relevant, current policies,
plus some wording from the
NMSD drivers' contract, and
made their proposal. Over the
months of negotiating, the previ-
ous superintendent exited the
Grapeview School District. There
has been some turnover on the
board as well.
The drivers claim they bar-
gained away every point in nego-
tiations but union security. A me-
diator from the Public Employee
Relations Commission was
brought in to mediate in June
1998 for three sessions.
In August 1998, in an attempt
to please the board's negotiator
and end the process, the drivers
compromised and agreed with
what they dubbed the "June Hill
Clause," which reacl in part:
Board Member Positions
Board President Bob Love,
owner of a small business and a
former attorney, has been on the
board for about seven years. He
clarified that he is not a member
of the negotiating team. Love
then said he understood that
there was "agreement on every-
thing but union security." He ex-
plained the reason for rejecting
that issue by saying, "The board
has always taken a position of be-
ing neutral. We won't use the
board's authority to compel any-
one to join the union."
Board member and negotiator
Hill, who works for the state, said
of the lack of contract, "The only
thing that's holding it up is the
union safety clause." She elabo-
rated by saying, "We're not com-
fortable with the wording on it.
The board hasn't ever approved
that at school, and we're uncom-
fortable starting now. The teach-
er's union doesn't have union se-
curity."
the beginning. Several times we
have voted" to deny the union
safety clause.
None of these votes are on the
record, since they have occurred
in executive (closed) sessions of
the board• No action has been
taken in a public meeting.
LILIS NOGLER, A board
and a retired educator, said her
understanding of the holdup is
that "the union wants a closed
shop. If you are hired as a bus
driver, you must belong to the
union." She was unwilling to
speak on executive meeting dis-
cussions.
Don Torrey, a retired educator,
is the newest board member, hav-
ing served for less than a year.
Torrey stated, "We are involved
in good faith negotiations." He
considers the union security
clause a "discriminatory practice,"
he said, "and I don't like discrimi-
nation. I like choice."
Board member Roger Denny,
owner of a small business, is serv-
ing his first four-year term on the
board. When asked about the lack
of a bus driver contract, his state-
ment was, "Being it is still in ne-
gotiations, I do not care to com-
ment on that."
According to board president
Love, all the board positions ex-
cept his will be open for election
in the fall of 1999. His term ends
in 2001.
In addition to North Mason,
Shelton, Pioneer and Hood Canal
School Districts all have union
contracts for their bus drivers,
and all carry the union security
clause. No other districts were
contacted by the Herald.
Union Representatives
Paul Festag, spokesperson for
UFCW 381, said of the situation
at Grapeview, "The school ,board
is involved in political grand-
standing. We don't know if there
are hidden agendas there. The
union security clause effects driv-
ers only, not the school district in
any way. There is no fee to board
members nor the district,"
Festag also stated that the two
drivers "only want self-gover-
nance, and this should be their
decision• Why should it take over
two years to grant their desire?"
he asked. "This has taken time
away from public matters by the
public school, and is costing the
district money. The law allows
people to negotiate a contract. We
are investigating whether any
public servants on the board have
violated any of those laws."
Bill Bokovoy of UFCW 381,
shared information provided by
GSD indicating expenses for an
attorney from the law offices of
Curran, Klewena, and Johnson of
Kent was $945 for a hearing dur-
ing the original certification pro-
cess. That same office has been
paid $58.50 in miscellaneous
charges as well.
According to Superintendent
Snyder, the district secretary's
hours have been estimated at
"about 20 to 25 hours that she
spent with negotiation business.
This would place the cost in the
neighborhood of $300 to $350," he
said.
"IT IS JUST mind-boggling
that the school would take some-
thing this far that won't cost
them anything," said Bokovoy of
the union security clause. "This
clause is negotiated in, and can
be negotiated out. If members in
the future don't wish it in their
contract, they can negotiate it
out," he said. For now, he added,
"The school district is denying the
bus drivers their freedom of
choice by not allowing them to
have the union security they have
requested."
"They made us feel like little
kids," Friedlander said of the
school board's actions during the
lengthy process. The drivers
chose to go public with their
plight at the February school
board meeting. "We've stopped
being compliant," Friedlander de-
clared.
Principal
recoverinu
after suroe
Rodger DeBritz, principal of
Sand Hill Elementary School, is
recovering nicely from surgery
performed at Swedish Hospital in
Seattle on Wednesday, February
24.
Just three weeks after his ini-
tial diagnosis of colon cancer, De-
Britz underwent a colostomy. He
has chosen to be very open about
it because he did not want to wor-
ry his students over his extended
absence. He also wanted to en-
courage others who may have
symptoms, saying, "if there is any
doubt, see your doctor and get it
checked out."
Doctors indicated to DeBritz
that they got all of the tumor, and
that he can resume a normal life
soon. He looks forward to "snow
skiing, water skiing, swimming,
and everything else," he said re-
cently.
DeBritz is also looking forward
to eating steak, eggs, pizza and
other solid foods, and really looks
forward to going back to school. "I
miss the kids," he said. As of the
Herald's deadline, he hoped to be
home by Wednesday, March 3.
Roger DeBritz
mSmmm