WPYR, union continue contract talks

(Continued from front page)

“However, we do not think it is appropriate to comment to the media on the mediation process at this time,” Rose said.

Eventually, SMART-TD believed the negotiations were at an impasse and contacted the U.S. National Mediation Board (NMB) to begin the mediation process.

The two parties were assigned federal mediator Gerry McGurkin by NMB. The groups met with McGurkin (who attends the sessions remotely) in May, June, and most recently June 30 into July 1. Additional sessions for July and August are scheduled.

Guiler notes that unlike regular bargaining, talking points are all back on the table for discussion in mediation.

“But the reality of it is, is that when the contract is up for a discussion, especially now that it’s in mediation, everything’s on the table until none of it is,” Guiler said. A strike vote by the union members gives the leadership the go ahead to call a work stoppage, but there is a regulated series of events that need to occur before that can happen.

First, mediation continues until the mediator determines that the parties are not able to come together for an

Parade agreement. In this case, McGurkin would seek formal approval for a release from mediation by the NMB. The three-member board appointed by the president of the United States must agree by at least a two-thirds vote that the parties have mediated with effort and good faith.

At the point of release from mediation, the parties are released to take action, but only after a mandatory 30-day cooling off period – a time where both parties are not able to strike or take action. For example, if a release is requested and approved on July 31, the 30day cooling off period would end on August 30. No strike by the union or changes to the status quo by the railroad can occur until August 30.

It is not clear as to how long it takes between the mediator’s request to NMB to when the release from mediation is granted.

At the end of the cooling off period, the union has a right to strike against the company and the company has the right to create work rules – which most often results in maintaining the current contract. WPYR could also hire workers who are willing to cross the picket line.

Arbitration is usually the final attempt to resolve la- bor disputes or negotiations. Parties bring their offers, discussions and defense to an impartial third-party who designs a binding resolution. Either side may request arbitration. Under the RLA, if both sides agree to arbitration, the results are binding.

Earlier this year, WPYR and the Teamsters signed a tentative agreement giving other WPYR employees a three-year contract. Those negotiations became complicated with the company’s abolishment of some positions, leaving several longtime railroad employees without a job. The issue eventually went to binding arbitration resulting in a ruling that favored WPYR’s staffing decisions.

According to Guiler, the parties will meet again without mediation on July 21. This story was originally published on our website July 6.

FY23 NOTICE TO TAXPAYER (AS 29.45.020)

For the current fiscal year the Municipality of Skagway has been allocated the following amount of state aid for school and municipal purposes under the applicable financial assistance Acts:

PUBLIC SCHOOL FOUNDATION PROGRAM ASSISTANCE (AS 14.17) $1,456,803

STATE AID FOR RETIREMENT OF SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION DEBT (AS 14.11.100) $0 $344,268

COMMUNITY REVENUE SHARING PROGRAM (AS 29.60.850‐29.60.879)

TOTAL AID $1,801,071

The millage equivalent of this state aid, based on the dollar value of a mill in the municipality during the current assessment year and for the preceding assessment year, is:

MILLAGE EQUIVALENT

LAST YEARTHIS YEAR

PUBLIC SCHOOL FOUNDATION

PROGRAM ASSISTANCE

STATE AID FOR RETIREMENT OF SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION DEBT

COMMUNITY REVENUE

SHARING PROGRAM

TOTAL MILLAGE EQUIVALENT

3.09MILLS3.52MILLS 0.00MILLS0.00MILLS

0.73MILLS0.83MILLS 3.82 MILLS 4.35 MILLS

6/2016

By Gretchen Wehmhoff

It’s been awhile since I’ve stood in the feminine products aisle. There I was, on a mission for my 14-year-old granddaughter. She used the words “ultra” and “thin.” Did she mean ultra light or ultra heavy? Was it thin liners or super thin liners?

I stared at words I recognized from years ago before my dream finally came true (menopause). There were so many choices for comfort, for the environment. I settled on a mixed package of tampons and light liners.

Ultimately, I got the wrong stuff and took Alivia

June 22

(she insists I use her name now instead of the generic granddaughter) and her friend to get what she wanted. I snapped a picture of the boxes for future reference.

You think I’d have a clue, but I’m also bad at buying doughnuts. I can’t eat doughnuts, so I usually settle for the pretty ones or the ones covered in frosting. Same thing with pizza. If you send me for pizza – another food I don’t eat – you had better be specific or everyone is getting pepperoni. Not because I figure it might be a tasty choice, but because I like saying the word – pepperoni, peppaROWneeee, PEParoni. It’s a great word.

During childhood when Mom or Dad said, “someone go downstairs and pick a package of vegetables from the freezer,” my siblings learned they should get down there or they would be eating lima beans and Brussels sprouts. I always brought

-Dispatch contacted the clinic on duty provider twice.

-A pair of binoculars were reported lost.

-A lost wallet was reported.

-Police personnel responded to a report of loud music.

June 23

-A passport card was reported lost.

-A pair of lost glasses were reunited with their owner.

-A lost wallet was reported.

-Police responded to a report of marijuana use in public.

-Fire department performed a successful search and rescue for a hiker lost on AB Mountain.

-Police responded to a noise complaint.

June 24

-Fire personnel responded to an EWS Fire Alarm.

-Dispatch contacted the on duty provider twice.

-Fire personnel assisted with two separate scheduled medevacs.

-Fire personnel responded to a medical emergency.

-A lost necklace was reported.

June 25

-Police personnel responded to a report of a suspicious person.

-Police responded to a report of an open door at a downtown business.

-Dispatch contacted the on duty provider twice.

June 26

-A found credit card was turned in to up lima beans or Brussels sprouts. Not because I liked them, but I knew my sister and brother didn’t. I’d bring a package up and feign undying love for the frozen treats until I no longer had to fetch them.

I come by my decision making strategies honestly –sort of.

Dad spent a great deal of time making decisions when he shopped for us. Thirty or more years ago my sister, Karen, and her husband were suffering from the flu, so Dad bought one of every cold or flu medication on the shelf because he wasn’t sure what they wanted. He didn’t want to disappoint. He also bought every flavor of jello so they had something to eat, two flavors at a time were in the refrigerator – for variety, of course.

Karen said his philosophy was basically, if in doubt, buy one of everything.

Years before getting mar- dispatch.

-Fire personnel assisted with two separate scheduled medevacs.

-Police assisted with a vehicle lock-out.

-Fire personnel responded to an EWS Fire Alarm.

-Fire personnel responded to a medical emergency.

June 27

-Fire personnel responded to a medical emergency.

-Police assisted with a vehicle lock-out.

June 28

-Fire personnel assisted with two separate scheduled medevacs.

-Police responded to an animal complaint.

-A missing husband was reported and later located.

-Dispatch contacted the on duty provider.

-Police assisted with a vehicle lock-out.

-Dispatch received multiple reports of smoke in the valley. It was found to be a result of the incinerator.

June 29

-Dispatch contacted the on duty provider.

-Fire personnel responded to a medical emergency.

-Dispatch received a report of a lost boat manual book.

June 30

-Fire personnel assisted with two separate scheduled medevacs.

-Dispatch contacted the on duty provider.

July 1

-Police personnel responded to a re- ried, when home on college break, she needed tampons. We wrote shopping needs on the paper attached to the magnetic clip on the refrigerator. Karen added tampons to the list.

Dad came home from the store after what must have been a grueling time in the feminine products aisle. And of course, because he wasn’t sure what she wanted, he bought one of everything.

Karen’s friend Harry was visiting. Once things were hauled into the house and up the stairs, Dad called for Karen’s attention. He proceeded to pull a series of tampon products out of a paper bag and toss each on the table as he espoused the product’s unique benefits, often comparing them to the others already set out. “These have plastic applicators, these are cardboard. These are for heavy days, these for lighter days and I thought you might like these ....” port of vandalism.

-Dispatch contacted the on duty provider three times.

July 2

-Dispatch contacted the on duty provider three times.

-A lost wallet was reported and later reunited with its owner.

July 3

-A lost debit card was turned in to dispatch.

-Police responded to two separate civil disputes.

-Police assisted with a vehicle lock-out.

-Dispatch received a report of a fight. Police personnel were unable to locate.

July 4

-Dispatch contacted the on duty provider four times.

-A lost camera was reunited with its owner.

-A lost purse reunited with its owner.

-A lost grandfather and grandson were reunited with the rest of their family.

-Police personnel responded to a report of a vehicle stuck in Dyea.

July 5

-Fire personnel assisted with a scheduled medevac.

-A set of lost keys reported.

-A lost credit card was reported.

July 6

-Fire personnel responded to a medical emergency.

-Fire personnel assisted with a scheduled medevac.

-Dispatch contacted the on duty provider.

Karen said Mom was doubled over with laughter on the other side of the room.

I’m sure Karen’s friend, Harry, was amused. I’m not sure if Karen was at the time.

Karen said she didn’t have to buy tampons for years.

I asked her if I could tell the story. She enjoys the humor in this tale and gave me her blessing.

It surprised me, however, when I asked Alivia if I could mention the tampon shopping incident from earlier in the week. Her face lit up and, with a wide grin, she turned to her visiting friends.

“Nammers is going to write about my period.”

“Are you sure you want me to use your name,” I verified. She nodded, then followed her friends out the door.

“And I’m going to be famous!” she exclaimed.

Yep.

-Police responded to a noise complaint.

July 7

-An iPhone in a blue-black case was reported lost.

-Fire personnel responded to a medical emergency.

-Fire personnel assisted with a scheduled medevac.

-Two lost juveniles were reunited with their parents.

July 8

-Dispatch contacted the on duty provider three times.

A blue iPhone with pink case was reported lost. Officers assisted in locating but were unsuccessful.

July 9

-Fire personnel responded to three separate medical emergencies.

-Dispatch contacted the on duty provider twice.

-A lost green iPhone with a clear case was reported.

-A lost dog was reunited with its owner.

-Police responded to a noise complaint.

-Dispatch was able to guide a lost hiker back to the path.

July 10

-Fire personnel responded to three separate medical emergencies.

-Fire personnel assisted with two separate scheduled medevacs.

-Police personnel performed a welfare check.

AMHS may stop some ferries due to labor short-

By James Brooks Alaskabeacon.com

The Alaska Marine Highway System may have to stop some sailings next week as the state ferry system’s hiring woes continue through the peak summer travel season, its top official said Friday.

“We’re at risk of shutting the Hubbard down this next week because we can’t get another licensed engineer onboard,” AMHS director Craig Tornga told the ferry system’s operations board.

The Hubbard is scheduled to sail between Haines, Skagway and Juneau on six days between July 16 and July 22.

This summer, Alaska’s ferry system is running only six of its nine available ships; two have been laid up for mechanical work, and the oceangoing ferry Kennicott has been sidelined because there aren’t enough trained crew to operate it.

“The only reason we have six operating (ships) is be- cause of the willingness of crews to work over (their scheduled breaks),” Tornga said. “We actually don’t have enough for the six.”

The ferry system’s hiring woes are the result of a combination of factors, including a global shortage of maritime workers and problems on the state side. Among the biggest issues is a flawed payroll system, which Tornga said has left some ferry workers’ pay delayed.

“AMHS as a whole still has some serious payroll issues going on, which is hampering our ability to recruit and keep people,” said Capt. Keith Hillard, a member of the ferry system’s operations board.

The local union hall of the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association is urging members to not sign with the ferry system, Tornga said, because of those payroll delays.

A national MEBA official did not immediately answer an inquiry on Friday.

“Payroll is a real problem for us. DOT is trying to stand up payroll for the department, and we can’t have it soon enough. It’s really hurting us,” Tornga said.

In May 2022, 60% of the ferry system’s jobs were vacant, the highest vacancy rate among any state agency.

On Friday, Tornga said the agency was “full” on entry-level positions aboard ships but is continuing to suffer shortages among licensed positions.

Ten of the system’s 80 wheelhouse jobs are vacant, as are 36 of the 122 engine-room positions. Among positions for able seamen, 12 of 58 jobs are vacant.

Tornga and members of the ferry board noted that competition for licensed mari-