Alaska Employment Law

Homer Elect. Ass’n & IBEW Local 1547: Arbitrator Robert Landau held that HEA violated the Working Rules in the Outside Agreement when it allowed a substation technician to test a voltage regulator outside the presence of a journeyman lineman.  Landau relied on bargaining history.

124 LA 696 (Nov. 2, 2007)

In-house counsel Bill Wielechowski represented the Local.  Donald Ellis of Kemppel Huffman & Ellis represented HEA.

City of Tacoma & Tacoma Police Union Local 6:  Robert Landau found that the City violated the CBA when it didn’t pay a shift differential to police officers who volunteered to work on swing or night shifts.   The CBA provided that overtime should be based on the officers’ “regular rate of pay.”   Landau relied, in part, on the FLSA definition of “regular rate of pay,” which includes shift incentives or differentials. 

124 LA 642 (Oct. 26, 2007)

Alaska Airlines & Ass’n of Flight Attendants:  Arbitrator Gil Vernon held that Alaska Airlines did not violate the CBA when it provided lower insurance benefits to retired flight attendants than to either active flight attendants or active pilots.  Vernon found the contract language ambiguous, and then relied on the parties’ practice since 2002.

124 LA 512 (Sept. 6, 2007)