Monday, August 14, 2017

Anchorage Jury Sides With Firefighter Against Municipality of Anchorage

Thursday afternoon, August 12, 2017 an Anchorage jury found that the Municipality of Anchorage caused harm to firefighter Jeff Graham by violating the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.  They also found that the MOA caused harm to Jeff Graham by violating the implied promise of good faith and fair dealing in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.   The case stems from AFD promotional exams that Graham complained were biased and unfair.

The plaintiff’s economics expert had put the damages at $1.7 million.  The MOA’s expert had put the damages at $200,000.  The jury’s award was closer to the latter - a little over three times the MOA estimate and about one-third of the plaintiff’s estimate.  

The trial began on July 17 and the jury began deliberations on Tuesday August 10.  

9 comments:

  1. Are these the same firefighters that were supposed to be replaced by less experienced and thereby cheaper replacements? If memory serves, Jeanne Devon @ mudflats.net covered this as part of the right wing remake of city government. My apologies of my memory is wrong.

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    1. Mike, thanks for leaving a note. I'm not sure about the events you're talking about. I know the previous mayor let the police department dip below normal levels.

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  2. Steve, this is from Ms Devon back in 2013 as regards collective bargaining and stuff with Anchorage city employees.

    http://www.themudflats.net/archives/36272

    If we're talking Mayor Sullivan, I personally believe he was trying to Kansas his city.

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    1. I'm getting this from the link: "Error establishing a database connection"

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    2. I had trouble with the link today, but it worked the second time I pasted it( I tried a number of times.)

      If it helps, the original collective bargaining ordinance Sullivan brought forth was AO 37- here is a small sample - There is no doubt that the issue of Ordinance 37, which would radically alter the collective bargaining rights, and benefits of city workers, has hit Alaskans close to home. Longevity and performance bonuses, the right to strike, binding arbitration, and who exactly will decide the outcome of contract negotiations all hang in the balance.

      I am guessing this is what you have going here in your post.

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  3. Here is what Ballotpedia had to say about AO 37-

    https://ballotpedia.org/City_of_Anchorage_Ordinance_37_%22Responsible_Labor_Act%22_Veto_Referendum_(November_2014)


    I know the city council passed it, but it may have been voted down by citizens as a referendum.

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    1. Ah, if you had said AO 37 the first time round, I would have known what you were talking about. It was aimed at more than fire fighters.

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    2. My apologies. I couldn't remember how it all started and had to go do some archive snooping.

      I pinkie swear to do better in the future. :)

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