City hires law firm for labor union talks

WASILLA — The city is looking for extra help to navigate its negotiations with unions representing Wasilla employees.

Wasilla City Council has given the green light for Mayor Dianne M. Keller to sign a contract with the Geariety Law Office for negotiation services. The contract is estimated to reach no more than $100,000. Kimberly Geariety will serve as the head negotiator for the city.

City workers were cleared to consider unionization after voters approved Wasilla Proposition 1 last November. That abolished the city’s former meet-and-confer system of dealing with employee grievances and issues.

Geariety is on board as Wasilla prepares for negotions with the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302 representing the city’s Public Works Department employees.

Wasilla City Attorney Tom Klinkner said retaining the services of Geariety is a well-played move considering her experience.

“Mrs. Geariety is a specialist in labor relations matters,” he said.

Klinkner said it’s somewhat common for a small organization like Wasilla to hire a consultant to handle union negotiations. Without having staff members with extensive experience in labor relations, organizations often turn to knowledgeable businesses to take the lead.

Mayor Keller said she is confident Geariety will provide the knowledge and experience to get the job done right and in a timely manner.

“She has the Alaskan experience and she came highly recommended from our attorney,” Keller said.

Not only does Geariety have experience, but Keller said she has handled negations similar to what the city is looking to enter. In fact, she recently served as a labor negotiator for Sitka. With that in mind, Keller is hoping for the best possible outcome.

“We hope that we can negotiate a contract that’s fair for all parties involved,” Keller said.

Jean Ward, a hearing officer with the Alaska Labor Relations Agency, said the Wasilla Public Works Department was the first city department to vote for unionization in early February. After a 13-2 vote, employees decided to be represented by International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302.

Ward said the employees of the Wasilla Multi-Use Complex also decided to unionize by a vote of 5-1. The union representing the sports complex employees is the Laborers Local Union 341. Wasilla’s Public Safety Department employees have not yet voted on unionization. If they decide to unionize, they will choose either the Public Safety Employees Association Local 803 or Teamsters Local 959 for representation.

Contact Chris Gillow at chris.gillow@frontiersman.com or 352-2284.