Local 1857
Local 1857 consists of three bargaining units representing approximately 1,000 King County Library System employees. The Local has its own constitution, holds regular membership meetings, and elects its own officers from the membership.
King County Library System workers initially organized in 2000 and were certified by PERC in December of 2002. This unit represents non-supervisory and non-Page staff in the libraries, as well as a wide range of classifications at MDS and Service Center, and is usually referred to as the Main Unit, as it was the first bargaining unit in the Local. The first Main Unit contract was signed in September of 2004.
The Library Pages organized in 2007 and were certified as a bargaining unit in June of 2008. Their first contract was signed in 2008.
The Maintenance Workers in the Facilities department were the first to organize with AFSCME/Council 2 in the early 1990s, and the first unionized employees at KCLS. Originally organized as Local 1652-LM, in 2006 they voted to disband their local and become part of Local 1857.
Constitution
The Local 1857 constitution outlines membership, meeting structure, officer duties, and standing committees. The constitution may be amended, revised, or otherwise changed by a majority vote of the members voting on such proposed change and such change shall take effect only upon written approval of the AFSCME International President.
Local 1857 Constitution Final Revised 2016
Union Structure
WSCCCE – Council 2
Local unions pool resources to form a more powerful voice on issues affecting members, called a Council. Councils organize workers, negotiate contracts, assist with grievances, arbitrate, educate, provide public relations, and work on legislative and political action.
Local 1857 is a member of Council 2, the Washington State Council of County and City Employees. WSCCCE represents more than 16,000 employees who provide services to the citizens of Washington State. The Executive Board, or governing body of Council 2, is comprised of a democratically elected President, Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer, and elected Board members from nine Washington State districts.
Council 2 assigns a Staff Representative to work with Local 1857. This position facilitates the Local’s contract negotiations, and participates in Labor/Management, membership, and Executive Board meetings.
AFSCME
The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees International Union, headquartered in Washington, DC, coordinates the union’s actions on major national issues such as privatization, health care, Social Security, fair taxes and worker safety. AFSCME has approximately 1.6 million members, 3,400 locals, and 58 councils and affiliates in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
The International carries out certain national functions such as representing members to the U.S. Congress, coordinating political activities for federal elections, and communicating the union’s message across the country. AFSCME also provides resources to councils and local unions for organizing, bargaining, political action and education, and administers members-only benefits. Every two years, delegates to AFSCME’s International Convention decide on the union’s basic policies.
Every four years they elect the International Union’s President, Secretary-Treasurer and 35 regional vice presidents.
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations is the voluntary federation of 57 national and international labor unions (including AFSCME), representing more than 11.5 million people. The mission of the AFL-CIO is to improve the lives of working families by bringing economic justice to the workplace and social justice to our nation.