03/11/2004 03:35 PM Senate STA

          SB 346-MONETARY TERMS: MASTERS/MATES/PILOTS                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GARY STEVENS announced SB 346 to be up for consideration.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR BERT  STEDMAN, bill sponsor,  read the title of  the bill                                                               
and paraphrased from the sponsor statement saying:                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     The  intention  is  to reaffirm  our  support  for  the                                                                    
     organization  of   masters,  mates  and   pilots.  [The                                                                    
     organization]  is  a  vital  component  to  the  Alaska                                                                    
     transportation  system.   The  organization  represents                                                                    
     licensed deck officers, state  pilots, and other marine                                                                    
     personnel  employed   by  the  Alaska   Marine  Highway                                                                    
     System.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     This   bill  approves   the  monetary   terms  of   the                                                                    
     collective  bargaining  agreement  the  state  recently                                                                    
     concluded  with  the  masters, mates  and  pilots.  The                                                                    
     union's contract  with the state expired  last July and                                                                    
     they have been operating without one.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Now the  parties have  agreed and  the new  contract is                                                                    
     retroactive  to  January  1  and  the  money  is  still                                                                    
     available.  However, since  this is  technically a  new                                                                    
     contract, the Legislature must approve the terms.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     I want to  get the terms of this  agreement approved by                                                                    
     the  Legislature as  quickly  as  possible. The  Alaska                                                                    
     Marine Highway provides  a critical transportation link                                                                    
     not only in  my district in Southeast  Alaska, but also                                                                    
     between outlying coastal areas  and the Interior of the                                                                    
     state. The  waters of coastal  Alaska are  fraught with                                                                    
     danger  and  operating our  marine  highway  in a  safe                                                                    
     manner is no small task.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     The  ferry  brings  millions   of  dollars  in  tourism                                                                    
     revenue in both coastal and Interior cities.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GARY STEVENS asked Mr. Jardell if he had any comments.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KEVIN    JARDELL,   assistant    commissioner,   Department    of                                                               
Administration,    said   the    administration   supports    the                                                               
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
There were no further questions.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GARY STEVENS asked for a motion.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR STEDMAN made a motion to move SB 346 from committee with                                                                
individual recommendations and attached zero fiscal note. There                                                                 
being no objection, it was so ordered.