Some Get Extra Gift Of Holiday Dec. 26 A Day Off For Many At Courthouse, But Not For All

Santa isn’t bringing an extra gift for every Spokane County employee.

Only for those whose unions have been very, very good - at contract negotiations. And for those who have no union at all.

Last month, President Clinton declared the day after Christmas a federal holiday. Wording in many of Spokane County’s 18 union contracts gives employees a holiday whenever federal workers get one. If they must work, those union employees who are guaranteed a holiday will earn double time and a half.

But Gov. Gary Locke has decided not to declare a state holiday on Dec. 26. Under state law, that means the county courthouse must remain open and staffed.

And, of course, the streets must be policed and inmates must be guarded at the jail.

Commissioners, who last month discussed giving everyone the day off, decided Monday that union workers who aren’t guaranteed a holiday will cover for those who are. They won’t earn extra pay.

Nonunion workers can take a holiday either on Dec. 26 or some other day before the end of the year, commissioners decided.

Gary Carlsen, the county’s labor relations manager, didn’t return telephone messages Tuesday, and it’s not clear how many union workers get the holiday. But jailers and sheriff’s deputies aren’t among them.

Commissioner Kate McCaslin said she would have liked to have done something for all employees. But Clinton’s and Locke’s actions prevented that, she said, by forcing the county to give some employees a day off and requiring others to work.

McCaslin said the unequal treatment of union employees illustrates why contracts should be standard. But, she said, the county has no obligation to go beyond the bounds of the contracts if doing so would mean paying extra wages on the holidays.

“I can’t help what the unions have negotiated in the past,” she said.

, DataTimes