Avista fights labor ruling

Whether Avista Utilities crew dispatchers qualify as supervisors will be decided by the National Labor Relations Board, once that labor-regulating body fills vacancies on its panel.

A Seattle NLRB regional director recently ruled in favor of a Spokane local that argued that dispatchers are not supervisors and can join the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).

The Spokane-based power utility has more than 350,000 customers. It employs 10 dispatchers who work inside a central dispatch center that responds to outages. Their job is to monitor events and decide who to send into the field.

Following the Seattle ruling, Avista attorneys persuaded the full NLRB in Washington, D.C., to review the case. No date for that review has been set.

The NLRB normally has five board members. At present three of the seats are vacant awaiting confirmation of new members appointed by the Obama administration.

A representative from Spokane’s IBEW Local 77 said the Avista dispatchers have petitioned that group for representation. The IBEW represents more than 600 other Avista workers.

In ruling the dispatchers are eligible to join a union, the Seattle regional director said utility dispatchers do assign workers to respond to problems but they do not supervise that work.

In appealing that decision, Avista attorneys argued dispatchers have significant authority and exercise independent judgment when dealing with complex problems.

Attorneys familiar with NLRB actions said the Avista appeal won’t be scheduled for review until the board grows to at least four members.