Deschutes Workers Rally as Contract Expires
With over $1 million worth of sought-after cost-of-living raises just one of several issues, Deschutes County employees locked in negotiations as their contract expires held an informational-picketing rally Thursday outside the county offices in downtown Bend.
“What do we want? Contract! When do we want it? Now!” the chant went up, some times accompanied by tweets on a whistle. Later, “They say ‘give back’ — we say ‘fight back!'” — and “Fairness, now!”
“We are the union — mighty, mighty union,” they sang.
Leading the rally was Fawn Miller, an employee of the county Health Department. She’s part of a labor dispute that could cost Deschutes County some serious money.
“A 4.5 percent COLA for AFSCME would cost the county over $1 million,” said County Administrator Dave Kanner.
The American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees or AFSCME for short, represents over 300 county employees. Their contract was set to expires Thursday at midnight.
“Our jobs that we do are important to the public,” Miller said.
The doors won’t be shut Friday. Employees like Miller will keep working, even without a contract, as talks continue.
“We just want to be treated fairly,” said Miller.
What’s fair is a matter of opinion. One of the union’s proposals is a 3 to 4.5 percent cost-of-living raise.
The county is saying that in the tough economic climate, it should be zero for the next year.
“As a public entity, our compensation packages, I think, do need to reflect what’s going on in our larger community,” said Kanner.
Miller said, “We understand the economic times, and we’re willing to work with it, but all we seem to be getting is stonewalled, and — no.”
County employee Geri Hauser said in a KTVZ.COM posting that the raise issue is not at the top of their list — “We are sensitive to the issues facing our economy. In our negotiations, we are not even close to bargaining the COLA.”
“We are asking for the language in our contract that is equitable to what other local unions already have in their contracts,” Hauser wrote. “Simple issues regarding use of leave time, fairness for workers in 24/7 crisis facilities, etc.”
Another worker said the county “wants to significantly increase our insurance cost and for us to give up our COLA and annual raise. If money is an issue, maybe management should take pay cuts since they make so much.”
“We asked for better contract language, more rights and for things to be fair, which include layoffs,” the writer said, adding that the county negotiators “said no to everything and want to decrease our grievance rights.”
Miller says its possible she would give up her raise. But it has to come in combination with with adjustments to health care costs and other benefits.
That leaves both sides heading back to the negotiating table.
The county is seeking another five-year contract, while the union is proposing one of three years. Both sides say they are continuing to negotiate in good faith.
