008 Bargaining Update: It’s Not Getting Better
- UPE
- May 6, 2025
- 2 min read
Greetings, Union Sisters and Brothers
On 5/5/25, your UPE 008 bargaining team met with the County for our 12th contract negotiation session since we began this process in December 2024. The County had refused to bargain since 4/3/25.
Now, in the interest of progressing towards a fair agreement, your team made major movement on economic issues within the limits of what we believe is fair. Our overall salary proposal is now for a two-year contract with a 5% salary increase in the first year, and a salary increase between 3% to 5% based on the inflation rate in the second year.
The County did not come with any new movement regarding overall salary, nor did they respond to our salary proposal. They are sticking to their 1% to 4% proposal each year of a three-year contract, which your team regards as inadequate and insulting to our members. In addition, they are still proposing to cut family death leave and to sneak in a reopener clause that would allow the county to change employees’ out-of-pocket medical costs mid-contract. Your team vehemently opposes these take-away proposals.
Our members have been made to wait too long while the County plays games. There is only one additional bargaining session left on the calendar: Wednesday 5/7/25.
If there is no significant movement by the County this week, the odds of an impasse, mandatory mediation, and a strike are very high.
After Wednesday's bargaining session, your team will be announcing another Bargaining Action Committee Meeting, and most likely, the topic of that BAC meeting will be organizing a strike.
In the meantime:
Breakout with your worksite as scheduled!
Wear Red on Wednesdays!
Stay Tuned!
TOGETHER WE ARE STRONG