AFSCME Local 88

AFSCME Local 88 Management Bargaining Update 15 (October 15, 2025)

The County and the Union last met for bargaining on October 9, 2025.

Here is where we are in brief:

13 Articles Pending with Union

2 Articles Pending with County

7 Addenda Pending with Union

1 Addenda Pending with County

This is what went across the table on October 9th:

Proposed by the County:

Article 13: Work Schedules

This is the County’s 3rd counterproposal regarding work schedules
The County accepted the Union’s language referencing Article 25 (Safety and Health) in determining workloads, as well as guaranteeing that in the case of a same-day reassignment to a different work location, that employee may request to leave early to travel back to their regular location and that request will be granted unless there is a valid business reason that they cannot leave (e.g. a fixed post position that must be staffed at all times)

Article 18: Settlement of Disputes

This is the County’s 4th counterproposal on this article
The County has agreed to most of what the Union has proposed (extended timelines for non-disciplinary grievances, language regarding pausing grievance timelines, and retroactivity for arbitration decisions)
The County maintains our position that while Union stewards may attend an employee’s ADA accommodation meeting as a support person if the employee asks for them to join, they are not representing the employee in a steward capacity. This is already an existing County practice. Stewards can only represent their members in matters of contract interpretation and enforcement, whereas the ADA process is federal law.

Article 21: Seniority and Layoffs

This is the County’s 3rd counterproposal
The County agrees to the Union’s proposal to allow employees on the recall list additional opportunities to decline an offer; the Union had proposed 3 declinations before being removed from the recall list; the County has countered with an increase to 2 (from current contract language of only 1)
The County maintains our position regarding calculating seniority for on-call staff; changing the methodology creates an equity issue for current employees whose seniority has already been established

Article 25: Safety and Health

This is the County’s 4th counterproposal, and it is the same as our 3rd counterproposal from September 4
The County maintains that establishing a Joint Staffing Committee is not an effective use of time or resources. The current practice of reviewing staffing concerns at department-specific Labor Management Committee meetings is more impactful.
It should also be noted that Management shares the Union’s concern around the challenges presented by limited staffing; the inability to create new positions is not based on a misunderstanding of workloads but rather a reflection of the County’s current budgetary constraints. Additional committee obligations would not fix this underlying fact.

Addendum H: Drug and Alcohol Policy

This is the County’s 3rd counterproposal
We are nearly fully in agreement but maintain our position that there may be instances in which the County will share the results of a drug investigation with Law Enforcement or other entities as required under law, statute, or policy. For example, if a licensed behavioral health provider is intoxicated at work, and tests positive through a reasonable suspicion test, that result would be reported to the board of licensure as required by license.

Proposed by the Union:

Article 10: Other Leaves

This is the Union’s 3rd counterproposal on this article
The Union withdrew their proposal for “Trauma Leave” and proposed a new leave titled “Critical Incident Leave.” Critical Incident leave which would function as additional County paid administrative leave when an employee has experienced something extremely or unusually traumatic (beyond the scope of their normal work) so as to necessitate additional time off for physical/mental health recuperation. Requests for leave would be granted with supervisory approval; this leave could be for up to 5 days per incident

Article 24: Non-Discrimination

This is the Union 3rd counterproposal
The Union maintains their proposal on including “power imbalance” in language regarding microaggressions

Addendum M: Jail Side Assignment Premium

The Union first opened this addendum on February 27; this is their second counterproposal
The Union has again proposed that exclusion from the list of eligible job profiles but subject to the grievance procedure, which the County is not interested in doing at this time, as the status quo process of memorializing additional eligible positions via MOA is sufficient.

Tentative Agreements as of October 15, 2025:

Article 1 - Preamble (4/3/2025)
Article 3 - Recognition (5/15/2025)
Article 4 - Management Rights (4/3/2025)
Article 6 - No Strike or Lockout (4/3/2025)
Article 11 - Health and Welfare (5/15/2025)
Article 12 - Workers Compensation and Supplemental Benefits (5/22/2025)
Article 16 - Pensions (5/22/2025)
Article 17 - Disciplinary Action (5/22/2025)
Article 19 - Modification of Work Performed by the Bargaining Unit (9/25/2025)
Article 20 - Workloads and Standards (9/4/2025)
Article 23 - Personnel Rules and Records (5/15/2025)
Article 26 - General Provisions (9/25/2025)
Article 27 - Savings Clause and Funding (3/13/2025)
Article 28 - Entire Agreement (5/15/2025)
Addendum C - Premium Pay and Other Special Provisions (5/15/2025)
Addendum D - Emergency Conditions Provision (5/15/2025)
Addendum F - Library Department (7/3/2025)
Addendum G - Department of Community Justice (9/25/2025)
Addendum I - Office of the Sheriff (9/25/2025)
Addendum J - Health Department (5/15/2025)

At this point, the bulk of the open articles and addenda are in the Union’s court. They have asked to cancel joint bargaining on October 16th so they can use this day to caucus, which the County has agreed to. Our next bargaining session is scheduled for October 23rd.