The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners on Thursday ratified a new collective bargaining agreement between the county and American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 88 that raises the minimum wage for county employees to $15 an hour by the end of the three-year agreement.
In addition to approving the agreement establishing a minimum wage for all union employees, the board extended the phased-in $15 minimum to on-call and temporary workers.
The extension was not part of the Local 88 agreement, but was extended by the board in a spirit of fairness to all of the county's lowest-paid employees, said Chair Deborah Kafoury.
“I’m very proud that we will be able to extend this wage increase to Multnomah County’s many on-call and temporary employees,” Chair Kafoury said. “These employees help us conduct elections and operate our libraries and perform other key services for county residents. It is only fair that they be included with our permanent employees.”
The agreement and extension to on-call and temporary workers will raise wages for about 500 employees who make less than $15 an hour. That’s about nine percent of all county employees.
The county’s lowest wage rate was $11.99 an hour and with the cost of living increase was to rise to $12.31 with the ratification. That will rise to $13 an hour for all Local 88 employees retroactive to July 1, 2014; to $14 on July 1, 2015; and to $15 on July 1, 2016. The $13 an hour wage will kick in for on-call and temporary employees in January 2015, followed by $1 hour increases in July of 2015 and 2016.
"We are very happy that the minimum wage of $15 an hour will be extended to the county’s lowest-paid employees who are temporary or on-call,” said AFSCME Local 88 President Deirdre Mahoney-Clark. “By adopting this union-proposed minimum living wage for all employees, the county is demonstrating responsible social leadership."
The wage hike for Local 88 employees will mostly affect Multnomah County Library employees and will cost the library about $372,000 over three years. For on-call and temporary employees, the cost will be about $304,000 over three years. The Elections Office has the most on-call and temporary employees, followed by the Library.
In 1998, the Board passed a living wage policy. The $15 minimum does not apply to county contractors, but the county requires that landscapers, food service workers and unarmed security be paid at least $12.78 by their employers, including benefits.
