AFSCME Local 88-4 (Pharmacists)

AFSCME Local 88-4 represents the County's 39 regular and 3 on-call Pharmacists.

On this page

  1. AFSCME Local 88 - 4: Pharmacists Bargaining Update 1 (October 21, 2025)
  2. Next Steps:

AFSCME Local 88 - 4: Pharmacists Bargaining Update 1 (October 21, 2025)

The Union and the County have so far held eight bargaining sessions: April 21, May 5, June 2, June 16, June 30, August 4, August 18, and September 8. 

Here is where we are in brief:

  • 13 Articles with Tentative Agreements (TAs) 

  • 3 Addenda with TAs

  • 7 Articles and Addenda Pending with County 

  • 1 Article Pending with Union

Continue reading for more details on what has gone across the table: 

Article 1 - Preamble

  • TA reached June 16, 2025; both parties have agreed to keep current contract language

Article 2 - Definitions

  • TA reached June 30; both parties have agreed to keep current contract language

Article 3 - Recognition

  • The Union opened this article on June 2; their proposal would reduce initial trial service from one year to six months, and would also add severance pay
  • The County counterproposed on August 4 to reorganize the contents of the article and add definition around Limited Duration; the County rejected the Union’s proposal of reducing initial trial service
  • This article is currently pending with the Union

Article 4 - Management Rights

  • TA reached June 2; both parties have agreed to keep current contract language

Article 5 - Union Security, Representation, and Business

  • The Union opened this article on May 5; the County countered on June 2; the Union countered on June 16; the County countered again on June 16
  • The Union’s proposals included getting more contact information from the County on new hires, increased badge access, and changes around Union Reimbursable time
  • The County’s counters would largely maintain current contract language with some housekeeping updates
  • This article is currently pending with the Union

Article 6 - No Strike and No Lockout

  • TA reached June 2; both parties have agreed to keep current contract language

Article 7 - Compensation 

  • The Union opened this article on June 30; their compensation package included a COLA of 3.5 - 7%, market adjustments of 6% in year one, longevity increases at years 8, 14, and 20, as well as a parking stipend for pharmacists who work downtown
  • The County countered on August 4 with a 2.4% COLA
  • The Union shared updated proposals on September 8 and September 22; their latest proposal calls for a 2.9% wage increase, and a market adjustment of 3% in year one, among other changes
  • This article is now pending County response

Article 8 - Health and Welfare

  • The Union opened this article on June 30 in a package proposal with Articles 9 and 17; their proposal includes family planning coverage and increases long-term disability cap from $6,000 per month to $2,500 per week
  • The County countered on June 2 with mostly current contract language, but with some housekeeping changes
  • The Union countered on September 8, withdrawing their request to increase long-term disability cap but keeping the family planning benefit
  • This article is currently pending with  the County

Article 9 - Paid Leaves

  • The Union opened this article on June 30; the County countered on August 4; the Union countered on September 8 (in a package proposal with Articles 8 and 17)
  • The Union is proposing a compression of the vacation accrual rate table, an additional floating holiday, an increase to bereavement leave, increase how much saved holiday can be rolled over (from 1 to 2); June 30 proposal included “trauma leave”, but this was cut from their September 8 proposal
  • This article is currently pending with the County 

Article 10 - Workers’ Compensation

  • TA reached August 4; both parties have agreed to keep current contract language

Article 11 - Seniority and Layoff

  • The County opened this article on June 2; this proposal has new language due to Paid Leave Oregon and Washington Paid Family Leave laws, as well as language around the recall list
  • The Union countered on June 30; they accepted the County’s language on seniority calculation and proposed remaining on recall list for 36 months
  • The County countered on August 4 and accepted the language around calculating seniority for on-call Pharmacists that move into regular status on an hour for hour basis, calculating total number of hours by 8 to determine number of days for seniority
  • This Article was TAed on August 18

Article 12 - Personnel File

  • TA reached June 30; both parties have agreed to keep current contract language

Article 13 - Employment Relations Committee

  • The County opened this article on April 21 proposing current contract language with the exception of some small housekeeping changes
  • TA reached June 16

Article 14

  • TA reached June 30; both parties have agreed to keep current contract language

Article 15 - Settlement of Disputes

  • The County opened this article on April 21 and it has gone back and forth a few times
  • The last proposal from the County was on June 2 and the County agreed to the Union’s proposal that the parties may meet informally prior to going into the grievance process and increased timeline to 90 days
  • The last proposal from the Union was on September 22; the Union has conceded to submitting a new written statement at each step of the grievance process

Article 16 - Modification of Work

  • TA reached June 30; both parties have agreed to keep current contract language

Article 17 - Safety and Health

  • The County opened this article on April 21 and proposed maintaining current contract language
  • The Union countered on May 5 proposing new language about permanent dividers between pharmacists and the public, and a place to sit at each station
  • The County countered on August 4 and rejected that language
  • The Union countered again on September 8 (package with Articles 8 and 9) with language around work refusal and safe staffing levels 

Article 18 - General Provisions

  • The Union opened this article on May 5; they proposed a new system to work through protected class complaints and new language regarding microaggressions
  • The County countered on August 4 agreeing to some of the Union’s language
  • The Union countered on September 22 agreeing to County language around microaggressions, but reproposed creation of a joint committee for community pharmacists to become clinical pharmacists 
  • This article is currently pending with the County

Article 19 - Savings Clause and Funding

  • TA reached June 30; both parties have agreed to keep current contract language

Article 20 - Entire Agreement

  • TA reached June 30; both parties have agreed to keep current contract language

Article 21 - Termination 

  • TA reached June 30; both parties have agreed to keep current contract language

Addendum A - Salary Schedule

  • Proposal from county to match their market study

Addendum B - Salary Schedule Placement

  • The County proposed eliminating this article on May 5 because it was related to initial contract; the County and Union reached a tentative agreement on June 2

Addendum C - Drug and Alcohol Policy

  • The County proposed minor housekeeping changes on April 21; the Union countered on June 2 with clarified language around appeals and hearing rights
  • The parties reached a tentative agreement on September 8, 2025

Addendum D - On-call and Temps

  • The Union opened this article on June 30; the County countered on August 4
  • The parties reached a tentative agreement on September 8, 2025

Next Steps:

The next bargaining session is scheduled for October 27.

 

Last reviewed April 18, 2025

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