Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
An extended contract negotiation for county Public Works and Solid Waste workers continues this week.
One of five unions serving county employees, Teamsters Local 690 represents 12 to 14 employees on the Public Works and Solid Waste roster.
The current contract expired Dec. 31, 2016, and is being honored as the two sides work toward a new agreement.
At issue are cost-of-living increases, how pay rates compare to other counties and other matters.
“To this point in the process, we’ve been given unfair wage proposals from the county,” said Joe Kuhn, Business Representative for Local 690. “We’re saying no, that’s absolutely unacceptable.”
Kuhn pointed out that county Public Works Director Mark Storey budgets each year for two percent increases, however, the commissioners’ representative is not offering it.
“We’re hearing two different stories,” said Kuhn. “I tend to believe that Mark Storey is budgeting that.”
The group has been on a three-year contract, with a one-year deal before that – due to economic concerns, as indicated by County Commissioner Art Swannack, who was not yet in office when it was negotiated.
Storey confirmed he does budget for cost-of-living increases.
“I budget for quite a few things that may or may not happen, such as snowfall,” he said. “It is solely up to county commissioners to give cost-of-living increases or not.”
Kuhn’s goal is to reach three to four percent each year.
“They’re offering us chickenfeed,” Kuhn said. “We’re not being unreasonable.”
In an ad in last week’s Gazette, paid for by Teamsters Local 690, it named Storey and Maintenance Operations Manager Phil Meyer as receiving higher increases by percentage than average employees.
In the last contract negotiation, the pay schedule was adjusted, automatically bringing some employees up the pay scale.
“The reality – they were still behind their comparables,” said Kuhn.
Comparables are a sticking point, according to Kuhn, who represents about 400 public employees across several counties in Eastern Washington. He uses data to compare what other counties pay with a similar cost of living.
Previously, in 2013, an agreement was negotiated in Whitman County for a one-year deal for an across-the-board 2.75 percent increase in salaries, with a continued policy of raises as employees pass reviews. For the three year deal beginning in 2014, no across-the-board increase was included, while a new step system removed the bottom five steps – meaning higher starting wages for employees. In 2015, a two percent step at the highest level was added.
“A step increase is an increase,” said County Commissioner Swannack, who is limited by law in commenting on an ongoing negotiation.
The five groups of county employees which have union members include deputy sheriffs, corrections officers, road workers, solid waste workers and courthouse employees.
“It takes two sides to agree,” Swannack said. “It’s all up in the air. We leave it to our negotiators and they keep us informed.”
What about the charge that Storey’s raises are in question?
“Mark Storey is a very experienced engineer, I think he does a really good job. I don’t know if he’s compensated enough,” Swannack said. “I appreciate his expertise. I don’t think he’s over compensated for what he does for the county.”
Storey began as Whitman County Engineer in 2001 and has been Public Works Director since 2006.
“I believe we’ll get something worked out over time,” Swannack said.
Are Whitman County employees making less than other similar counties?
“There are positions making equal or more, there are also people who are making significantly lower,” Kuhn said.
He is negotiating with county consultants Gary and Valerie Hunt.
The two parties were set to meet again Wednesday in Colfax at the Public Works building.
Why did the Teamsters place the ad?
“To raise awareness with the public. We feel like the commissioners make decisions and people don’t see the results,” Kuhn said. “We’re pointing out the unfairness. If it takes embarrassing the commissioners, so be it. The employees are upset and rightfully so.”
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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