Union stews over health insurance proposal

Clackamas County union members marched outside of government offices during their lunch break

By Anthony Roberts

The Clackamas Review, Oct 15, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

OREGON CITY – More than 150 union members marched outside of Clackamas County’s Red Soils Government Campus Thursday afternoon to protest the county’s handling of ongoing contract negotiations.

AFSCME Local 350 staged a “Solidarity Lunch Break” rally in the courtyard outside of the Government Services Building, where county commissioners have offices, to drum up support and announce that they’re filing an unfair labor practice charge against the county with the state Labor Relations Board. Local 350 represents about 360 employees from the county’s Water and Environment Services, Transportation and Development, and Communications departments.

Employees have been without a contract since July 1. Representatives said they are amenable to wage discussions, but balked when the county proposed changing its health insurance contribution.

“That sounds like unfair bargaining and it’s illegal,” said union officer Andrea Hall. Hall said she didn’t fault the county for seeking concessions, but faulted them for seeking too much.

Oregon AFSCME Public Affairs Director Don Loving said negotiations for many unions have been more difficult over the past year as the economy tanked, but he said health care is a sticking point.

“Most people are willing to talk about some change in compensation in exchange for health insurance,” he said. “Insurance is a big factor.”

Union representative Stacy Chamberlain said the county proposed a regressive proposal on health insurance, proposing to reduce the cap increase on the county’s portion of insurance premiums from a 9 percent increase each year to 5 percent this year and a 6.5 percent increase the following two years.

Ongoing negotiations

Nancy Drury, employee services director at Clackamas County, confirmed that the county proposed reducing its contribution to employee health insurance from the previous contract. But she said there was never a formal offer on the table, so there was no regressive bargaining.

“We did not put any offer of benefits on the table at a higher cap and then take it back,” she said. “They may be disappointed, but that is not regressive bargaining. There was never a commitment by our chief negotiator that the contract was status quo (from the previous contract) on benefits.”

The county and union also differ on wages, though their differences aren’t as pronounced.

The county is proposing no cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) this year and wants COLAs in ensuing years of the three-year contract to be between 1 and 4 percent, depending on economic conditions. The union agrees with no COLA this year, but wants future raises to be between 2.5 and 4.5 percent.

Other unions without contracts

The county has eight unions, and aside from sheriff’s deputies and parole officers, all of them have been without a contract since July 1. In addition to the three AFSCME units, there are units represented by the Employees Association, many of whom were also on hand at the rally. In all, there are between 1,200 and 1,300 county employees currently working without a contract.

“Basically they all have the same offer,” Drury said.

Negotiations have been ongoing since March, beyond a 150-day time limit after which one side can request an independent mediator. Neither side has taken that step yet. AFSCME became vocal about the negotiations last week, holding a smaller rally in the afternoon on Oct. 8. Oregon AFSCME Executive Director Ken Allen said the union should put pressure on the county commissioners, emphasizing the union’s importance not just in day-to-day operations, but in the political arena.

“Who do they call when they have a political problem,” Allen said at the rally, citing past anti-tax initiatives that were on ballots. “Commissioners call and say, ‘How much are you gonna’ raise to fight this?’”