PORT ANGELES — Most Clallam County employees will see a 2.5-percent raise in each of the next three years.
Commissioners Mark Ozias and Randy Johnson voted Tuesday to approve a series of union contracts that include 2.5-percent cost of living adjustments (COLAs) that will take effect on New Year’s Day of 2022, 2023 and 2024. Commissioner Bill Peach was excused to participate in a state Board of Natural Resources meeting. He joined the county meeting later Tuesday.
“Certainly you hear from time to time people express concern about how well paid our public employees are, and usually when I hear that I say ‘Thank goodness,’” said Ozias, board chairman. “The work that everyone does around this courthouse is not easy, and it’s complicated, and it’s really important for the functioning of our community.”
Commissioners approved three-year contract extensions with Teamsters and Washington State Council of County and City Employees Local 1619-LC (limited commission), MP (management and professional), D (deputies) and CD (correction deputies).
Those five bargaining units represent more than 90 percent of the county’s 375 benefited employees.
“We have ended up with three-year contracts with all of the units,” said Tom Reyes, Human Resources deputy director and deputy county administrator, in the meeting Tuesday. “I know that one of the desires of the board was to try to get three-year contracts, and we got there.”
The new contacts are valid though June 30, 2024.
Commissioners are expected to approve similar agreements with bargaining units that represent patrol sergeants and corrections sergeants later this month. The union contract for deputy prosecuting attorneys is up for renewal next year, Reyes said in a Thursday interview.
Members of the non-interest arbitration groups — Teamsters and Washington State Council of County and City Employees Local 1619-LC and MP — will receive a 1 percent COLA beginning this month. Others will receive a 1.5 percent COLA this month.
“Moving forward, however, each of those units will see a cost of living adjustment of 2.5 percent occurring on Jan. 1, 2022, Jan. 1, 2023, and Jan. 1, 2024,” Reyes said.
In recent years, the county had provided a 1-percent COLA in January and another 1-percent raise in July.
Those raises were not keeping up with the consumer price index or inflation, Reyes told the board.
“We hope 2.5 percent will keep our employees whole as we move forward through this three-year contract,” Reyes said.
A 2.5 percent COLA had become standard for local governments, including neighboring counties, Reyes said. In addition to the COLAs, non-interest arbitration groups will receive a $50-per-month increase for out-of-pocket medical insurance costs and an additional $50 per month beginning in January 2023 and January 2024.
County employees who show proof of COVID-19 vaccination will collect a 16-hour floating holiday to be used any time this year.
“Through HR and direction from the board, we are not requiring our employees to be vaccinated,” Reyes said of COVID-19 jabs.
“Clearly, it is the message from our health officer to please vaccinate, and obviously if someone’s not vaccinated they’re at risk, additional risk, over those who have been vaccinated.”
Local 1619-LC Sheriff’s Office employees also will receive a 1-percent accreditation pay based on the department’s accreditation through the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, Reyes said.
“This 1 percent does help to recognize the effort that goes into maintaining that level of professionalism and kind of setting that bar higher than most agencies in the state,” Reyes said.
Patrol deputies and corrections deputies in the interest arbitration units will receive a 1.5 percent COLA instead of the 1 percent raise this month. Their medical costs will remain the same, Reyes said.
“They’ll see an increase in deferred compensation from a 2-percent match to a 2.5-percent match,” Reyes said. “Both units we moved away from either a five- or seven-step pay scale. All have adopted a nine-step pay scale now.”
The interest arbitration units also will receive annual 2.5 percent COLAs, accreditation pay and a 16-hour floating holiday for COVID-19 vaccinations.
Clallam County has 375 benefited employees and 94 non-benefited employees for a total of 469, Reyes said Thursday.
Commissioner Randy Johnson said the tenor of the union negotiations had improved markedly from the time he was first elected in 2016.
“They argued about every other word that was in the contract,” Johnson told Reyes and county labor attorney Matt Lynch.
“The fact that you’ve set a tenor that’s believable, that’s fair — and again, employees are the most valuable asset.”
Johnson said the new contracts were “very fair” to the county and its employees.
“It’s a pleasure to be able to talk about contract negations and looking at signing contracts after such a positive and productive process where both sides not only feel respected, but are respected,” Ozias added.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
