Strike averted among Jackson County workers

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR)

Apr. 8--A strike involving about 500 Jackson County workers has been averted after union members and county officials agreed on a new contract that includes raises and lower-cost health insurance.

Employees represented by Service Employees International Union Local 503 voted to ratify the contract last weekend. The Jackson County Board of Commissioners made the deal official by unanimously agreeing to the contract Wednesday.

"It's a win-win, and it will be nice to have this behind us," Jackson County Commissioner Colleen Roberts said.

Workers will get a 3.5% cost-of-living raise effective now, plus another raise of 2% to 4% this summer based on the cost-of-living index.

They'll get a third increase of 2% to 4% next summer based on the cost of living.

The summer cost-of-living raises are in line with raises being given to many other county workers and managers not represented by SEIU, according to county budget data.

The union had wanted 15% to 25% pay increases for 128 workers it said were underpaid, plus a 3.75% cost-of-living raise retroactive to summer 2019 for all its members, who had been working without a contract.

Workers gave in on their request to join a state-managed health insurance pool.

Instead, they'll join a Jackson County health insurance pool used by managers and some other employees.

Either the state plan or the county plan would have saved workers on monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs.

Instead of paying $185 per month for the current union-picked health insurance plan, each individual worker will pay just under $50 per month to join the Jackson County-managed plan.

Ben Morris, communications director for SEIU Local 503, said one proposal from county officials involved having frontline employees pay more each month than high-ranking county managers to join the county-managed plan.

"The employees will pay the same premium as managers do," he said.

Morris said the county-managed plan with a monthly premium of under $50 will mark a big improvement from the current health insurance used by workers.

Workers had said deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs were so high they couldn't afford to go to the doctor.

County officials noted it was the union that picked the expensive health insurance plan.

Jackson County Counsel Joel Benton, who was on the negotiating team of county officials, said the county saves money by managing its own health insurance for some workers. Costs are lower because premiums aren't going toward health insurance company profits.

The county does buy a back-up health insurance plan to cover unexpected catastrophic costs, Benton said.

He said the negotiated contract is fair for workers and he believes it's affordable for the county government, but no one can predict the full economic fallout of the COVID-19 crisis.

"We do believe it's an affordable plan and it compensates our employees fairly compared to employees in other counties," Benton said. "Ultimately, no one really knows what the economy is going to do."

Jackson County Administrator Danny Jordan said everyone came together around the bargaining table to achieve a contract that he called "a great result."

Although the negotiations were long and drawn out, Jackson County Commissioner Rick Dyer said that doesn't mean workers aren't appreciated.

"Any time anyone asks about our employees of Jackson County, I tell them they are the best that I've been around. And I hope that our employees understand how much they are valued and appreciated through this entire process," he said.

"I'm grateful and thankful to the bargaining teams that came together and put together what I think is a fair and equitable contract for our employees, but also for the citizen taxpayers of Jackson County as well."

Reach Mail Tribune reporter Vickie Aldous at 541-776-4486 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @VickieAldous.

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