Our current contract expired June 30, 2024.

October 1, 2024

Your AFSCME bargaining team has reached a Tentative Agreement with the City of Salem!

Your bargaining team worked extremely hard to get the biggest raises city employees have ever seen. Here are some of the highlights of our next three-year contract:

• City of Salem 

  • COLA - Year one, 7% Year two, 4% Year three, 4%

  • Market adjustments to 9 classifications.

• SHA

  • COLA - Year one, 4% Year two, 2-4% tied to SSI Year three, 2-4% tied to SSI

  • Increase Insurance co-pay to 5%

• Both City and SHA

  • Employer to pick up LTD premiums starting January 1, 2025

  • Severance Pay for Laid-off employees

  • Better Access to your Union Representative

  • Increase graveyard shift differential by 1%

  • Pay incentive of 5% for trainers in an approved training program

  • Technology protections for use of GPS data, electronic surveillance, and artificial intelligence.

  • Fix step difference inconsistencies

    • Non-Exempt workers pay steps 1-6 = 4%

    • Exempt workers pay steps 1-6 = 5%

This agreement was made possible by each and every member who showed up to our rally, who came and testified at the City Council, who wore their AFSCME green at work, and especially to the members of our bargaining team!

Our next step is to hold a ratification vote. Stay tuned for the date and time for you to vote on this Tentative Agreement!!

September 17, 2024

After about 12 hours of mediation with the City, we have failed to come to an agreement that would finalize our contract.  Many hours were spent debating the intricacies and validity of costing models during this session.  Proposals were put forward by both sides.  We feel that the Union has shown some movement toward achieving an agreement.  However, the City continues to move the same amount of money around in varied arrangements.  Therefore, we have not been able to agree on Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) for the term of the contract.

We have both common ground and disagreements on fixing our pay scale, selective classification increases, and a possible pay step, or incentive, for longevity of employment.

Long story short, we are attending a final mediation session on October 1st.  We will continue to fight for a contract that we feel meets the needs of our workers and can be successfully ratified by our membership.

Mediation scheduled

Mediation is scheduled for September 17, 2024. A state-trained mediator will meet separately with our bargaining team and the City's team to try and get an agreement. 

August 14, 2024

Your bargaining team has worked hard since February to gain the best contract we can for all of us.  All non-economic articles were tentatively agreed to a few sessions ago.

Based on the progress that had been made at the last session in July, the team was optimistic heading into Wednesday's session that an agreement could be reached that would work for both sides.  However, the process ground to a halt.

The Union put forward a package that we felt was our best offer toward making a deal, and one that our membership could support.  The City rejected our offer, without costing it, and responded with an offer that appeared less beneficial to our workers than the one they proposed in late July.

The Union rejected the offer and filed for mediation Thursday morning.  Mediation is now being scheduled with the State.  We will update you when we know more.

The bargaining team will continue to need your support throughout this process in order to get the contract we deserve.  Please keep an eye out for future updates, as well as information regarding our plans for an upcoming City Council meeting in September.

July 10, 2024

The City made some movement in their offer:

• COLAs
  • For Salem employees: 5.25% in year 1, and 4% in both years 2 and 3
  • For Housing employees: 3% in year 1 and bargain again in years 2 and 3
• Step improvements
  • The City remained at their original offer of 4.15% steps and 4.15% between classifications.
  • The City agreed to update the Housing employee salary schedule to match the City employees.
  • The City salary schedule is structured so that 40 employees would not receive the full 5.25% COLA. They would receive between 4% and 5%.
• Longevity steps for both the City and Housing
  • L1 available to 15-year employees who had been on step 6 for 2 years.
  • L2 available to 20-year employees who had been on L1 for 2 years.
• The City asked that Housing employees increase their share of insurance premium contributions from 3% to 5%.

The Union’s offer:

• COLAs
  • For Salem employees: 7% in all three years (7/7/7)
  • For Housing employees: 7% in year 1 and 6% in years 2 and 3
• Step improvements
  • We accepted the City’s 4.15% steps with 4.15% classifications as long as EVERYONE receives the full amount of the COLA.
• Longevity steps for both the City and Housing
  • L1 available to employees who have been on step 6 for 5 years.
  • L2 available to employees who had been on L1 for 5 years.

• Housing employees increase their share of insurance premium contributions from 3% to 5%.

The City maintains they have $22 million to spend and we can carve that any way we want, and that is all they have, and they can’t ask Council for more. It’s not enough. Show up for the rally on July 23 to make your voice heard

June 26, 2024

This session was all about wage increases. After some frank conversations with the City, the Union presented a package proposal that combines improving step differences, additional steps, market-adjustments, long-term disability premiums and the COLA (cost of living adjustment).

We appear to agree on some key priorities:

• Having the City pay the long-term disability premium (saves each person $22/month)
• Addressing the 41% who are at the top step of their classification:
  • Increasing the difference between steps
  • Adding steps to the schedule

We are still significantly apart on some issues:

• Ensuring that SHA employees are compensated the same as City employees.
• The classifications to receive market adjustments.
• The COLA – Neither side moved much from their prior proposals.

We have two more bargaining sessions scheduled - July 10 and July 24. 

June 5, 2024

Our first meeting in June wrapped up all the non-economic articles:

• Article 1 – We got the City to drop their attempt to make limited-duration employees “at-will” employees with minimal grievance rights.
• Article 4 – We got the City to drop their push to make it harder for our AFSCME representatives to meet with employees.
• Article 10 – We got the City to drop their push for a cap on bereavement leave. We won the right for all employees who are out of sick leave to be able to use other accrued leaves for sudden illnesses.
• Article 13 – We won a 1% increase for the night shift differential pay, bringing the differential to 6% and improved the language on overtime eligibility when accrued leave has been used.
• Article 14 – We could not come to terms on what a boot stipend would look like, so we finally agreed to keep things as they are.
• Article 15 – The City has agreed to work with the Union to develop and implement an improved internal hiring process by July 1, 2025.

What we have left – the Money!

• Fixing the salary schedule
  • The current City salary schedule gives different step % for different classifications and in some cases for different steps within the same classification. Step increases range from 1% to 5%.
  • We proposed 5% steps for all steps and the City has countered with steps that are 4.15%
  • We proposed adding 3 additional steps and the City has countered with no additional steps. (41% of our members are on step 6)
• The remaining economic proposals are unchanged from the May sessions:
  • The City rejected picking up long-term disability.
  • The City rejected increasing the opt-out insurance contribution from $225 to $300.
  • The City rejected our proposed increases to vacation accruals.
  • The City rejected adding a vacation buy-back provision which would allow long-term employees to cash in some of their accrued vacation to stay under their caps.
  • The City has offered to allow new hires immediate access to their vacation accruals (eliminating the current 6-month waiting period).
• COLA increase Proposals:

May 15, 2024

We wrapped up clarifications to the grievance language (Article 18) which will make it easier for the Union to file a grievance when multiple people are having the same problem.

Highlights of this bargaining session

• Article 13 – The City rejected all of our proposals: Definition of operational need, increases to shift differentials; 2-hr minimum for scheduled overtime.
• Article 14
  • The City added a COLA increase to the protective footwear stipend offer, but still wants the stipends to start at $200 in March of 2025.
  • The City continues to reject an inclement weather bank and essential worker differential for working in bad weather.
  • The City continues to reject language regarding artificial intelligence deployments.
• Article 15 – The City continues to reject changes to the probation period as well as changes to how AFSCME members are ranked when applying for other City jobs.
• Economics
  • The City rejected picking up long-term disability.
  • The City rejected increasing the opt-out insurance contribution from $225 to $300.
  • The City rejected our proposed increases to vacation accruals.
  • The City rejected adding a vacation buy-back provision which would allow long-term employees to cash in some of their accrued vacation to stay under their caps.
  • The City has offered to allow new hires immediate access to their vacation accruals (eliminating the current 6-month waiting period).
  • The City has proposed the following COLA increases:

May 7, 2024

We agreed on three more articles (3, 11, 12) which cover some minor administrative changes and clarification about unauthorized absences. We are close to agreeing on the clarifications to the grievance language (Article 18).

Where we stand:

• Article 1 - The City still wants limited-duration employees to have less rights than other career employees.
• Article 4 - The City still wants to impose special notification requirements on our AFSCME Council staff when they come on-site and won't agree to how bargaining team members get paid. 
• Article 10 - The City still wants a bereavement cap, limiting AFSCME employees to 80 hours of bereavement leave each year regardless of how many family deaths you experience.
• Article 13 - The City won't agree on a definition of operational need or improvements to shift differential pay.
• Article 14
  • The City is stuck on a $200 stipend with no annual increase for protective footwear (The Union is asking for $325 with a $15 annual increase.)
  • The Union wants to add an inclement weather bank with a $3/hour differential for continuous operation employees who have to work when other do not. The City is "not interested".
  • The Union wants to address artificial intelligence deployments and the City does not (even though they have already deployed AI).
• Article 15
  • The Union wants AFSCME employees to get preference points when applying for City jobs. The City doesn't want to change from the current "top 5" language even though they acknowledge that the City now uses a point-based system.
  • The Union wants to reduce the probationary period. The City rejected our 6-month offer, so now we have proposed a 9-month probationary period.
• Economics (Articles 5, 6, 9, Appendix A, Appendix B)
  • The City has not officially countered any of our economic proposals. 
  • They told us they "don't know where to start" since our proposals are more than double what they budgeted. 

April 11, 2024

Due to scheduling conflicts we moved the April 17 session to April 11. The May 1 session has also been moved to May 7. 

Session 5 was the last session where new proposals could be made. For the rest of bargaining we will be talking about the proposals we have already made. This was the session where we made our first economic proposals. 

What we proposed:

• COLAs - 10%, 7%, 7% (this is double what the City has budgeted and would be better than what the state employees got)
• Selectives - We proposed that the City review a third of the classifications each year of the contract to ensure jobs stay competitive compared to the market. The City currently reviews a fifth of the classifications, so each class gets reviewed every 5 years. We think that is too long between reviews. 
• Wage scale - We have some inconsistencies in the wage scale. For example, two pay grades (28 and 31) are identical wages. At least one class is only 3% between steps while most classes are 4%. Some classes are only 1% more at the 6th step. We proposed fixing the scale so all pay grades are 4% apart with 5% steps. 

In addition to these proposals, we have not yet heard back from the City on our proposal to have the City pickup Long-term Disability premiums or to increase vacation accruals. 

Proposals the City has rejected:

• A $400 footwear stipend with a $15 annual increase to the stipend amount. They are holding to a $200 stipend with no annual increase.
• An increase to shift differentials.
• Creating an inclement weather bank and paying essential workers in inclement weather an additional $3 per hour for work during weather events.
• Artificial intelligence protection. 

What we have agreed on:

• The term of the contract (three years)
• Updates to the Drug Testing Article to ensure employees receive documentation for reasonable suspicion tests.
• Increase the Fleet Certification pay from a 13% maximum to a 15% maximum and increases for individual certifications.

April 3, 2024 Update

Session 4 gave us our first win in negotiations - Layoff Severance Pay!

When the new contract is ratified, employees who are laid off and meet the eligibility requirements will have the option to take severance pay instead of a place on the recall list:

• 13 months to 2 years of service – 2 weeks of severance pay
• 3 years of service – 3 weeks of severance pay
• 4 years of service – 4 weeks of severance pay
• 5 to 10 years of service – 5 weeks of severance pay
• 11 to 15 years of service – 6 weeks of severance pay
• 16 to 20 years of service – 7 weeks of severance pay
• 20+ years of service – 8 weeks of severance pay

We also agreed to change the subcontracting layoff stipend to the schedule above. 

New Proposals from the Union:

• Clarified the grievance language and formalized the right to file group grievances for violations that affect multiple employees.
• Clarified the language for reasonable suspicion drug testing and proposed compensation for employees who test negative under reasonable suspicion (does not apply to CDL random testing).
• We asked for a clearer definition of "Operational Need" since that phrase is often used to make exceptions to contract language or policies.
• We want to move the current MOA on remote work for Public Works into the contract and be applicable for all employees.
• We proposed technology protections for use of GPS data, electronic surveillance, and artificial intelligence.
• We asked for a 40-hour per contract Inclement Weather Bank with a $3/hr incentive pay for essential workers.
• We proposed increases to the shift differentials.

Ongoing negotiations

We continue to bargain over:

• The rules that should apply when employees are sick and have no sick leave left:
  • Both sides agree that employees should be able to use other accrued leave.
  • We disagree on discipline for employees who have used up their sick leave, but have other leave available. We don't have a Paid Time Off (PTO) system due to PERS, so each leave type has its own rules.
• Bereavement leave - The City still wants an 80 hour/year cap on bereavement leave with the goal of employees "managing their bereavement time."
• Stipends for protective footwear instead of City purchases
  • We both agree the current procurement process is problematic and a stipend might work better.
  • They want a $200 annual stipend and we asked for a $400 annual stipend with a $15/year increase.

March 20, 2024 Update

Session 3 saw very little movement. We agreed to changes to Appendix C which were essentially administrative changes. 

The Union made two new proposals related to subcontracting and layoff. The City made one new proposal related to protective footwear.

The sticking points include:

• The City wants to limit grievance rights for limited-duration employees.
• The City wants to deny paying employees for Union work outside their regular work hours which limits participation from swing and graveyard employees. They also want to limit overtime pay when employees have done Union work earlier in the week.
• The City wants our Council representatives to check in when meeting with employees on site when members of the public are not required to check in.
• We still disagree about:
  • What should happen to employees when they exhaust their sick leave bank.
  • Whether to include specific numbers in the City’s agreement to cover the employee portion of Paid Leave Oregon.
  • Requirements for the Union to provide membership documentation that the State does not require us to provide.

Rally - March 15, 2024, at Noon

Join us on Friday, March 15, 2024, at Noon for an Informational Rally in Peace Plaza (the space between the library and the Civic Center). Get some cool sway and answers to your questions about bargaining.

March 6, 2024 Update

Our second session was MUCH more productive than the first one - we exchanged proposals on nine of the 27 contract articles. Unfortunately, we still received some push-back on the proposals we have made. Your bargaining team is focused on solving real-world problems with language we know our members support. 

The proposals for each side are listed below by topic.

February 21, 2024 Update

Our first bargaining session can be described in one word - slow. The City spent 3 hours working on ground rules for bargaining before finally accepting our proposal.

In addition, to the ground rules they agreed to our proposal for Article 8 which officially adds Juneteenth to our list of paid holidays. They also accepted our proposal to add language that we would automatically be paid for any holiday adopted by City Council.

We made three additional proposals essentially clarifying current practices and adjusting contract language to align with current state law. The City did not offer counters to any of those articles.

Bargaining is scheduled for every other Wednesday, so we will be back at the table with more proposals on March 6. 

Bargaining Teams

The 2067 team:

• Rolando Figueroa, Council 75 Representative, Local 2067 Chief Spokesperson
• Kathy Knock, AFSCME 2067 President, Information Technology
• Steve Hall, AFSCME 2067 Vice-President, Envrionmental Services
• Joe Flake, AFSCME 2067 Trustee, Public Works Streets
• Hannah Bostrom, AFSCME 2067 Steward, Library
• Jodi Vanderwall, Airport
• Ross Johnston, AFSCME 2067 Steward, Public Works Wastewater Treatment

The City's team:

• Jeff Chicoine, Attorney, City's Chief Spokesperson
• Michele Bennett, HR Director
• Lisa Anderson Ogilvie, Deputy Director for Community Planning and Development
• Brandon Klukis, Public Works Supervisor for Streets Maintenance
• Teresa Waite, Police Records Manager
• Kelli Blechschmidt, Budget Office Management Analyst
• Julie Killion, HR Business Partner
• Jon Efe, HR Business Partner
• Nicole Utz, Salem Housing Authority Director
• Nathan Garrettson, in-house attorney

Additional Resources

• Kathy Knock January 2024 interview with KMUZ talking about how our employees serve the City.