'High-stakes' contract finally settled

THE NEGOTIATIONS WERE among those with the highest stakes in decades, says Spokane Staff Representative Gordon Smith.

At one stage it appeared that they had become hopelessly bogged down, with no resolution in sight. But in January, after more than 18 months in negotiations, a coalition of unions — primarily Council 2 Locals — reached agreement with Spokane County on a tentative contract covering some 1,350 workers.

The negotiations, almost at a stalemate toward the end of last year, took a big jump forward with the election of two new members to the Spokane County Board of Commissioners in the November general elections.

The new commissioners, Todd Mielke (District 1) and Mark Richard (District 2), took office in January.

“They had a positive impact on negotiations,” notes Council 2 Staff Representative Gordon Smith, who was involved in the negotiations. “Given our experiences with the new commissioners, we anticipate better times ahead.”

All the Locals involved ratified the contract in early February.

Council 2 negotiators faced considerable pressure from the County, which wanted to modify the medical insurance plans in a way that would make them more expensive for employees and less costly for government.

Among the county’s demands were a three-year wage freeze, increased medical deductibles and co-payments, a boost in the amounts employees have to meet on prescription drugs, and a two-tier system that included no medical benefits for new hires until they had completed probation.

The settlement covers a contract for three years, from 2005 to 2007.

The previous contract expired in 2003, but 2004 was covered with a one-year contract in which there was no wage increase, but during which the existing medical benefit was maintained with no changes.

The new contract calls for Cost of Living Allowance increases of 2 percent a year in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Employees will still pay none of their own medical coverage, but for the first time they will have to pay a portion of the medical premiums for dependents. Employees who belong to a preferred provider organization will pay no more than $40 a month for family members at the outset and the amount will increase by only $5 a month by the end of the contract.Those who belong to Health Maintenance Organizations will pay $30 to $35 a month.
“The agreement stacks up really well with those in the rest of the state,” says Smith.

“In fact, it is better than most.

“What is noteworthy is that it was 1 years in the making; it was a long, stressful burdensome process.”