After a strike that lasted a little over a week, the Corvallis city workers union has reached a contract agreement with the City.
The union went on strike Wednesday, Oct. 14, after more than six months of contract negotiations.
The AFSCME Local 2975 union represents more than 240 workers at the city, including parks, public works, the library, and wastewater management. Going into contract negotiations, the union wanted higher cost-of-living adjustments and more pay steps that allow long-time employees to receive additional raises.
According to a release from AFSCME Local 2975, the union and city bargaining teams met in an all-day mediation session on Wednesday, Oct. 21, where they reached a tentative contract. On Thursday, Oct. 22, the contract was sent to a vote and it was ratified by union members. The union said workers will return to work by Friday, Oct. 23.
Jonathan Strittholt works for Corvallis Public Works and is on the union bargaining team. He said the union is satisfied with the additional contract terms negotiated, especially the delay in healthcare cost increases.
“Healthcare costs are something that are really important to our members,” Strittholt said. “We were able to push them into the later years of this contract instead of having them occur earlier, which people were very concerned about given the rise of healthcare costs.”
The five-year contract adds a seventh step increase in the contract’s fourth year and no increase in healthcare premiums for workers until 2030.
A joint statement from the City of Corvallis and the AFSCME Local 2975 union said, “The City of Corvallis has historically offered competitive wages and benefits, and by ratifying this new labor agreement, both parties agree that this contract strategically positions the City as a competitive employer in order to retain and attract qualified staff.”
The statement also highlighted the ongoing budget crisis the City is facing, and that progress towards a sustainable budget will continue as labor negotiations wrap up.
The tentative contract agreement still needs to be approved by the City Council at the next meeting on Nov. 2.
