Published: April 2, 2020
The Jackson County Bargaining Team met with management over the weekend, and given the huge impact that COVID-19 has had on this campaign, they decided with mixed emotions to offer a settlement that best serves all of us who work for Jackson County as well as the people we serve.

Here are the key points (a full summary follows)

  • Wages: A 3.5% raise effective first full pay period after ratification, an additional 2-4% raise in July and another 2-4% raise in July 2021. The last two raises are ranges because the amount will go up and down based on the consumer price index. Management’s initial offer was 0% raise. We landed on 7.5 – 11.5% raises over the life of the contract.
  • Healthcare: The bargaining team agreed to move into the same healthcare plan that managers get. Our premiums will be the same as what managers pay, and we will get two union members on the wellness committee. Management’s initial offer was no changes, meaning we would continue to pay $185.03 per month for a bad healthcare plan. We landed on a better healthcare plan that will cost us less.
This is the full summary of the Tentative Agreement:
  • 3 year contract (Article 3)
  • 3.5% raise effective first full pay period after ratification (Article 15)
  • 2-4% raise (this is a range because the amount will go up and down based on the consumer price index) in the first full pay period of July in 2020 and 2021 (Article 15)
  • Salary study for all JCEA represented workers completed by 12/31/21 (Article 15)
  • Management’s contribution to our current healthcare will increase by $65 per month effective in the first month after ratification through June 30, 2020 (Article 16)
  • Agreed to management’s healthcare plan effective July 1, 2020 (Article 16)
    • Monthly contribution will be the same as what manager’s pay
    • 2 JCEA workers on the wellness committee
    • Continuation of part-time worker proration of healthcare
  • Current contract language on Article 5 Management Rights, and Article 11 Seniority, Article 13 Vacancies. We got management to backoff from takeaways on using GPS for discipline, internal bidding, and seniority for temp workers.
  • Updated Union Rights and Security language to comply with House Bill 2016 (Articles 4, 21 and 31)
  • Housekeeping updates Article 6 and 10
  • Current Contract Language for all other Contract Articles