About 300 union workers at Multnomah County will get raises this month to bring their salaries in line with other public sector employees.
AFSCME Local 88 represents about 3,300 county workers. Under the existing three-year contract, the county agreed to compare the salaries for at least 45% of Local 88’s members to the market rate, or usual pay rate offered for a given job, then negotiate a “range adjustment” based on that comparison. The range adjustments increase the minimum salary for each position and shift up the rest of the pay scale accordingly.
Last year, the county reviewed the market rate for about two dozen job classifications and started bargaining with Local 88 for adjustments. On Jan. 24, members ratified adjustments that increase pay for workers in about 20 different job classifications. Salaries for those positions will rise by 3% to 12%, depending on how far they lagged the market rate.
The county told the union that the adjustments will take effect on the second paycheck in February. The county also will complete two more reviews like this in the next two years to meet the 45% commitment in the contract.
MORE See the full list of market adjustments here.
