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Road crews, union demand leadership changes after independent review finds workplace problems
Summary
Current and former Thurston County Public Works employees, backed by union leaders, urged the county to replace Road Operations leadership after an independent review and a vote of no confidence. Employees described ongoing hostile management, 14 vacancies and high turnover; union leaders said prior reassignments and training were insufficient.
Dozens of Thurston County road operations employees and union representatives urged the Board of County Commissioners on Oct. 21 to remove or replace local Road Operations leadership, saying a toxic workplace and high turnover are compromising safety and service.
The complaints followed an independent investigation by Deborah Diamond Consulting that, employees said, confirmed the concerns they raised. Carl Martin, litter crew supervisor, told commissioners the consultant’s findings matched employees’ experiences and said two members of road-division management had been reassigned and required to attend county-paid training. "That solution requires a change in leadership, not another round of coaching that leads nowhere," Martin said.
Several speakers described an erosion of trust and morale. Sam Fremont, a shop steward and Fleet Services employee who said he has worked for the county eight years, described employees who now "stare at the ground, who dread coming to work, people desperately searching for new jobs." Fremont said turnover has driven up costs and reduced institutional knowledge.
Union leaders and members cited specific grievances: 14 vacant positions in Road Operations, widespread reports of abrasive supervisory behavior, and what employees described as insufficient corrective action after the investigation. Tanya Sullivan, president of Local 618, which represents employees in Road Operations, said the vote of no confidence in Road Operations manager Mike Lohman and supervisor Nick Bemis reflected years of unresolved problems. "This management style is directly tied to high employee turnover, low morale, and the failure to gain real support for needed cultural changes," Sullivan said.
Speakers said temporary moves and training were inadequate. Carl Martin and others urged the board to appoint leadership with public-works experience who could rebuild trust and retain staff. Employees and union leaders also suggested alternatives such as changes to schedules and workplaces used in nearby counties; Sam Fremont pointed to San Juan County’s 32-hour workweek experiment, which he said reduced turnover and saved money.
Public Works Director Karen Reese told the board earlier in the meeting about operational agreements and other items but did not announce immediate personnel action in response to public comments. Commissioners acknowledged receipt of the testimony; no formal disciplinary action or personnel decisions were made on the record at the Oct. 21 meeting.
What employees asked for: visible, decisive change in leadership; stronger protections against retaliation; improved pay and benefits and concrete steps to fill vacancies to maintain winter and emergency operations.
Speakers who addressed the board included employees and union representatives: Carl Martin (litter crew supervisor), Sam Fremont (AFSCME shop steward), Paul Andres (vice president, Local 618), Tanya Sullivan (president, Local 618), Rochelle Martin (Labor Council president), Melanie Rabaglia (Public Works – right-of-way/real estate services), and retirees and community supporters who described longstanding morale and management issues.
