Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Labor And Employment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County employees and union representatives press board for living wages, trauma leave and sick‑leave protections
Summary
Represented Multnomah County employees, including members of AFSCME Local 88 and medical death investigators, urged the board during public comment to secure a living wage beyond a proposed 2.4% COLA, adopt trauma leave for staff exposed to death scenes, and stop disciplining employees for sick‑leave use.
Multiple Multnomah County employees and union representatives used public comment time to urge the board to press county negotiators for higher wages and stronger workplace protections during current bargaining.
Kristen Harbert, who identified herself as a county employee, said a 2.4% cost‑of‑living adjustment would not provide a living wage for many county staff. “We need more than just a 2.4% COLA to have our basic needs met,” Harbert said, describing difficulty making ends meet on about $20 an hour.
Angela McCulloch, who said she has worked for the county 25 years, described covering multiple positions and urged the county to demonstrate support for frontline staff. Jessica Croson, a medical‑legal death investigator, urged trauma leave for employees who regularly investigate deaths; she detailed duties such as recovering bodies from difficult scenes, photographing remains and notifying families and said those duties carry emotional trauma. “Our bargaining team has done our best to present what we feel are reasonable views to support employees who face trauma at work, such as MDIs,” Croson said.
Ryan Owens described chronic understaffing and multiple overtime shifts that he said force remaining employees to “do the work of those who left,” and said that a 2.4% COLA is inadequate; he said more than 600 represented employees earn less than a local living‑wage threshold. Megan Gallagher, an AFSCME Local 88 executive board member and bargaining team member, said bargaining this round has been different and urged the board to direct the county bargaining team to propose terms that “give Multnomah County workers dignity and the dignity and respect they deserve.” Gallagher also urged protections so employees are not disciplined for using accrued sick leave for legitimate illness or caregiving.
Speakers asked the board to ensure bargaining staff bring proposals addressing living wages, trauma leave and sick‑leave discipline. Board members did not take formal action during the public‑comment period but several commissioners acknowledged the concerns and said they would follow up during budget and bargaining discussions.
