Lewiston council votes to terminate AFSCME collective bargaining agreement at end of term

The Lewiston City Council voted on July 7 to terminate the city's collective bargaining agreement with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1124 at the end of its current term, Sept. 30, 2025.

An attorney for the city told the council, "there is no final agreed upon collective bargaining agreement, and it's now before you to discuss how you'd like to proceed next." The attorney said negotiations had not succeeded in prior sessions earlier in the spring and that the matter was before the council to decide whether to continue negotiating or to proceed with termination.

Council members and other participants discussed several contract provisions the city and union had not resolved. A speaker identified in the transcript as mayor (name not specified) summarized areas of disagreement including "article 6, grievances, article 2, standard work periods, OT, call out, hold over and stand by and article 26 discipline," and noted the largest gaps appeared to be grievances and discipline provisions. That speaker also described differences on overtime calculations: the union counts sick time and paid time off toward the 40-hour week for overtime calculations, while the city's personnel policy does not, and the standby/call-out compensations differed (personnel policy: one hour for every six hours; union contract: one hour for every four hours). The mayor described holiday pay differences that remained unclear in the materials: whether holiday call-out is paid at 1.5x or 2x the regular rate and whether that is in addition to holiday pay.

After discussion, a councilor identified in the transcript as "Councilwoman" moved to terminate the labor agreement at the end of its current term on Sept. 30, 2025; the motion was seconded and passed by roll-call vote with all members recorded as voting in favor. The roll call recorded: Council President Klieber — Aye; Councilor Wright — Aye; Councilor Spickelmeyer — Aye; Councilor Schroeder — Aye; Councilor Klein — Aye; Councilor Forsman — Aye.

One council member said the council would continue discussions with city leadership to adjust the personnel policy and noted there are provisions in the union proposals the city might adopt into personnel policy. The transcript does not show a new agreement or replacement contract; it records the decision to end the existing collective bargaining agreement at the contract expiration date.

The termination means the existing collective bargaining agreement will remain in force until Sept. 30, 2025, after which the council has the option to negotiate a replacement agreement, begin unilateral changes consistent with law, or take other lawful steps. The transcript did not specify follow-up deadlines, additional staff assignments, or budgetary impacts associated with the termination vote.