Lane County approves three‑year tentative contract with Public Works union Local 626
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Summary
The Lane County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a tentative three‑year successor collective bargaining agreement with Lane County Public Works Association Local 626 that includes a 2.8% COLA in year one, CPI‑linked adjustments in years two and three, benefit design changes and an estimated three‑year cost of $5.75–$7.18 million.
The Lane County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 27 unanimously approved a tentative three‑year collective bargaining agreement with the Lane County Public Works Association Local 626, authorizing county staff to implement the deal.
County staff presented the agreement and said it would run through June 30, 2028, and was negotiated using an interest‑based bargaining approach. "Members of 626 will no longer be insured through the county short‑term disability program as the benefit has largely been replaced by Oregon's paid family medical leave," a county staff presenter said during the briefing.
The tentative agreement provides a 2.8% cost‑of‑living adjustment for fiscal year 2025‑26, and ties years two and three to the Consumer Price Index for urban consumers in the West Region with a negotiated floor of 2% and ceiling of 5%. Andrea Nagels, who summarized economic impacts, said wage adjustments will be retroactive to the first full pay period following July 1, 2025 for employees on the payroll at the time of board approval.
Nagels outlined additional provisions aimed at seasonal "520" employees who are limited to 520 hours per fiscal year: a wage scale that provides an incentive for returning to these positions in future seasons. The county also agreed on health‑plan design changes, including a move to preferred generic pharmacy benefits, higher deductibles for some plans, higher out‑of‑pocket maximums, and a monthly tobacco‑use surcharge for plan contributions unless an employee completes a cessation program.
County staff estimated the total additional cost of the three‑year contract at between $5,749,569 and $7,176,358, depending on future CPI outcomes. Funding sources cited for these public‑works positions include federal timber funds, car rental tax, state gas tax, transient room tax, and internal transfers.
County staff noted that members of Local 626 had ratified the tentative agreement and that both bargaining teams recommended board approval. Vice Chair Buck moved to approve Order 26012712; Commissioner Treager seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.
The board authorized county staff to implement the agreement; staff will carry out the retroactive payroll adjustments and other administrative steps described in the contract summary.