St. Joseph County approves Teamsters highway contract, adds CDL training and pay changes

St. Joseph County commissioners approved a three-year collective-bargaining agreement with Teamsters Local (union number 364) covering the highway division, the board said at its Feb. 3 meeting.

The contract, described to the board by a county presenter, runs from 2026 through 2028 and includes across-the-board pay increases, a change to how longevity is paid (moved from the hourly rate into an annual stipend) and a revision to holiday pay from time-and-a-half to double time. The county also revised how the boot allowance is paid, the presenter said.

In a provision the county and union described as a recruitment tool, the agreement provides for CDL (commercial driver’s license) training that the union will deliver while the county covers room and board for on-the-job training. The presenter said the union bears most of the training cost; the county estimated the county-paid portion at about $4,000 and proposed a three-year prorated repayment if an employee leaves before that period ends. “If the person leaves after a year they only have to pay two-thirds of that and so forth,” the presenter said.

Commissioners emphasized the budgetary context. The chair noted the pay increases were already budgeted for 2026. One commissioner thanked staff—“I just like to thank you and all your staff…outstanding job,”—and the board moved and voted to approve the agreement.

The contract was untabled from a prior meeting before the board voted to approve it. The board recorded the motion, a second, and a roll-call series of 'Aye' responses and declared the motion carried.

Next steps: County staff will finalize the contract paperwork and prepare the training reimbursement agreement described to the board.