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SEIU Local 668 tells Fayette County commissioners staff are working without a contract; commissioners defer to counsel
Summary
Stephen Catanese, president of SEIU Local 668, told commissioners staff have been working without a contract for months and noted low custodial wages; commissioners said contract matters are not discussed publicly and counsel will follow up with the union's negotiating team.
At the Feb. 19 Fayette County commissioners meeting, Stephen Catanese, president of SEIU Local 668, addressed the board during public comment, saying staff across affected departments have been operating without a contract for several months and criticizing posted custodial wages as "poverty wages" in the context of ongoing negotiations.
Commissioner Scott Dunn responded that contract negotiations are not appropriate for discussion in an open public forum and said the commissioners had met with union counsel; he indicated the county's solicitor or counsel would be in touch with the union's negotiating crew. Public comments also included emailed or chat submissions from Jon Seto (Fayette County Live) and Eric Snyder (Director of Outdoor Recreation for the NRHC/Fayette Trails Coalition); the transcript notes the comments were submitted as attachments or Teams chat entries.
Why it matters: Labor-contract disputes can affect county operations, services and employee morale. The board declined to debate contract negotiations in public but recorded the union's concerns and directed counsel to follow up.
Next steps: County counsel was expected to contact union negotiators; no public vote or settlement was recorded during the meeting.
