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Union member urges commissioners to press county lawyer to return to contract talks
Summary
At the May 5 meeting, a CSIU Local 668 member said five bargaining sessions produced no tentative agreement and accused the county lawyer of rejecting proposals; commissioners said they will review negotiations and urged both sides to negotiate in good faith.
Tianna Cabello, a member of CSIU Local 668 who works for Northumberland County Area Aging, told the County Commissioners on May 5 that five bargaining sessions have failed to produce a tentative agreement and that the county lawyer has rejected the union’s proposals.
"The bargaining team's proposals would help with the recruitment and the retention of qualified human services staff, but so far, the county lawyer has rejected all of them," Cabello said. She described proposals that include seniority protections and uniform implementation language and said negotiators had been treated disrespectfully: "One of our proposals included seniority language ... and he rejected the employees saying that we are lazy."
Cabello said staff losses since December have left the Department of Aging and related services strained, arguing that retention and recruitment of qualified workers "should be a key priority in this county." She asked the commissioners to “speak with the lawyer representing the county to demand that we return to the table, to take our proposals seriously, and to speak with us with respect.”
Commissioners responded during the meeting, saying they were aware of the work done by human services staff and indicating a willingness to become more directly involved in negotiations. One commissioner said he would start attending bargaining sessions and would ensure the county lawyer negotiates in good faith. Another commissioner outlined fiscal constraints, noting the county had proposed freezing budgets for 2027 and questioned how a proposed $4-an-hour union increase would align with smaller raises for nonunion employees.
"We can come up with something, but I think both sides have to work together," a commissioner said, also pointing out the county’s contribution to employee healthcare costs: "we pay your medical insurance ... which family insurance is ... $38,000."
No vote or directive on the contract negotiations was recorded at the meeting. Commissioners said they would follow up, attend negotiations as needed, and continue to seek a middle ground between fiscal limits and union requests.
