Josephine County officials authorize preliminary talks with parole and probation bargaining unit

Community Justice Director Scott Hyde asked the Josephine County Board of Commissioners on May 7 to authorize preliminary collective bargaining discussions with the county’s Parole and Probation Officers Association, a bargaining unit he described as consisting of approximately "fifteen to sixteen" members. Hyde said the existing labor agreement is set to expire on June 30, 2026.

Hyde said the initial sessions would be focused on technical and procedural contract matters rather than substantive economic proposals and that, historically, the county begins internal preliminary negotiations before bringing in outside counsel unless the talks escalate toward arbitration. "The intent was to begin preliminary discussions, identify bargaining topics, and return to the Board with proposed redlined changes and recommendations," he said.

Commissioner Colene Martin told staff that while early conversations and information gathering could proceed, "substantive proposals or agreements should not be finalized until legal counsel had been fully incorporated into the process." Commissioners otherwise expressed support for Community Justice staff "to begin preliminary bargaining discussions" and for staff to act as stewards for the county during negotiations.

The board provided consensus authorization for Community Justice to begin preliminary bargaining consistent with the direction given; no formal motion was recorded in the transcript. Hyde said staff will continue identifying topics and will return to the board with redlined recommendations when appropriate.

What happens next: staff will commence the described preliminary meetings and bring formal recommendations and any proposed contract redlines back to the board for review; the transcript does not specify timing for those follow-ups.