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Board introduces proposed county collective‑bargaining ordinance, schedules May 12 public hearing
Summary
County attorney introduced a draft ordinance establishing a process for recognizing exclusive representatives, negotiation procedures and prohibitions on strikes; county fiscal staff estimated an initial administrative cost (~$675,000) and the board set a public hearing for May 12, 2026 at 6 p.m.
The Charles County Board of County Commissioners voted March 10 to introduce a proposed county ordinance to establish a collective‑bargaining framework for county employees and to schedule a public hearing for May 12, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.
County Attorney (Mr. Adams) said the draft mirrors procedures and many employee and management rights used in the county’s existing bargaining frameworks — covering who is eligible, how to select an exclusive representative, dues deductions, negotiation procedures, impasse resolution and prohibitions on strikes and lockouts. He said the drafting team sought parity with existing county bargaining units while preparing for the possibility of a substantially larger unit.
Jake Dyer, director of fiscal administrative services, presented a preliminary fiscal assessment and estimated an initial administrative and staffing impact of about $675,000 to provide additional HR, fiscal, county attorney and departmental support for a new, countywide bargaining unit. Dyer noted rating agencies may view an additional bargaining unit as a potential credit negative if agreements are not affordable or consume reserve funds; staff said any negotiated agreement still requires board approval and must be budgeted.
The board voted to introduce the ordinance and to schedule a hybrid public hearing on May 12, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. at the Charles County Government Building, 200 Baltimore Street. Commissioners debated the merit of expanding collective bargaining rights, with some members expressing strong support for employees’ organizing rights and others noting fiscal and long‑term flexibility concerns.
Why it matters: The ordinance, if adopted after public hearings and any revisions, would change the county’s labor relations landscape, create formal recognition processes for employee representatives, and likely affect future collective bargaining negotiations and county fiscal planning.
Next steps: Public hearing scheduled for 05/12/2026; staff indicated further fiscal analysis and public comment will inform any revisions before the board votes on final adoption.
