Bargaining News 2024-2025

Our contract expired on December 31st and AFSCME 189 is now working without a contract.  We continue to work for a new contract that meets the values and goals articulated in our Bargaining Platform, which is based on responses to a survey that was conducted before bargaining began. 

 Bargaining Updates

As mediated bargaining continues, the City continues to say no to our largest priorities.  While they have agreed to pay parity for some classifications and some other small improvements, they're still not agreeing to back pay for underpaid employees, a jailside premium, a 2% raise in year three, and the personal days that in-person workers deserve.  For this reason, the Bargaining Team asking AFSCME members to vote "yes" to keep the strike option on the table.  Read a summary of the last mediated offers as of January 16, or read more about the strike vote.

ACTION!  ACTION! ACTION!

Our union is not something that exists apart from it's membership.  We--AFSCME Local 189 members, collectively--ARE our union.  And what our union can and can't accomplish at the bargaining table (or anywhere else for that matter) depends entirely on action and engagement from individual rank-and-file members.  The more of us that get involved, the stronger we are collectively and the better outcomes we can acheive.  If you're watching the bargaining process unfold and you're thinking, "someone ought to....", ask yourself if that someone might be you.

  • The City continues to say no to our largest priorities.  The Bargaining Team asks AFSCME 189 members to vote "yes" to keep the strike option on the table.  Ballots will be sent to personal emails and texted to members in good standing starting January 24th.  See the full strike FAQ here.  If you didn't get your ballot and you believe you should have, email [email protected].
  • We're still asking for members to "be seen in green" (wear green and/or union shirts) as a show of solidarity with our fellow members who are representing us at the bargaining table.  Remote workers are encouraged to use "digital swag" to show their support.  If you'd like an AFSCME 189 background/Icon to display your on-line/remote presence, contact your Chapter Chair or a Member Action Team member.
  • We still need Member Action Team (MAT) members to help spread information about what's happening with their co-workers.  It's easy and it takes only a few minutes a month.  Working with a MAT team captain or a Chapter Chair, each MAT team member commits to simply sharing news coming out of the Bargaining Team with their co-workers.  (Ideally, it's one MAT team member for every 10 members.)  That's all there is to it.  If we need to take collective action at any point during the bargaining process, our MAT team members and captains will be the first to know the details (when, where, how) of that action.  If you're interested in serving as a MAT team member, contact your Chapter Chair.  You'll find their contact information in the "About Us" section of this website, under Leadership Info. 

Proposals and Tenative Agreements