AFSCME Contract Negotiations

Timeline and status of negotiations between AFSCME Local 2064 (The Union) and Benton County management (The County) for a new multi-year contract for County employees represented by Oregon AFSCME
Updated November 18, 2024

For an overview of the first 16 bargaining meetings, see the detailed negotiation timeline.

January 30, 2024: The Union and The County began negotiating a contract to take effect on July 1, 2024.

January 30 to July 15, 2024: Representatives of both parties met 13 times. Each meeting lasted a minimum of 8 hours.

September 4, 2024: With no agreement on half of the articles in the contract, the two parties began mediation with a mediator assigned by the Oregon Employment Relations Board (ERB).

September 30, 2024: mediation session

October 1, 2024: The Union declared an impasse.

October 7, 2024. Final offers and costing submitted to ERB by both parties. A 30-day cooling off period began.

October 15, 2024: mediation session (see meeting summary)

October 25, 2024: Following a vote by AFSCME members, the Union informed the County of its intent to strike beginning November 13, 2024.

November 1, 2024: mediation session (see meeting summary)

November 7, 2024: mediation session (see meeting summary)

November 12, 2024: mediation session (see meeting summary)

November 13, 2024: AFSCME members strike at 6:00 a.m.

November 15, 2024: mediation session (see meeting summary)

November 19, 2024: planned mediation session

Last Best Offers

On October 1, 2024, AFSCME Local 2064 declared an impasse. Both parties had seven days to file final offers, also called last best offers (LBOs), with the Oregon Employment Relations Board (ERB). Once filed, the LBOs/final offers became part of the public record.

Here is the full text of both offers as submitted to the ERB. Please note that agreements have been reached on four articles since these documents were filed.