Two years after on-call and temp workers filed for union recognition, Multnomah County has responded with an offer that would greatly improve conditions for a few workers, but leave the vast majority behind.

The County’s proposal includes many things that the workers have demanded, including regular pay increases, vacation time, a differential to offset the cost of medical insurance, eligibility for “internal” recruitment, seniority credit if hired full-time, shift differentials, and a process for appealing termination.  These changes would help bring the treatment of on-call and temp workers into line with that of their regular-status co-workers.

But here’s the bad news:  The County’s offer would only apply to select classifications of workers.  By our count, it would admit 95 of the current on-call and temp workers, and exclude 219.  In other words, it would leave out more than twice as many people as it would help.

The County’s proposal includes just ten classifications.  95 on-call and temporary staff in these ten classifications worked shifts during December 2018 (the most recent data we have available).  

Who does the County want to exclude?

But during the same month, 219 on-call and temporary employees worked shifts in sixty-five other classifications.  Are you one of them?

The County says yes to:

Animal Care Aide
Bridge Operator
Certified Veterinary Technician
Facility Security Officers
Library Access Services Assistant
Library Assistant
Library Clerk
Librarian
Mental Health Crisis Call Center Case Manager 2
Mental Health Crisis Call Center Mental Health Consultant

The County says no to:

A&T Technician 1
Administrative Analyst
Background Investigator
Case Manager 1
Case Manager 2
Clinical Services Specialist
Community Health Specialist 1
Community Health Specialist 2
Community Information Specialist
Community Works Leader
Contract Specialist
Contract Specialist Senior
Cook
Corrections Technician
Data Analyst Senior
Database Administrator Senior
Dental Assistant (EFDA)
Dental Hygienist
Deputy Medical Examiner
Development Analyst
Dietitian (Nutritionist)
Disease Intervention Specialist
District Attorney Investigator
District Attorney Legal Intern
Driver
Eligibility Specialist
Engineer 3
Environmental Health Specialist
Executive Specialist
Facilities Maint Dispatch Scheduler
Facilities Specialist 1
Facilities Specialist 3
Finance Specialist 1
Finance Specialist 2
Finance Specialist Senior
Finance Technician
Fleet Maintenance Technician 3
Food Service Worker
Health Assistant 1
Health Assistant 2
Health Educator
Interpreter
Juvenile Counseling Assistant
Juvenile Counselor
Laborer
Library Outreach Specialist
Marriage and Family Counselor Associate
MCSO Records Technician
Mental Health Consultant
Network Administrator Senior
Nutrition Assistant
Office Assistant 1
Office Assistant 2
Office Assistant Senior
Pathologist Assistant
Pharmacy Technician
Program Aide
Program Coordinator
Program Specialist
Program Specialist Senior
Program Technician
Project Manager Represented
Records Technician
Research Evaluation Analyst 1
Research Evaluation Analyst Senior

All temporary and on-call workers deserve a union!

At an organizing meeting January 30, an overwhelming majority of workers present decided that the County’s offer was not acceptable.  In our response to the County, we will reaffirm our position that all on-call and temp workers should be represented.

Workers throughout the County are responding by contacting County Chair Deborah Kafoury and letting her know that they object to the County’s divide-and-conquer tactics.  All workers have the right to organize — and all workers deserve fair treatment! Please call County Chair Deborah Kafoury and tell her you would like to see all on-call and temporary workers included in the Local 88 bargaining unit.  A sample script is below.

Take action: Call Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury!

Call Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury’s office at: 503-988-3308

Tips:

Be polite.  Remain calm, but be firm.

Personalize the script.  Talk about why this matters to you.

Don’t expect any direct answers or a firm commitment from the Chair’s office.  That is okay. The point of the call is to keep this issue in front of the Chair, and make sure her staff feels some pressure to resolve it.