Market Adjustment Tentative Agreement

Dear Union Siblings,

I hope this message finds you well. As you are aware, the negotiations for the 2023 Market Adjustments have been ongoing, with the goal of securing equitable and competitive adjustments for our members in the affected classifications. After 10 months at the table, we are providing you with a comprehensive update on the recently reached Tentative Agreement with the County for the first round of Market Adjustments. Your commitment and support throughout this process have been invaluable, and we are excited to share the details of this significant achievement.

On Monday, December 11, 2023, we successfully reached a Tentative Agreement with the County. Key changes and outcomes of the Agreement are documented in a chart for your reference which you can find at the end of this summary. These changes encompass market salary range adjustments for selected classifications. 

Library Classifications: There were four positions which remained unresolved (at least in terms of an adjustment). During this study, some of the job profiles under study (Librarian, Library Assistant, Library Safety Liaison, and Library Outreach Specialist) were not aligning with the tasks performed across the Library Department. In response, the County proposed a pause in the MA bargaining process, and recommended the initiation of a comprehensive Classification and Compensation (class comp) study by an outside consultant to reassess the classifications within the library context. This study will include the four Library classifications that were originally part of this study AND the Library Access Services Assistant.  The final piece was to secure a joint agreement between Local 88 and the County on a Memorandum of Agreement which will govern the class comp. Now that the County has finally signed off on the MOA, we can proceed with our next step.

Ratification: The next step involves the ratification of the Agreement to ensure that our members can receive the proposed adjustments and retroactive benefits. We plan on ratifying January 18 – January 24, 2024 by way of an email ballot. We plan to offer a more comprehensive information session at the upcoming General Membership Meeting on Wednesday, January 17th. Regarding the implementation of increases, Labor Relations has indicated they will be available mid February.

We would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to first, the bargaining team,  all the point persons, and all of the participants from the individual departments. Your unwavering dedication and commitment have been instrumental in reaching this Agreement. Your contributions have strengthened our union, and we would like to acknowledge your exceptional efforts. 

Should you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to reach out to any member of the Bargaining Team. We are here to provide clarity and address any concerns you may have.

In solidarity,

AFSCME Local 88 MA Bargaining Team and Staff:

Grant Swanson

Rebecca Lillie

Joslyn Baker

Brian Dunnaville

PDF: Market Rate Adjustment Examples