On October 8, King County presented an initial proposal to the Coalition of Unions over your successor COLA agreement that included a 2 percent flat-rate increase for each year starting in 2015.  The County is looking to move away from a CPI-based index to flat-rate wage increases in the future, a change that would make it harder for County employees to keep up with the rising cost of living. 

View the complete update here.

The Coalition of Unions has informed the County that we are disappointed with its proposal.  During the economic downturn, County employees made significant sacrifices, including furloughs in 2009, zero COLA in 2010, and increases to point of service medical costs.  These sacrifices have enabled the County to regain its financial footing from the fiscal crisis of just a few years ago.

The Coalition of Unions submitted a broad counterproposal on November 21.  The proposal addresses vacation cash-out, wage progression disparity, job security, a fair COLA, and longevity, among other issues. 

We will keep you posted as bargaining progresses.  As a reminder, County employees, represented by Teamsters 117, will receive a 1.67 percent COLA adjustment in 2014.