PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Less than a week after members of the Yamhill County Employees Association formed their picket lines in McMinnville, a tentative agreement was reached on Tuesday.
County Administrator Ken Huffer said AFSCME Local 1422 decided the strike would end at 11:59 p.m., though the bargaining agreement will not be ratified until later in the week.
“The county is pleased that the parties were able to reach agreement and that the strike is coming to an end,” Huffer said in a statement. “The county looks forward to having employees return to work and resuming normal operations.”
YCEA members first kicked off the strike on Friday, saying they couldn’t afford to live in the county they work in.
“With the rapid cost of living increases happening in Yamhill County, many workers are not able to afford housing and basic necessities and many are eligible for state assistance due to low pay,” the union said in a press release sent on Thursday.
The Yamhill County Employees Association covers 400 workers in nearly every department, including “behavioral health and public health clinics, developmental disability services, victim advocacy with the county District Attorney, public works, and many other departments.”
According to YCEA, Yamhill County pays its employees “well below market value compared to counties with similar population sizes, and the cost of living in the area is increasing rapidly due to the burgeoning wine and tourism industries.”
According to Yamhill County officials, more details about the agreement are to come.
Stay with KOIN 6 as this story develops.
