By Nicole Montesano • Staff Writer • 

County union files intent to strike notice

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Comments

Old school

Craver and the rest of the Union folks who are so unhappy working for Yamhill County need to stopping complaining about what they don’t have and focus on what you DO have. Good luck finding jobs that have ALL the benefits that the County and us tax payers provide. Honestly, do you have any idea how many companies do NOT pay for health insurance or provide holidays off with pay? Those are just a couple of the MANY great benefits you County workers get. Get real...or go get another job if you have it “so bad”....

Don Dix

OK, if some union members 'are really worried about their clients, but are still willing to strike', it's evident that the paycheck is king, despite any hearsay of concern about clients.

And all this talk of wage comparison -- how about presenting a comparison of benefits as well? If the total employee compensation package is somewhat equal, what's the issue? So, with that in mind, would the union accept a reduction in benefits along with a wage increase to create that equality? Not likely!

RobinG

Excluding those jobs in the food industry, most employers do offer paid holidays to their employees. As for health insurance, the government requires large employers like Yamhill County to provide employees with health insurance. I've been a tax payer and voter in Yamhill County for over 40 years. My tax money isn't being wasted on paying wages and benefits for the good, hardworking county employees, of which I am one. I do object to paying the wages and benefits of those particular county employees who give the rest of us a bad name.

SRG

Public sector jobs have always been good jobs, the kind of jobs people covet and once an individual was hired people in a public sector job they settled down, made a career, bought homes, raised families, paid taxes and spent their earnings in the communities where they worked. The decent wages and good benefits made hiring for any public sector position highly competitive assuring good quality, long lasting employees.

Yamhill County currently has more than 24 positions open – many of them “reopened” or “open until filled”. What’s going on in Yamhill County that those once highly desirable jobs are going unfilled? Is it the lack of affordable housing here? Is because wages don’t match what other agencies are paying?
High turnover and the subsequent need to hire and train new employees is a poor use of business (public or private) resources and it requires existing employees to pick up the slack, contributing to lack of morale, lowered efficacy, and burnout. It has the potential to leave consumers of public services feeling frustrated and neglected.

The vast majority of Yamhill County workers perform their jobs efficiently, ethically, and willingly. They care about the consumers of their services and the communities they live in. They understand they represent the County and do their best to serve the taxpayers well. They don’t expect six figure salaries or homes in the country. They don’t want to have to live and hour away in order to afford rent or a mortgage. They expect to be able to create a home, pay taxes and spend their earnings investing in the community where they work and live.

Watching From The Sidelines

County Citizen 67

Ironic that old school makes comments about certain aspects of County information that only employes would know. Sounds to me like Old School needs better education. By the way, how is it that Management at the County can get away with Ethics violations including having their vehicle worked on by on the clock employees and not having to pay for it, driving a county-owned vehicle to their own Ethics hearing in Salem and not paying for it as well. Oh did I mention the Manager that committed both of the above offenses also used his county-owned vehicle to intentionally hit a citizen with while they were standing in the road. If any rank and file employee at the county were to commit such violations they would have immediately been terminated. With out of control Management like this and not being willing to pay a fair and decent wage, no wonder it is so hard to hire and keep employees. Employees of Yamhill County work hard and are dedicated to their jobs PAY THEM A FIR WAGE !!!

Commissioners Primozich, Starrett, and Olson......
SETTLE A FAIR CONTRACT !!!!!!!

tagup

After wading through the mud slinging that has nothing to do with the contract negotiation I see you advocate a “fair” & decent” wage. The “decent” part is already in place, the “fair” is a matter of opinion. As a taxpayer I would much rather focus on the entire compensation package including benefits and retirement contributions rather than (only )wages.....of course that may create a different definition of “fair”.

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