Labor Relations

Our mission

Pierce County is committed to negotiating financially sustainable labor contracts that value our employees and advance the effective management of County operations.

Who we are

Our negotiating team is comprised of five professional negotiators who use their knowledge of contract history and their relationships with our labor partners to negotiate good faith contracts with Pierce County employees on behalf of County leadership.

County priorities

The County’s primary long-term objective is to negotiate contracts that support a sustainable total compensation policy and enable effective management of County operations. This means contract language:

• Enables recruitment and retention of high-performing talent
• Relies on market data and relevant comparators
• Promotes consistent classification practices
• Provides quality employee benefits at a reasonable cost
• Provides clear lines of management decision-making authority
• Enhances labor-management communications
• Enhances the County’s ability to respond to change
• Encourages the adoption of systems that reduce cost and improve services.

Current agreements and negotiations

Pierce County currently negotiates and administers 21 collective bargaining agreements, also known as labor agreements or union contracts, with various employee labor organizations that represent County employees.

Membership Requirements, dues, and fees 

The U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Janus V. AFSCME on June 27, 2018. The primary issue in this case was whether public employees can be compelled to pay representation fees as a condition of employment. For more information, view the Washington State Office of Financial Management Questions and Answers page. Employees inquiring about their representation status or union dues and fees should refer to the relevant contract article on “Union Security” or contact their Union or PERC.