Washington County probation officers set to accept contract, averting strike

Disputes over paid holidays led to January strike authorization; final vote scheduled for March 20

The Washington County probation officer union averted a strike by accepting the county’s tentative contract for 2024 and 2025 during its mediation session on Tuesday, March 5.

The union will vote to accept or reject the contract at its meeting on Wednesday, March 20.

The tentative agreement offers Juneteenth as a paid holiday, and transitions Christmas Eve from a holiday to a work day that a newly offered float holiday can cover if an employee chooses.

“The tentative agreement reflects the same package of paid holidays as most other county employees currently enjoy,” a Washington County press release stated on March 5.

Tina Elam, Washington County communication coordinator, confirmed that the tentative agreement is the same one that was on the table when the probation officers authorized the strike in mid-January.

The probation officers authorized a strike on Wednesday, Jan. 17, due to a disagreement about paid time off and float holidays.

Under the union’s previous contract with the county, New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas were paid days off.

“Under the tentative contract they would get all the same days except Christmas Eve with the addition of Juneteenth and one floating holiday,” Elam said.

In previous negotiations that led to the authorization of the strike, union representatives thought losing Christmas Eve and earning Juneteenth as a “trade off” wasn’t fair.

During contract negotiations this year, the probation officers wanted Juneteenth to be added to that list in their new employment contract without losing any “pre-negotiated” paid days off.

“Our members recognize and value the significance of the Juneteenth holiday. This is exactly why we are asking for it to be a paid holiday because it’s important,” Washington County Probation Officer and Union Steward Carson Kulow told the Times in January.

Teamsters Local 320 Recording-Secretary and chief negotiator Joshua Loahr said he would wait to comment on the tentative agreement until after that vote.