Umatilla County employees have an approved labor bargaining agreement as of July 16, 2025, through the end of June 2028. Their union still needs to ratify the contract. (East Oregonian, File)

UMATILLA COUNTY — Unionized employees of Umatilla County nearly have their labor contract set for the next three years.

During the county board of commissioners’ regular meeting Wednesday, July 16, the members voted unanimously to approve the collective bargaining agreement between the county and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3742.

Cindy Timmons, chair of the board, said all three commissioners were happy to approve the agreement.

“Hats off to our bargaining team on both sides of the aisle,” she said. “They came up with terms that everybody was agreeable to, and then, of course, all the commissioners said, ‘Absolutely.’”

The contract includes an annual 4% cost of living adjustment in employees’ salaries, an increase in the health reimbursement contribution and a two-hour-per-month increase in vacation accrual for employees who have worked for the county at least 20 years.

The last agreement expired June 30, and the approved contract will succeed it. The union still needs to ratify it on their end, but the commissioners’ affirmative vote ratifies it for the county. It’s effective from July 1 through June 30, 2028, assuming union members also ratify it.