Contract Negotiations Updates

Negotiations updates are in reverse chronological order. If you would like to read updates from the beginning of our contract negotiations updates, please scroll all the way down to the bottom.

Updates are sent to all dues-paying member personal emails. Non dues paying members are sent the most important updates out of respect for their email inboxes. If you aren't receiving these, contact afscmelocal517@gmail.com.

March 10th, 2026

Update From Your AFSCME Local 517 President.

TL;DR (Too Long, Didn't Read):

• Members voted to reject the county’s offer and authorize a strike. A Strike Authorization gives the Negotiations Team permission to call a strike, if necessary.
• However, a strike has not been called. Calling a strike is a legal process, and none of the following events or actions constitute the initiation of a strike.
• Some departments have retaliated by forcing everyone back to the office. AFSCME Local 517 condemns this decision.
• Monday, March 16th, 12-1 PM at every worksite. We walk out (to lunch). Just meeting your coworkers over your lunchtime break, then getting back to work.
• Negotiations resume March 20th, with a mediated session April 17th, just in case.
• Rally: March 24th at 8 AM, followed by delivering our petition to County Commissioners.
• We’re negotiating for fair pay, fair benefits, dignity, and humane working conditions.
• We will move forward, together.

Full Update From President Ben Henry

Dear AFSCME Local 517,

We are at this moment because 65% of members who could vote, did. We stayed neutral in our recommendation, gave them the opportunity to evaluate it for themselves, and the members stood up and said “no more.”

Many of you have been struggling every day, and I want you to know how proud I am of the people who stood up for themselves. We are not powerless. That simple check mark in the “reject the offer and authorize a strike” box has the county SCRAMBLING to figure out what they’ll do if we walk off the job. And remember that a Strike Authorization is not the same as calling a strike. We have not called a strike. The Negotiations Team just technically has permission now, should they find it necessary.

But no matter how you feel about the outcome, it’s important to remember that there will be more votes ahead.

If you haven’t heard, some departments, in a retaliatory response to the members rejecting the contract, haphazardly called all employees back into the office. We condemn this decision.

We do, however, encourage employees undergoing work‑location changes to coordinate with their supervisor and ensure their assigned workspaces will be safe and operational.

And in response to employees being forced back into the office, we are organizing a walkout at every work location. From 12:00-1:00 PM, step outside, meet your fellow workers, and talk about what's going on.
 

The union made it clear that healthcare and mental health protections were critical issues, and the county chose to brush those concerns aside. Now some departments have punished ALL employees for it. Community Services and IT leadership are choosing to assert dominance by forcing a return to the office. When an institution feels cornered, it lashes out. Anything they can do to divide us, they will try.

But it is not greedy to expect dignified work, fair pay, fair benefits, and staffing levels that allow us to serve residents of Washington County effectively.

Even before we’ve returned to the bargaining table, HR has already told us they’re willing to explore offering another health plan with lower deductibles and to consider a new short‑term disability contract with open enrollment that doesn’t require evidence of insurability. That didn’t happen because of me. It happened because of the power of that vote.

Another thing that happened because of the power of the vote: We DO return to the table with Washington County on March 20th. Now this session is not mediated, but we have a formal mediated session scheduled for April 17th, just in case.

We can’t promise infinite income or zero out‑of‑pocket costs. But we can promise that we are fighting with everything we have to make sure you can put food on the table, afford your medication, access the mental healthcare you need, and be treated like a human being– not employee number 12896.

I’ll be standing beside you every step of the way, and the entire negotiation team is right there with you.

Remember to sign the petition, and feel free to join us for a rally on March 24th at 8:00 AM, followed by the presentation of our petition to the County Commissioners: Stand With Washington County Workers for a Fair Contract.

Take care, friends.

We’re in this together.

In Solidarity,

Ben Henry, President of AFSCME Local 517

P.S. from the Secretary’s Corner:

We are still working out some roster things, so if any fellow AFSCME employees don’t seem in the loop, send them over to afscme517secretary@gmail.com to investigate. An email that you updated might have a couple weeks of lag between it getting corrected. Otherwise, have them visit afscme517.org where these updates will be posted as well.

FEBRUARY 26TH, 2026

Contract Offer Results

I know you've all been waiting with bated breath and I am sorry I have kept you all waiting even this long. After the votes were tallied, I went up to HR yesterday afternoon and informed them that both bargaining units voted to reject the county's offer and to authorize a strike. A Strike Authorization gives the Negotiations Team the authority to call a strike, only if the circumstances justify.

I have reiterated to HR that our negotiating team is ready and willing to come back to the table and that council 5 has already reached out to the mediator to see if another mediation can be scheduled.

I want you to know that even if you weren't among those to vote for this, we still want you to be a part of the process. We will be reaching out in the coming days to discuss next steps. We all have to wrap our heads around this as well, but we will be with you and fighting on your behalf every step of the way.

In Solidarity,

Benjamin Henry

President AFSCME Local 517

FEBRUARY 12TH, 2026

All members, here is the offer presentation as well as the offer we received from Washington County.

The Negotiations Team has voted to issue no recommendation for this contract offer, which means we are remaining NEUTRAL and our members will tell us what they think VIA their votes. The following presentation provides more context and what our options look like from here.

Please review both, and keep an eye out for future communications.

Voting Information

Virtual Voting

Virtual voting will occur on Tuesday, February 24th, via MEMBERLINK (members.afscmemn.org), from 8:00am–4:00pm. Calendar Reminder Link!

MemberLink is your AFSCME member portal. Members are strongly encouraged to log in prior to voting day to ensure a smooth voting experience.

In-Person Voting

In-person voting will occur on Wednesday, February 25th, from 11:00am–2:00pm, at the following locations:

(Calendar Invite for in-person voting!)

Disclaimer: Only Dues-Paying Members will be able to vote. No matter how you plan on voting, you should confirm your membership status and log into member link before next week.

You can do this by:
   ◦checking your paystub
   ◦Logging into MemberLink (it will not work if you are not a dues-paying member. You should do this anyway if you plan to vote virtually.)
   ◦calling the Member Action Line during business hours: (651) 450-4990

FEBRUARY 8TH, 2026

Your AFSCME Local 517 Negotiations Team recently emerged from a 12-hour mediation session with the County. We stayed at the table to push for the respect and compensation you deserve.

In the end, Washington County gave us an offer that they have formally requested to be brought to membership for a vote. The Negotiations Team has not tentatively agreed to all aspects of this offer, but we DID agree to bring the offer to you.

This offer is a mixed bag. There are hard-won gains in this proposal, but there are also areas where the County has failed to meet the moment. Usually in a situation like this, a union formally recommends a way for the members to vote. Because we are a member-led union, the team will not make this decision for you yet (if at all).

Before we move forward, we are hosting four emergency, in person Offer Presentations this upcoming week.

These meetings are open to ALL employees represented by AFSCME Local 517, regardless of membership status. These meetings will need to be attended on non-work time, like your lunch break or flex time.

We’ll share what happened during those 12 hours of mediation and exactly where the County is digging in their heels. We need your feedback to shape our final recommendation. Your responses will determine whether we move to ratify or continue to push for a better offer.

All employees that we represent are encouraged to come listen in and provide their input.

Offer Presentation Schedule

*NOTE the different time for the Stillwater meeting!

If you are not able to attend these in person, do not fret: the offer will be sent to all members after the General Membership Meeting on the 18th.

We fought for 12 hours straight at the table. Now, we need you to stand with us for one hour and give us your feedback.

Dues-paying members will be voting on this offer the 24th and 25th of February. If you would like to vote, you can sign up here to become a dues-paying member, or call our Member Action Center at: (651) 450-4990. If you have any issues or would like to confirm your membership status, call the same number or email Recording Secretary Kaitlyn McCarthy at afscme517secretary@gmail.com.

More to come. We hope to see you this week!

In Solidarity,

Your Local 517 Negotiations Team

Ben, Carrie, Alex, Lizzy, Reese, Adam, Shannon, and James

FEBRUARY 1ST, 2026

Hello everyone! Several updates to go through, so we'll just get to it.

The most important thing is, your AFSCME Local 517 Negotiations Team will be entering their first (and hopefully only) mediation session with Washington County tomorrow, February 2nd.

Mediation Tomorrow: What You Can Expect

There are generally three possible outcomes from a mediation session.

1. A Tentative Agreement (TA) (our preferred situation!)
This means AFSCME Local 517 and Washington County have reached a fair, mutual agreement. The agreement will be shared with dues-paying members for review and a ratification vote (“yes” or “no”). If members vote no, negotiations usually continue until an agreement is reached. If members vote yes, we will have our new contract!!

2. A Second Mediation Date
This means AFSCME Local 517 and Washington County HR need more time to reach an agreement. Another mediation session will be scheduled, and negotiations will continue. Please note that once mediation begins, we will not be permitted to discuss the specifics of what goes on in the room between sessions.

3. A Last, Best, and Final Offer (LBFO)
This is a final offer made only by the employer and is specifically not agreed to by the union. Consider it Washington County's hardball option. BUT ... we would still be required to take a vote on it.

As soon as we are able to share the results of our mediation session tomorrow, we will!

Additional Updates

• Executive Board Nominations and Elections
  It's election season again! Soon you will receive a notice in the mail about our Executive Board election that will be occurring soon. The February 18th General Membership Meeting is your opportunity to nominate someone or another person, and the March 18th General Membership Meeting is when the election itself will occur.
• Day on the Hill: March 10th!
  Save the Date for AFSCME's 2026 Day on the Hill, which is happening a little early this year! Day on the Hill is a full-day event where AFSCME members from across the state head to the Minnesota State Capitol to meet with our state senators, congresspeople, and rally together for a better Minnesota. More information coming soon!

We'll be in touch soon, hopefully with some good news!

DECEMBER 31ST, 2025

This message is to provide you with crucial information about your pay and benefits.

Long story short, HR finds it more important to go back and forth a certain number of times before getting serious, which is a waste of both their and our valuable time.

During our last negotiation session, Washington County offered us Cost-Of-Living and Step increases that were LOWER than those proposed to other bargaining units, demonstrating a clear lack of respect for the vital contributions of employees like you. We did not accept this contract proposal.

In response, we have filed for mediation. Mediation is a process used to assist parties to resolve a problem in which a neutral third party, a mediator, assists the parties to reach a mutually acceptable resolution. Our mediation date has been set for February 2nd.

Because negotiations are going on longer than we anticipated, our current contract expires at the end of 2025.

THE FACTS:

Until a new agreement has been reached, most aspects of the old contract will remain in effect.

However, in 2026, employees represented by AFSCME Local 517 will still be financially impacted in the following ways UNTIL A NEW CONTRACT IS IN EFFECT:

1. Employees will not receive a Cost Of Living or Step adjustment.
   1. This is because the previous contract only provides cost-of-living and step increases for the intended years of the contract (2024/2025).
      
       
2. Employee health insurance premiums starting in January will reflect what Washington County presented at Open Enrollment.
   1. This is because Washington County's healthcare premiums are going up, but the amount they are covering for us will stay the same. This means employee health insurance premiums will increase instead.

A note if you have a High Deductible Health Plan:

You will still receive HSA Contributions given to you from Washington County.

When we do settle on an offer, we intend to negotiate for backpay from January 1st to reflect the new contract, but this is not a 100% guarantee.

After a contract is tentatively agreed upon, members who pay dues will vote to ratify this contract. If you are unsure if you are a dues-paying member, you can check your paystub or email us at afscme517secretary@gmail.com.

If you would like to vote on the next contract, you can sign up here or call the Member Action Center at (651) 450-4990.

Lastly, some members of our leadership team spoke at the December 16th County Board Meeting to inform the County Commissioners of this, and you can listen to their statement on YouTube.

We sincerely hope that you all have a Happy New Year, and we are sorry to bring you this news so late. We'll see you in 2026 with a strong contract.

​

In Solidarity,

Your AFSCME Local 517 Leadership Team

P.S. You can read previous updates on our Contract Negotiations page: Contract Negotiations Updates | Local 517 Washington County. 

DECEMBER 1ST, 2025

This serves as a critical update regarding the status of your contract negotiations with the County.

Your Bargaining Team has formally filed for mediation following the County’s refusal to present an equitable financial proposal. They are trying to divide us and weaken our protections—it's time to show them the entire workforce is UNITED.

We are calling on every AFSCME member and colleague to join us for a crucial RALLY FOR RESPECT on December 16th, immediately preceding the County Board Meeting.

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?

We are fighting against three massive attacks that affect every single employee in some way or another.

1. Economic Disrespect: Stop the Poverty Wages!

The County’s current offer falls short of increases provided to other bargaining units, demonstrating a clear lack of respect for the vital contributions of AFSCME Local 517 members.
 

• The Union’s Demand:Fair Pay and Respectful Wages that allow us to afford to live in the communities we serve.
• Your Action: Show up to fight for the raise you earned.

2. Erosion of Core Protections: No Rollbacks!

Management is actively refusing to guarantee our right to representation.

• The Union’s Demand:Codify Weingarten Rights. We will not allow the County to weaken your job security! For more info on your rights, read all about it here.
• Your Action: Show up to defend your due process and working conditions.

3. Dividing the Workforce: Paid family leave for ALL EMPLOYEES

The County is attempting to exploit a loophole to create two classes of workers.

• The Union’s Demand:NO WORKER LEFT BEHIND! We demand the contract be used to extend equal Paid Family Leave protections to all 171 of our Wisconsin-based co-workers. This is a fight for equity across the board.
• Your Action: Show up to ensure fairness and solidarity for every colleague.

Wait, what exactly is Mediation?

Mediation is a process used to assist parties to resolve a dispute through informal and confidential discourse in which a neutral third party, a mediator, assists the parties to reach a negotiated and mutually acceptable resolution/agreement.

Our Commitment to the Table

While we have filed for mediation, we want to be unequivocally clear: Your Bargaining Team remains ready to return to direct negotiation the moment the County commits to a proposal that includes a fair Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). We are ready to work, but we will not settle for an unfair contract.

EMERGENCY RALLY DETAILS

Your presence is our leverage. We need you there!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP NOW!

Please confirm your attendance via the link above and encourage five co-workers to stand with us.

See you on the 16th—our unity will win this contract!

In Solidarity,

Your AFSCME Local 517 Negotiations Team

Because this event is happening during the work day, you will need to take PTO or Flex Time to attend this event. 

This is not to deter anyone, but it is important to let you know that this event is not technically a protected union activity. If you cannot attend this event due to your work schedule or if your PTO is denied, DO NOT FRET, just wear green!

And email us at afscme517secretary@gmail.com if you want a T-shirt, bracelets, keychains, or buttons to show your support!

October 31st Negotiations Update

Here’s What’s on the Table.

Your union has brought several proposals to the table for this round of negotiations.

The short version is this: the county said “NO” to nearly every item we proposed.
 

Union Proposals with County Response:

• Weingarten Rights: Several supervisors have failed to respect employees’ right to union representation during investigatory interviews. While these rights are explicitly upheld in the federal National Labor Relations Act, Minnesota's PELRA does not specifically codify it. We proposed codifying this nationally recognized right locally. The county said NO.
• Paid Family Leave: Continue paid family leave for employees not eligible for MN Paid Family Leave and codify full leave benefits for those eligible for MN Paid Family Leave to protect this program in case of future legislative changes. The county said NO.
• Compassionate Leave: Up to 3 days of compassionate leave for employees experiencing significant loss. The county said NO.
• Healthcare Costs: Increase HSA contributions to help offset rising healthcare costs and out-of-pocket expenses. The county said NO.
• Mental Health Support: One hour per week of paid leave for therapy and other mental health resources, and aside from a small Elevate program adjustment (which we fought to implement), the county said NO.
• PTO Adjustments: Reward longevity and encourage retention. The county said NO.
• Union Communications: A union SharePoint page to provide up-to-date information. The county said NO.

What the County Wants You to Agree To:

• Codified lunch breaks in the middle of shifts, regardless of schedule constraints. They hired us for our professionalism and they can’t ignore the need for flexible scheduling that prioritizes both employee well-being and client needs. This can negatively impact service delivery and create operational headaches that unfairly fall on the worker.
• Reduced personal leaves from 6 months to 3 months. This is an attack on work-life balance and the ability to care for family. Not to mention it makes it difficult for our colleagues who want to visit family overseas or who need time off to further their education. We do not stand for limiting employees’ ability to handle significant family or personal responsibilities without losing their job.
• Limit grievances on oral or written discipline to Step 3 with no arbitration. This is a clear violation of a fundamental labor right!Arbitration is the employee's last, impartial defense against unfair or politically motivated discipline. Without it, the county is judge, jury, and executioner.
• Extended probationary periods for promotions from 6 months to 12 months. An employee has already demonstrated value to the county. Extending the period creates unnecessary instability and can delay other personal opportunities such as purchasing a home.
• Offered a 2% general wage adjustment and 2.5% in-range adjustment for employees not topped out. While we're appreciative that the county came with an offer, we believe that our workers deserve more and we will continue to push to recognize the great work you’re all doing.

The county has invested millions in physical infrastructure, but our human infrastructure is crumbling under heavy workloads. Employees deserve the same attention.
 

Why This Matters:

This list shows exactly what your union fights for every day. Without union advocacy, these are the types of policies employees could face. United we bargain, divided we beg. Let's stand together and let management know how you feel about these insulting proposals.

NEXT UP:

Our next negotiations meeting is scheduled for November 19, 2025. Check back for an update after we have been at that table.

HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR NEGOTIATIONS TEAM:

• Wear AFSCME GREEN on Wednesdays! If you'd like some swag, email afscme517secretary@gmail.com.
• Rally right before our next negotiations meeting! Let management know how you feel about their proposals! More information on that coming soon.
• Remain visible at work! Wear your bracelets, lanyards, or use local 517's backgrounds, etc. Show your solidarity and comment when you see your coworkers showing theirs!
• Talk to your non-dues paying coworkers and let them know exactly why they need to be a part of the union. It's never been clearer what we stand to lose without a strong union. Members who do not pay dues are unable to vote on the contracts, so if they want a say, you can send them the sign-up link.
• Make sure you are set up and able to log in to MEMBERLINK, your member portal where we will be voting on our contracts in the coming months.
• Make sure you are a part of the Facebook Group:AFSCME Local 517 | Facebook

In solidarity,

Benjamin Henry

President- AFSCME Local 517

September 7th, 2025 Contract Negotiations Update

Thank you to everyone who gave us their feedback in the contract negotiations survey. There was a lot of great input to work with, and we are planning how to best prioritize the needs and desires of the employees we represent. Some popular topics from our respondents included codifying certain rights and benefits into our contract, paid leave, healthcare, and employee pay ranges.

Our next General Membership Meeting will be In-Person in Stillwater on Wednesday, September 17th from 12:00pm-1:00pm. A remote attendance option is available as well, and will be disseminated when the agenda is sent to work emails.

Here are some other quick additional updates: 

• In the future, we are going to be ramping up some visibility opportunities as well as a solidarity rally to come.
• We have been in the process of setting up AFSCME Local 517 with ActionNetwork.org for improved communication.
• We were invited by Bill Czech from United Steelworkers to participate in the First Annual All-Unions Labor Day Rally for South Washington County. So on Labor Day in Cottage Grove, we got 250 honks in just a few hours!

Reminders: 

• If you have not done so, set up your MemberLink account. This is your member portal, but we also conduct voting for contracts in it!
• Join our Facebook Group
• Review our current contracts as well as your rights.

Until Next Time!

In Solidarity, 

Your AFSCME Local 517 Executive Board & Negotiations Team

August 3rd, 2025 Negotiations Update

In September 2025, AFSCME Local 517 will begin negotiations with Washington County for our 2026-2027 contracts. On this page, we will be posting updates on that contract. To stay in the loop, make sure you are receiving membership emails from our Recording Secretary's work email (if you don't believe you are getting these, please email afscme517secretary@gmail.com) and make sure to join our Facebook Page.

Currently, we have a negotiations team made up of your very own coworkers. They have been trained on what contract negotiations will entail, how to facilitate it, and what to expect. They will be the ones negotiating with Washington County directly. 

This week, we released our AFSCME Local 517 Contract Negotiations Survey for 2026-2027. This survey will be available until August 15th, and we will use this information to determine our focus points and adjustments for our new contracts. Any and all input on what YOU need as an employee of Washington County represented by AFSCME Local 517 is greatly appreciated!

Next, if you have not done so, set up your MemberLink account. This is your member portal, but we also conduct voting for contracts in it! 

Lastly, in the meantime, feel free to review our current contracts as well as your rights.

Stay Tuned!

In Solidarity, 

Your AFSCME Local 517 Executive Board & Negotiations Team