BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – One of Bellingham’s unions has reached a tentative agreement with the City of Bellingham after over a year of negotiations.
Local 1937 represents non-uniformed employees in Bellingham that work in a variety of sectors from public works to the library.
On Monday, Aug. 26, their bargaining team called Guild of Pacific Northwest Employees managed to pull together a contract they fully endorse. Guild staff representative Steve Fraga said in a phone interview with My Bellingham Now that this new contract comes mere months after another one failed because the workers did not feel that their needs were met.
The City of Bellingham issued a statement that says they reprioritized resources to put more on the table and have been striving to address equity concerns raised by members.
According to the guild, the nonuniformed employees that Local 1937 represent have significantly less benefits and lower wages than members of other unions.
Union members now get to vote on the new contract next month between Sept. 11 and 12 and, if approved, will be voted on by the city council at their next meeting.
Fraga was impressed with Mayor Kim Lund in talks leading up to the agreement, adding thanks to the mayor for listening and providing good direction.
He could not disclose the specifics of the two-year contract, but simply said the deal was a big win for the guild and Local 1937.
