Spokane Sets Example on Union Bargaining

Matthew Hayward
January 3, 2019

This op-ed was originally published in the Spokesman-Review on December 23, 2018.

The Spokane County Board of Commissioners earlier this month voted to approve a resolution opening the county’s collective bargaining negotiations with unions representing county employees to public observation. In so doing, the commissioners adopted a forward-looking government transparency reform and set an example the rest of the state should follow.

Collective bargaining agreements negotiated by public employers and government unions determine the wages and benefits public employees receive. They’re also policy documents that can have a significant effect on how government agencies operate and the services they provide.

Unlike in private industry, unions representing government employees negotiate with elected officials or their representatives. This gives unions a big incentive to try and elect the officials that will sit opposite them at the bargaining table when negotiating over how to spend public funds.

Read the rest of the op-ed at the Spokesman-Review.

- Labor, Washington
, Colle, Spokane, Washington

Matthew Hayward

National Outreach Director

Before joining the Freedom Foundation, Matthew worked as supervisor at the Washington State Department of Agriculture, where he coordinated efforts between federal and state agencies, tribes, and volunteer organizations in the Puget Sound. Grassroots politics has provided Matthew with many unique and sometimes controversial experiences. These experiences range from successfully building coalitions between different factions to training and organizing volunteers to maximize their effectiveness. Matthew’s passion for freedom to educate citizens about their Constitutional rights is strong and unwavering. “I not only measure success by results, bu t by the integrity of the action taken to achieve the result.” —Matthew H.