Story by Rodger Nichols for Gorge Country Media
The newsworthy thing about last night’s special meeting of The Dalles City Council is what didn’t happen. Following a short executive session on union negotiations, this was the only action that took pace when they returned to open session, Mayor Rich Mays asked:
“OK, we’re back in our open session (gavel pound). It is 5:45. Is there any other business to come before the council? OK, we are hereby adjourned”
The special session was held last night with the possibility of being able to reach a settlement with the Service Employees International Union, or SEIU before their contract with the city that ends today. Several union members showed up at last week’s city council meeting to point out that the city manager and city attorney both got 8 point 2 percent raises, and suggested the worker bees might deserve the same.
Though the contract ends tomorrow, work will continue under the status quo until a new contract is successfully negotiated. Likely any raises that do take place will be backdated to the end of the current contract. Unless another special session is called, the earliest that could happen would be at the next city council meeting July 13th.