AFSCME Local 609 Ratifies Their First Contract

Congratulations to Local 609 members! In 2019, employees at Public Counsel voted overwhelmingly to join AFSCME District Council 36. Now, two years later, they have ratified their first contract.

The members of Local 609 began negotiating last year, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, that did not stop them from negotiating a strong first contract.

Their first contract provides guaranteed wage increases over three years of 3 percent, 3.25 percent, and 3.75 percent for all non-exempt workers and social workers, as well as annual salary increases ranging from 2.8 percent to 9.2 percent for attorneys.

Along with gaining Just Cause protection, they were able to make improvements to their health benefits, retirement, leave of absence language, reimbursements, incentives and many other working conditions.

"We are excited to move into the next phase of growing our union through organizing and leveraging worker solidarity at Public Counsel and in the Legal Aid Non-Profit Community," says the Public Counsel Executive Board.

Thank you to everyone who participated in making this contract happen!