MANSFIELD — American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3088 has a new labor contract with the City of Mansfield, after more than a year of negotiations.
Mansfield City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to accept a fact-finder’s report and also the new contract itself. The votes came after a 41-minute executive session.
Before the votes, none of the lawmakers spoke about either the report or the contract, details of which will not be made public until both sides have signed it.
Council Clerk Delaine Weiner emailed a notice of the emergency legislation early Tuesday morning about the new contract so lawmakers had before it Tuesday night.
Mayor Jodie Perry told Richland Source on Tuesday morning that if lawmakers approved the fact-finder’s report, her administration wanted to be prepared to proceed with a possible vote on the contract itself.
The union members approved the fact-finder’s report and contract on Monday.
AFSCME Local 3088 President Buck VanDyke said 78 percent of the 119 members who participated in the vote approved it — 93 in favor and 26 against. The union represents about 150 city employees across a variety of jobs.
“It’s been rough, but we got through it,” VanDyke said Tuesday evening. “I’m just glad it’s done. We’re all glad it’s done.”
Perry shared similar sentiments. The mayor said she’s appreciative of council’s support for what was presented Tuesday.
“This is really a good step for both sides, actually,” she said. “I think there’s some good things in there that are helpful to both sides. Once it’s signed and it’s all public, more people will have a little bit more of an idea of those things.
“I meant what I said about the union leadership. We look forward to continuing to work with them,” Perry said.
Contract to be signed by end of August, says Perry
The terms of the agreement itself were not made public Tuesday evening and won’t be until the contract is signed, which Perry said should be done by the end of August.
The union’s previous three-year deal with the city expired at the end of April 2024 and contract negotiations had been ongoing until Tuesday.
“(With) AFSCME, it just was a fact of timing of their contract that we (new administration) came in and basically had to start negotiating,” said Perry, who took office in January 2024.
“I am looking forward to working with them outside of that negotiating.”
Union members include motor equipment operators at the water and wastewater treatment plants; community development workers; snow plow operators; utility collectors; police records clerks and 9-1-1 communications workers; court clerks; water meter installers; Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport employees; maintenance workers; Clear Fork reservoir workers and employees at the parks department.
Contract talks continue with fire, police unions
While contract negotiations have concluded with AFSCME Local 3088, the city is continuing contract talks with the International Association of Firefighters Local 266 and the Mansfield Fraternal Order of Police William Taylor Lodge 32.
The city’s three-year deal with the firefighters union expired March 31 and the deal with the local police unions also expired this year on July 31.
Perry said she is looking forward to working on new deals with both departments.
“There is an opportunity for us next year to have all of our contracts settled, ideally,” she said. “Then we can really spend the year just working with the unions.
“I really have tried to build positive relationships with them.”
