County Presses for Agreement With Its Largest Union

County officials and their largest union negotiated late into the night Tuesday, trying to resolve a contract dispute that caused a series of rolling walkouts and culminated in a one-day strike last week.

Both sides hoped settlement was imminent during the sixth day of talks at the Furama Hotel in Westchester, as negotiations proceeded with 19 bargaining units over raises for the 47,000 members of the Service Employees International Union Local 660.

“I’m hopeful,” County Chief Administrative Officer David Janssen said Tuesday evening.

“We’re negotiating. We’re making progress,” said Local 660 spokesman Mark Tarnawsky.

The county has offered Local 660 members--who range from nurses to clerks--a 9% raise over three years, with larger targeted increases for some professionals. Saying its members deserve to share in the county’s new wealth, Local 660 has pushed for a 15.5% raise over three years and has said it will not accept raises targeted for only some of its membership. It is also asking for more staffing in medical facilities and money for child care.

Talks broke off Sept. 29, and the union engaged in a countywide walkout a week ago. After many members crossed picket lines, the union announced it was honoring Cardinal Roger Mahony’s request that it suspend the strike.