Tumwater City Council backs deal with utility and public works employee union  

Tumwater City Council authorized a memorandum of understanding with a union representing utility and public works employees. 

On Tuesday, July 21, the council authorized Mayor Leatta Dahlhoff to execute the agreement with Teamsters Local 252, which consists of employees of the water resources, sustainability, transportation and engineering departments.   

Under the agreement, employees will see additions to their paid leave, including Christmas Eve as a paid holiday and updates to monthly vacation accrual rate.

The updated vacation schedule is based on length of service and starts at 12 hours per month for first-year employees, increasing to 24 hours per month for employees with 25 or more years of service. 

The new agreement also creates seven new job positions.  

Tumwater Administrative Services Director Michelle Sutherland said the  new positions are a result of the Public Works Department reorganizing in 2021, when it split into the Water Resources and Sustainability Department and Transportation and Engineering Department.  

At that time, specialist roles, such as water resources and cross connection control, were folded into the general "maintenance technician" title.

Sutherland said the city is now reintroducing those positions to better align employee responsibilities with their actual daily functions.