By Dan Hammock

GH Newspaper Group

The vote to approve a resolution to improve transparency in Grays Harbor County collective bargaining contract negotiations was delayed Monday but with vocal support from at least two County Commission members it appears it will pass at their next meeting Jan. 30.

The vote was delayed because Commissioner Vickie Raines was absent. However, both commissioners Wes Cormier and Randy Ross have gone on record in support of the resolution.

“It’s all about transparency,” Cormier said. “These contract negotiations should be open to the public.”

Ross agreed. When he and Cormier were asked if city councils should consider adopting a similar policy regarding their union negotiations, both indicated they would encourage them to do so, with Ross adding, “But that should be up to the cities to decide whether they want to do it too.”

A representative from the Freedom Foundation testified Monday and noted that Lincoln County in northeastern Washington recently adopted a resolution to open union negotiations to the public. He said court challenges claiming Lincoln County’s open negotiations policy violated labor laws have failed.

Cormier, a longtime union member himself, said, “I was a union member and can remember having an interest in what our representatives were bargaining on my behalf.” He added these meetings, while open to the public, do not include any comment periods or public input; people are just welcome to observe.