'Not able to afford housing': Yamhill County Employees Association kicks off strike

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A strike is underway for members of the Yamhill County Employees Association with picket lines forming in McMinnville.

Union members kicked off the strike at 10 a.m. on Friday in a push for better pay. YCEA members say they are striking so they can afford to live in the county they work in.

“With the rapid cost of living increases happening in Yamhill County, many workers are not able to afford housing and basic necessities and many are eligible for state assistance due to low pay,” the union said in a press release sent on Thursday.

The Yamhill County Employees Association covers 4,000 workers in nearly every department, including “behavioral health and public health clinics, developmental disability services, victim advocacy with the county District Attorney, public works, and many other departments.”

According to YCEA, Yamhill County pays its employees “well below market value compared to counties with similar population sizes, and the cost of living in the area is increasing rapidly due to the burgeoning wine and tourism industries.”

KOIN 6 has reached out to county leaders, but has yet to hear back. Meanwhile, the Office of County Administrator released a fourth update to their ongoing negotiations with the union on Friday.

“The County’s management team has been preparing for an imminent strike and now that a strike is underway, we are assessing impacts to services and operations, and will be posting updates and changes to office hours and contact information,” County Administrator Kenneth Huffer wrote in the update.

A complete copy of the county’s Union Strike and Mediation Update is listed below:

Stay with KOIN 6 as this story develops.