Tentative deal in place for Washington County probation officers

A union representing Washington County probation officers and the county have reached a tentative deal on a new contract, the county announced Tuesday.

The agreement, which is still pending the union members’ approval, comes two months after the probation officers voted to authorize a strike. The union plans to vote on the deal on March 20.

The union said the county refused to recognize Juneteenth as a paid holiday while the county said it offered the same holiday package that 80% of county employees had in 2022, which added Juneteenth as a new paid holiday.

According to the county’s announcement on Tuesday, the deal includes the same holiday package as most other county employees, including Juneteenth as a paid holiday while Christmas Eve shifts to a floating holiday.

“The county is pleased to have reached this agreement with our probation officers that includes a competitive wage and benefit package and brings their paid holidays in line with the rest of the organization,” Washington County Administrator Kevin Corbid said. “The county values the important contributions our probation officers make to keep our community safe. With this agreement, our staff can move forward with providing the exceptional services the people of Washington County expect, deserve, and depend on.”

The tentative deal was reached during a mediation session.