County Commissioners stop negotiating, UAW calls strike in response

After receiving an ultimatum from county commissioners, county workers went on strike

Members of the United Auto Workers employed by Lorain County government began a strike this week after county officials presented what union representatives described as a final contract ultimatum during ongoing labor negotiations.

Picket lines formed outside county facilities in Elyria and other locations across the county following the breakdown in talks. The affected bargaining unit includes county government employees working in departments represented by the UAW.

According to information released during negotiations, Lorain County provided a proposal characterized as its last and best offer and set a deadline for acceptance. Union officials indicated they were prepared to continue bargaining and had not declared negotiations at an impasse before the county’s action. The UAW did not ratify the proposal, and members subsequently initiated a strike.

Key unresolved issues include wages, health insurance contributions, and staffing levels within certain county departments. The union has maintained that further negotiations could have continued and that mediation remained an available option under Ohio public-sector labor law. Some of the county workers are currently paid as little as $14 an hour, and qualify for Medicaid despite working full-time hours.

Lorain County officials have acknowledged the strike and stated that they believe their proposal addressed fiscal constraints facing county government. The county has indicated that contingency measures are in place to maintain essential public services during the work stoppage.

The strike represents a significant labor dispute involving county government operations in Lorain County. As of this writing, no new bargaining sessions have been publicly announced, though the union has stated it remains open to returning to the negotiating table.