County responds to JFS contract dispute with YouTube video, union hits back at claims

Lorain County commissioners responded to last week's strike notice by county Job & Family Services workers with a 93-second video message posted to their YouTube page, criticizing demands it said the union made for a new contract. The video was posted Friday morning. It is the county's first detailed response to the dispute between commissioners and United Auto Workers Local 2192, which represents 144 JFS workers. UAW Local 2192 responded Friday with a statement that called the video's claims "simply false and contradicted by the bargaining record." JFS workers administer public assistance programs including Medicaid, SNAP, WIC and child support payments, paid for with state and federal funds. The video showed Commissioner David Moore and county Human Resources Director Elise Hara-Auvil describing what they said were the union's demands. "We value the work of our Job and Family Services team. They're important to our community," Hara-Auvil said in the video. "But right now, the employees are making unrealistic demands that go far beyond what is reasonable or even possible for our county budget." She went on to say the union was seeking an "outrageous" 26 percent pay raise over the next three years, plus $5,000 cash bonuses "per employee" and the right to work from home. That's not true, the union said in a statement responding to the video. "The union is not asking for bonuses," it said. "The union is not demanding 26 percent pay increases. The union is not demanding remote work. And the union is not demanding that the county pay more for healthcare. None of these claims reflect the union's actual bargaining position." On the video, Moore said healthcare costs for the county have increased $10 million over the last five years. The county has a "self-funded" plan, meaning it pays claims by plan participants rather than paying premiums to an insurance company. "But they want you to pay even more," Moore said, referring to the union and directing his statements to those watching the video. "The employees aren't being reasonable. They're asking for things we just don't have the money for." "My job is to manage the county," he said in the video. "We need a deal that makes sense for the people who actually pay the bills: You." Moore, whose salary is set by state law, made $102,043 in gross pay in 2025. That's more than three times the annual salary of some of the union members who rallied outside county JFS offices on Tuesday to announce a strike deadline. Hara-Auvil's gross pay was approximately $58,535 in 2025, according to payroll records obtained from the county Auditor's Office. An attorney and consultant, she was hired for the job as a part-time employee in February 2025 at a rate of $88.46 per hour. In Friday's statement, the union said its workers "love serving the public." "It's what keeps them going every day in difficult work," the union said. "But over the life of this contract, the commissioners have increased healthcare costs by 50 percent. JFS workers make less today than they did five years ago in real dollars." Lorain County ranks near the bottom of pay among county JFS agencies statewide, it said. Employee turnover is at "crisis levels," workers having to to put their children on Medicaid — a federal program they themselves administer to Lorain County residents — and some are skipping meals or relying on food banks "just to get by," the union said. Commissioners voted in October to increase employee premium contributions by 13 percent. Commissioners rejected a mediator's fact-finding report last month, sending the two sides back to the bargaining table. The union said Tuesday it would strike if a new contract was not agreed upon by Feb. 18, a promise it repeated Friday. "Instead of accepting those neutral findings or making a proposal to settle the contract, the county walked away from the process and has still failed to put forward any proposal," the union said. "That leaves the union with no alternative to settle the contract." The fact-finder's report said the two sides couldn't agree on scheduling, additional holidays, accrued vacation, personal leave, remote work or even on the length of the contract. "We remain ready to negotiate in good faith and reach a fair agreement that stabilizes the workforce and protects services for the people of Lorain County," the union said. "But with no proposal or willingness from the county, we have no other option but to maintain our deadline of February 18" for a strike. The union last went on strike for three months in late 2017 before reaching an agreement with county officials. Commissioners also are facing negotiations with the Local 2192 unit representing more than 90 county Children Services workers. Commissioner Marty Gallagher — whose gross pay was $101,763 in 2025, according to county payroll records — on Friday said he hopes the two sides negotiate a resolution. "Let's sit down and get it resolved," he said. "We want it resolved and hopefully, they'll step up to the table and want to resolve it, too." Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com