The County of Marin announced it has reached a tentative two-year labor agreement with its largest union, the Marin Association of Public Employees, covering about 1,339 budgeted positions, or more than half the county workforce.
The contract, which still requires approval from the Marin County Board of Supervisors at its May 19 meeting, would run from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028. Negotiations began in September 2025 and ended April 24, according to the announcement.
The county employs more than 2,400 workers across 22 departments. The MAPE bargaining unit includes employees in road maintenance, custodial services, accounting, office administration, parks, nursing, jail operations and health and human services.
Under the tentative terms, all represented employees would receive a 4% wage increase in July 2026 and a 3% increase in July 2027.
The tentative contract also includes increased health benefit contributions, one-time health care flexible spending account deposits of $500 in January 2027 and $200 in 2028, and a temporary deferred compensation match of up to $500 annually in 2027 and 2028 for costs such as retirement accounts. Boot allowances would also increase for eligible employees who work in parks and open spaces.
According to a county report, the proposal would increase salary and benefits by $16.4 million in fiscal year 2026-27 and $7.9 million in 2027-28. Overall, compensation for the bargaining group would rise about 12.6% over the life of the agreement.
“We want to ensure that the County remains an employer of choice in the region that can attract, retain, and develop the employees that provide critical services to our community,” County Executive Derek Johnson said in a statement.
The MAPE contract is the final agreement in the county’s current bargaining cycle, aligning all union contracts through June 30, 2028.
