BROOKSVILLE - The top brass in the Hernando County Sheriff's Office voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday against forming a union to represent them in contract talks, according to the Public Employees Relations Commission.
With 32 votes cast, more than two-thirds of the department's lieutenants and sergeants voted not to be represented by any collective bargaining unit, said Steve Meck, general counsel for PERC.
In order to win, any of the three options - the Fraternal Order of Police, the Police Benevolent Association or no union at all - needed to receive 50 percent of the vote plus one. With one ballot voided, Meck said 22 votes were cast against unionization. Five employees voted for the FOP and four for the PBA.
Wednesday's vote, however, does not mean that unions will be shut out of the Sheriff's Office.
The department's rank and file, 174 sworned sheriff's deputies, have been sent ballots to decide between the FOP and the PBA. PERC will announce the result of the balloting on Dec. 3.
Last month, sheriff's deputies voted in favor for having either union represent them during contract negotiations. However, neither group received a majority of the vote.
In March, the FOP and PBA filed petitions with PERC for the right to represent Hernando sheriff's deputies and supervisory personnel as their collective bargaining unit.
