Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Sheriff, deputies hit an impasse in negotiations

The two sides are far apart in efforts to iron out a labor contract.

By THOMAS LAKE
Published January 19, 2007

SHADY HILLS - The sheriff's negotiators left the room for a private conference. They stood outside five minutes, in view of Yield Street and Listen Avenue, discussing the latest demands. When they returned to the table, their attorney stared at the union men.

"Frankly," he said, "we have nothing else to offer to you."

This was Thursday's scene at Safety Town, the miniature village where schoolchildren learn caution, as Sheriff Bob White's bargaining team and his unionized patrol deputies quarreled toward an impasse.

Nearly 10 months after the deputies voted to join the Fraternal Order of Police, the two sides have not signed a labor contract. The points of contention include:

- Job security. The deputies want to make it standard practice to bring in a professional arbitrator for disciplinary hearings. They say it's too easy for the sheriff to demote them as punishment.

- Health insurance. For those with at least 25 years of service, the deputies want the sheriff to finance health insurance in the years between retirement and Medicare. Sheriff's negotiators say that would cost too much.

- Access to information. Union organizers want the right to use the deputies' work mailboxes for union-related communication. The sheriff's attorney said that would open the system for abuse.

During the 40-minute meeting, Col. Al Nienhuis read a list of ways White has improved working conditions for his deputies - everything from new gym equipment to expanded funeral leave to raising the travel meal allowance from $21 to $36 a day.

But union negotiator Paul Noeske said those benefits are merely industry standard.

"If things were so wonderful in the Pasco Sheriff's Office," he said, "we may not be here today."

Now the deputies must decide whether to accept White's offer. If they don't, an outside arbitrator could be called in to review the disputed terms and make a recommendation. The final decision on the contract would still be White's. If a contract isn't ratified by the union vote's first anniversary in about two months, deputies could vote to disband the union.

Detention deputies, who work at the jail, belong to a separate, newer bargaining unit. Their negotiations with the sheriff are still proceeding.

The patrol deputies' contract dispute has little to do with pay. But near the end of the meeting, Noeske urged the sheriff's negotiators to give in and move forward. The deputies need to feed their families, he said.

"You're not implying that our deputies can't feed their families," said White's attorney, Wayne Helsby.

"I'm not implying that," Noeske said.

"Good," Helsby said. "I didn't think so."

Thomas Lake can be reached at tlake@sptimes.com or 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6245.

[Last modified January 18, 2007, 23:42:52]