PBA meeting info

First off I would like to thank everyone who attended the meeting. The turnout was more than I expected and I am grateful. Around 20 members, give or take a few, were there, and it was a diverse group, which was great.
Jim Wiggins from Tallahasse did show up and was there with three other members. The members present voted and agreed to allow Jim to meet with the Sheriff on our behalf. Jim has already spoken with the Sheriff in Tallahassee last week and again today before the meeting. He then spoke with the Sheriff while he was on his way back to Tallahassee tonight. Jim feels that he can get us back on track and be ready for a rattification within a short period of time. Jim will be meeting with the Sheriff next week to voice our opinions as to some of the articles in the contract. All of the participating members agreed to the pay scale and its rates and authorized him (Jim) to tentatively agree to the pay proposal so that the members can get their raises sooner than later. Jim will also be asking for more openers due to the length of the contact, which the Sheriff has requested. One opener in a three-year contract is not enough when we are dealing with a first-time contract. Jim will be requesting that a board be established which will be composed of one from the Sheriff, one from the PBA, and one that both parties agree upon in reguards to disciplinary issues. Jim and his team noticed several items in the articles which need tweaking and he will speak to her about them.

I think I covered most of what was discussed. If you have any further questions, please reach out to one of the members who were at the meeting. I will be out of town in training next week. Jim will have my phone number and can contact me. If need be, I will have him contact a negotiation team member to work anything that needs worked out.

Tom thanks for the info and thanks to those that attended. Only one concern, she said that the pay is equal between the detention side and law enforcement side, but yet the detention side received their raise. We received a raise prior to a contract, but yet now we have to wait for a contract. Seems like she's trying to get a point across, a dirty point. Even the last administration wasn't that bad, her game is they didn't seek union representation or a contract and they got a raise, we want to be secured with a contract, but it is her way or no way.

Will our raise, if we get one, be retroactive?

Tom you do deserve many thanks. But really the responsibility for the contract taking so long is the PBA. This has been going on for almost 4 years now, before Benton, she just decided to push it along. I think she had to make a point to get a contract at all. With what is happening with the County and the budgets and stuff if there is no contract she can't help us fight for much else because we are the ones with the contract. Word has it that she was in Tallahassee two weeks ago and met the head of the Florida PBA and he was real surprised and embarrased that we still did not have a contract. She asked them for help to move it along, so I guess it helped as those PBA guys showed up from the big office this week. This is just business, we voted in the PBA and that is the way business goes now.