03-29-2010, 02:23 PM
BACKGROUND
Senate Bill 610, now under consideration in the Florida legislature, would recognize county sheriffs as a "legislative body" for the purpose of resolving an impasse with their employees. This would mean that the Sheriff, in his role as Chief Executive Officer of the Sheriff's Office could bargain with an employee collective bargaining unit and if an agreement could not be reached he could declare an impasse which he would then have the power to rule on in his role as a legislative body. The potential for abuse is obvious. A more appropriate arbitrator in the case of an impasse would appear to be the County Commission.
DEVELOPMENTS TODAY
This issue was discussed by the appropriate Senate Committee today. Sheriffs and their representatives cast their support of the proposed legislation in terms of being in control of their budgets rather than the power it would give them in the collective bargaining process, which is clearly stated as the purpose of the legislation in the title of the bill. HCSO had a representative speaking in support of the legislation.
FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE REPORT
In an e-mail report to state FOP members today James Preston, President of the Florida State Lodge of the FOP, reports that he appeared before the Florida Senate Community Affairs sub-committee along with FOP legislative director Lisa Henning and FOP attorney Tad Delegal to present FOP opposition to Senate Bill 610. There were also 20 FOP members in the audience who all voiced their opposition to the bill.
It is the position of the FOP that If this bill were to pass both the House and the Senate, collective bargaining for deputy sheriffs is dead. We go back in time to the 1950’s style of dictatorial rule by one man (or woman) who controls all of the power and runs a sheriff’s office as their own personal fiefdom.
President Preston reports that Senator Mike Fasano, author of the bill, spoke on behalf of the bill and reminded the committee that only the FOP opposed the bill while the PBA sat silently in the last row of the hearing room.
QUESTIONS - for PBA officials or supporters.
1. Why did the PBA fail to speak in opposition to the bill?
2. How can the PBA expect to have any credibility with police officers in view of this failure?
Senate Bill 610, now under consideration in the Florida legislature, would recognize county sheriffs as a "legislative body" for the purpose of resolving an impasse with their employees. This would mean that the Sheriff, in his role as Chief Executive Officer of the Sheriff's Office could bargain with an employee collective bargaining unit and if an agreement could not be reached he could declare an impasse which he would then have the power to rule on in his role as a legislative body. The potential for abuse is obvious. A more appropriate arbitrator in the case of an impasse would appear to be the County Commission.
DEVELOPMENTS TODAY
This issue was discussed by the appropriate Senate Committee today. Sheriffs and their representatives cast their support of the proposed legislation in terms of being in control of their budgets rather than the power it would give them in the collective bargaining process, which is clearly stated as the purpose of the legislation in the title of the bill. HCSO had a representative speaking in support of the legislation.
FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE REPORT
In an e-mail report to state FOP members today James Preston, President of the Florida State Lodge of the FOP, reports that he appeared before the Florida Senate Community Affairs sub-committee along with FOP legislative director Lisa Henning and FOP attorney Tad Delegal to present FOP opposition to Senate Bill 610. There were also 20 FOP members in the audience who all voiced their opposition to the bill.
It is the position of the FOP that If this bill were to pass both the House and the Senate, collective bargaining for deputy sheriffs is dead. We go back in time to the 1950’s style of dictatorial rule by one man (or woman) who controls all of the power and runs a sheriff’s office as their own personal fiefdom.
President Preston reports that Senator Mike Fasano, author of the bill, spoke on behalf of the bill and reminded the committee that only the FOP opposed the bill while the PBA sat silently in the last row of the hearing room.
QUESTIONS - for PBA officials or supporters.
1. Why did the PBA fail to speak in opposition to the bill?
2. How can the PBA expect to have any credibility with police officers in view of this failure?