Thanks for Nothing Sheriff

I got this memo from the union in my mailbox over the weekend. I really appreciate the fact that the Sheriff is unwilling to give us a cost of living increase to the step plan.
June 21, 2006


Dear Members of the Bargaining Unit:


I am writing to you inform of the progress of our collective bargaining negotiations. The members of your bargaining team have been negotiating with the Sheriff s team since March of 2006. The re-openers that have been negotiated were wages, workday/workweek, insurance and the grievance procedure.


The PBA wage proposal was a step plus 5%. The Sheriff countered with a step increase and nothing else. Over the course of several bargaining sessions and counterproposals, the Sheriff’s position did not change. The Sheriff pointed out that last year's increases coupled with the step increase for this year amount to substantial wage increases for most members of the bargaining unit. This, he feels is fair and in keeping with the current local market. The PBA pointed out that, although last year's increases were significant; we believe them to have been necessitated by years of below market wages. The bottom line is that the Sheriff is unwilling to go beyond the step increase for this fiscal year. We did not reach a tentative agreement on this issue.


The PBA also proposed changes to the workday/workweek article, which would provide for payment of overtime even if scheduled time off is used during a pay period. While the Sheriff was initially opposed to this idea, he did ultimately agree to it and it has been tentatively agreed to by the PBA. We certainly support this agreement and believe that it is a valuable benefit to bargaining unit members.


We also re-opened the insurance article and sought benefits such as matching payments toward health insurance increases and family coverage at no expense to the deputy. The Sheriff ultimately rejected these proposals. The Sheriff proposed making no changes to the current contract language. To his credit, the Sheriff did consider going to a self-insured plan. The quote on this proposal was actually more than the current insurance through the County so no money would have been saved and no additional benefits would be passed on to deputies.


Finally, we discussed the concept of binding arbitration for disciplinary grievances. Sheriffs' have traditionally been reluctant to accept this concept. Sheriff
Balkwill has been no different than other sheriffs in this respect. What sheriffs find most distasteful about disciplinary arbitration is the fact that an arbitrator may agree that discipline is warranted but takes issue with the severity of the discipline and reduce it. This essentially "second guesses" the sheriff s decision about appropriate discipline. Recognizing this, the PBA proposed that the arbitrator only determine whether or not just cause existed to take disciplinary action. If the arbitrator determined that just cause did exist, then he or she would have no authority to disturb whatever disciplinary action the sheriff had chosen to take. If the arbitrator determined that just cause did not exist, then the discipline would be set aside. The Sheriff would not agree to this and his final offer was the currently existing language which requires that suspension of five days or more go to the career service board.

In short, we achieved one valuable benefit. We want more money than we were offered. We are not pleased with the offer nor are we pleased with the decision about discipline. Finally, insurance is a difficult subject. We do believe that the Sheriff is doing what he can to promote better insurance benefits.

We are now asking you to vote on the proposal as I have set it out above. If you have any questions, we will have informational meetings in the near future, and I encourage you to attend. I look forward to hearing from you or seeing you at one of the meetings.
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My FP&L bill came in and there was $150 fuel surcharge added. My homeowners insurance is going up $1500 this year and our health insurance premiums will surely rise again.

I was told that the 5% proposal would have added about $800,000 to the budget. Is a 1% increase in the 80 million dollar budget too much to ask for? Oh wait, the Sheriff didn't even ask for it! I guess we know where we stand. Like I said, Thanks for nothing Sheriff. My wife and kids really appreciate the fact that next fiscal year I'll have less purchasing power. I guess we have to decide if it's more important to put gas in the wife's car so she can go to her job or pay for junior's school clothes. Hmmmm.

The old timers aren't on a step plan, but it would be very nice if they could get a payraise this year, even if it's just 1% or 2% to help keep up with inflation. How many years has it been since the old timers got a payraise? A 2% payraise would be a show of good faith on the part of management. :)

All line level employees at the SSO need to understand that the upper echelon does not care about you or your families. To them you are just an number that fills a position. When you are gone they will replace you with another body and move on. They will pay you the least amount of money they can to get you to do your job. When was the last time anyone from the command staff asked you how your wife and kids were doing? Take care of yourselves and take a vested interest in your future with the agency. How do you do this? Get involved with the PBA and start attending the meetings. If you see something that you believe is wrong let the PBA know. You pay dues, make them work for you. The only way to get this administration to do anything is to place them in a position where they have to listen to you. :!: :!: :!:

All line level employees at the SSO need to understand that the upper echelon does not care about you or your families. To them you are just an number that fills a position. When you are gone they will replace you with another body and move on. They will pay you the least amount of money they can to get you to do your job. When was the last time anyone from the command staff asked you how your wife and kids were doing? Even a 1% across the board COLA would be a step in the right direction to get the support of the old timers. :(

If we don't get a 1% or a 2% across the board raise, then the step plan will quickly become out-dated (again) and we'll be starting all over (again) with lower salaries than all the surrounding agencies. I'm really surprised that the management-negotiating team doesn't realize this. :roll:


Take care of yourselves and take a vested interest in your future with the agency. How do you do this? Get involved with the PBA and start attending the meetings. If you see something that you believe is wrong, then let the PBA know. You pay dues, make them work for you. The only way to get this administration to do anything is to place them in a position where they have to listen to you. :!: :!: :!:I totally agree. If you look at other collective bargaining units, like SPD and BPD, then ALWAYS have a good turn-out because they understand how important a show-of-force is. This union stuff is still pretty new to most deputies, but we must learn from SPD, BPD and other unionized agencies that have seen big gains over the last 10 to 20 years. Remember how backwards BPD was before they unionized??? Now look at them!!! They are making giant gains, now that they are unionized, but they have solidarity and a show-of-support from ALL their union members. For us to succeed, we need to follow down their tried-and-true path because it works.

If you are a command staff member, then you don't need a union because you are already making big bucks. The rest of us are NOT making big bucks, so we have to stick together to beg for crumbs that fall from their table and the best way to do that is by always supporting our union. :mrgreen:

I haven't received a pay raise in 5 years. so much for agency loyalty and hard work!

If we reject this offer will it put us back on the barganing table with an arbitrator from out of the area??

That raise last year has now fallen short with inflation. We were heading in the right direction.

I am against voting on that. Do we have a say?? If we agree to one of the items mentioned and nothing else. The sheriff will then see he can refute the rest for years to come witout any reprisal.. I say reject it. That offer BITES

If we reject this offer will it put us back on the barganing table with an arbitrator from out of the area??

That raise last year has now fallen short with inflation. We were heading in the right direction.

I am against voting on that. Do we have a say?? If we agree to one of the items mentioned and nothing else. The sheriff will then see he can refute the rest for years to come witout any reprisal.. I say reject it. That offer BITESI say we vote for the current contract under the theory that we can only get a little bit more with each contract. However, I still think it's wrong that the sheriff and his negotiation team refused to entertain the idea of giving a 1% or 2% cola for the old timers. The fire department is getting a helluva lot more than we are because they are negotiating directly with the commissioners while we are negotiating directly with the sheriff who refuses to ask the commissioners for a 2% cola for us because he has been accused of squadering taxpayers money, so we have to suffer from his embarressment. Whatever. :roll:

Why can the fire department get such a good deal and we can't? Heck, I would love to be able to sleep on duty, workout on duty, watch cable TV on duty, cook on duty etc. Last I saw the FD pulled about 46,000 case numbers and we pulled over 112,000. I love being stuck in the front seat of a Chevy Impala as my office for 10 solid hours. I wish there was a way our union could negotiate with the county commissioners directly like the FD does.

To put it in the most simple of terms the FD guys show up for union meetings and contract negotiations. When the county council see the support of the troops and all of the faces in the crowd it is hard to say no. Ask yourself when was the last time you went to a union meeting, contract negotiation meeting, or a budget hearing? Do you care enough about your own future and get involved?

Why can the fire department get such a good deal and we can't? Heck, I would love to be able to sleep on duty, workout on duty, watch cable TV on duty, cook on duty etc. Last I saw the FD pulled about 46,000 case numbers and we pulled over 112,000. I love being stuck in the front seat of a Chevy Impala as my office for 10 solid hours. I wish there was a way our union could negotiate with the county commissioners directly like the FD does.BB took a political beating from the county commissioners last year over his proposed budget -- and he's not willing to risk that again this year -- and that's why he refuses to ask for a 1% raise for the old timers. Meanwhile back at the ranch, the senior staff officers are making 90k to 110k per year. God forbid that we give loyal old timers a 1% raise. :roll: That's right, the old timers get a 0% raise for 5 years in a row now. Is there a moral problem when these issues are looked at? :?

First off the negotiators do not agree with not giving a raise. BB has said no after several month of neg. The neg. team could not do anthing else to try to get an increase. The next step for you is to vote it down, If you think BB is not being fare. Trust me the neg. team tried what they could. I am sorry some people have not received a raise in five years. I do not think BB has been fare at all but the neg team tries to get the best offer they can and then you vote on it. If you think it is not far vote it down. Don't blame the neg. team. Blame BB. Vote it down and show him what you think but you need majoriaty of the vote so make sure you vote. The more that go out and vote the better.

The good old boy system.
I don't think the sheriff gives to shi!! about anyone but his buddies. He has now put FC in charge of Jail constuction. What kind of experience does he have none. Lets just thank him for his campaign help. You don't even see the department is falling apart. You have made this the worst department to work for. It was one of the best. Good job. The sad thing is you just don't care. You have said I did not get elected by the people in the department. I was elected by the people of the county. Well if they only new how bad you treat your employes they would have never voted you in. You could not even go and ask for a 5% increase at least. But you can give your friends money on taxpayer money. You are selfish and could care less for the men and women who put there life on the line every day. Thanks so much I hope you can live with yourself. Your time will come I hope you get what you deserve.

I was reading this thread and couldn't help but think of an article I read in the Sarasota Herald Tribune which said Sarasota-Bradenton was the 7th least affordable community in the US. I was shocked to read that article and then find out the sheriff wouldn't ask for 1% more to help his deputies. If you want to review the article for yourself, here's the web address
http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs. ... 1/GOOGLE01 (http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060707/BUSINESS/607070546/-1/GOOGLE01)
1-Manhattan in New York City
2-San Francisco
3-Washington, D.C.
4-Honolulu
5-Los Angeles
6-San Diego
7-Sarasota-Bradenton
8-Boulder, Colo.
9-Boston
10-Bango, Maine

As going backwards said,
"Thanks for nothing Sheriff"


http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060707/BUSINESS/607070546/-1/GOOGLE01[/b][/quote]

I was reading this thread and couldn't help but think of an article I read in the Sarasota Herald Tribune which said Sarasota-Bradenton was the 7th least affordable community in the US. I was shocked to read that article and then find out the sheriff wouldn't ask for 1% more to help his deputies. If you want to review the article for yourself, here's the web address
http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs. ... 1/GOOGLE01 (http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060707/BUSINESS/607070546/-1/GOOGLE01)
1-Manhattan in New York City
2-San Francisco
3-Washington, D.C.
4-Honolulu
5-Los Angeles
6-San Diego
7-Sarasota-Bradenton
8-Boulder, Colo.
9-Boston
10-Bango, Maine

As going backwards said,
"Thanks for nothing Sheriff"Wow, Sarasota is the 7th most expensive city to live in!!! :shock:

I have not been on in a while, but in the San Diego area, the locals start their officers at 42,000.00 and higher. Four local agencies start their officers at 60,000.00 and after 5 years, without promotion, they top out at 75,000.00. Then you have probably the Best Agency in San Diego County and Second Largest City in the County, Chula Vista (http://www.chulavistapd.org/). They just negotiated their contract to have their officers out of the academy start at 65,000.00 and after 5 years, the officers will top out at over 90,000.00..... Imagine what the Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Asst. Chief and Chief of Police make in that City.

Remember, we're not in California, but our cost of living here in Sarasota is the 7th highest in the USA. The cost of living here is going to continue to skyrocket, just like it did in California for the last 30 years because everybody went there, but now everybody is coming here to Sarasota (and to Florida).

When you compare my pay, you will see I do not even come close. I still make less a year than a Police Officer with no Rank in San Diego County. If I was even getting the pay of a Captain for a Department in San Diego County I would be getting close to 100,000.00 annually a year.... But I do not get that kind of money. Not even close....

That is all many of us are saying when it comes to money, it all depends on the area that you live in...... I am only showing you what others outside our area make, such as in San Diego County. We don't even come close to their pay, but we're the 7th most expensive city/county to live in in the USA.

Take care Gentlemen.....

Well lets just say we have an idiot running the show here. He would rather take care of his friends than try to help the deputies out even a 5% increase would help a little. I know we can't get it all at one time but lets stop giving the money to his friends and people who helped him out in his election. We just fall further behind each year. We also keep loosing good people to other agencies. To get the best people to work here you have to pay. I wish the tax payers of this county would find out the truth.

IF YOY IDIOTS KEEP VOTING FOR NEXT TO NOTHING. THATS WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO GET. VOTE NO. LET THIS PLAY OUT FOR THE LONG RUN. IT WILL END UP IN THE COURTS, AND MAYBE THE FOX WONT BE ALLOWED TO KEEP GUARDIN THE HEN HOUSE.