05-31-2008, 06:56 PM
Hillsborough Jail Deputies Ditch Union
By MIKE WELLS
The Tampa Tribune
Published: May 24, 2008
TAMPA - Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee no longer has to sit down at a bargaining table to determine his deputies' salaries.
With a vote of 449 to 137, Hillsborough's detention deputy chapter of the West Central Florida Police Benevolent Association has dropped the union as its representative for collective bargaining, said the union's executive director, Jim Diamond.
The votes were submitted Wednesday and Thursday and followed the lead of Hillsborough's law enforcement chapter of deputies, which voted 689 to 250 in February to end the union's role in its contract negotiations.
A two-year contract between the sheriff's office and the deputies and corporals in the union expired Sept. 30. Raises remained in limbo without a compromise, and the union declared an impasse.
Gee said he expected the votes to swing his way because employees grew disappointed with the union's representation.
"They had been promised things that really could not happen," Gee said.
The "things" included assurances of raises that were not financially possible and fixing individual problems for deputies, he said.
Employees Show Confidence In Gee
Employees realized the unlikelihood of those promises coming to fruition and chose to support management over the union, Gee said.
"I do appreciate the vote of confidence and the opportunity to do the best I can," he said.
Diamond questioned whether the sheriff can keep that support without finding funding for acceptable raises, increasing the number of deputies on the street and officially creating the rank of detective for deputies who serve as investigators.
"They voted their confidence in the sheriff, his staff and his successors to fulfill his promises to give them everything they were asking for in the contract," Diamond said. "Our concern was security of the deputies and to provide them a voice."
Before the halt in negotiations, Gee offered a step-increase pay plan with an average annual salary increase of 4.5 percent. Union representatives said the plan would not benefit veteran deputies with 11 or more years on the job.
The union protested outside Gee's office and distributed ads criticizing the sheriff for a deputy shortage, though his office recently achieved the largest deputy increase in department history.
There are hundreds of vacancies, and the county's deputy-to-resident ratio is well below the national average of about 2.4 per 1,000 residents. It's about 1.6 per 1,000, according to the sheriff's office.
Gee has said he intends to increase that to 1.7 per 1,000 by 2011.
The union also sought to have two full-time deputies devoted to union work. The sheriff's office balked at that, saying union members should conduct union business on their own time.
About 600 Hillsborough deputies still are members of the PBA, and this week's vote does not affect the benefits they have as union members, Diamond said.
The union offers them legal representation and representation during disciplinary actions and internal affairs investigations.
The sheriff said he was determined not to give up authority over employee salaries to an outside organization because the issues surrounding binding arbitration rest with him.
Sheriff Says He's Not Role Model
He is hesitant to talk to other sheriffs who might seek his input on dealing with unions, because his experience might not relate to their issues, Gee said.
"I'm not on a campaign against collective bargaining units," he said. "For us, it didn't work well."
After patrol deputies cast their votes to end collective bargaining in February, Gee met with them to talk about what's next, he said.
"There's nothing to do but move forward," Gee said. "Regardless of their position, that's what the people expect of us."
Reporter Mike Wells can be reached at (813) 259-7839 or mwells@tampatrib.com.
MAYBE WE SHOULD CONSIDER THIS?
By MIKE WELLS
The Tampa Tribune
Published: May 24, 2008
TAMPA - Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee no longer has to sit down at a bargaining table to determine his deputies' salaries.
With a vote of 449 to 137, Hillsborough's detention deputy chapter of the West Central Florida Police Benevolent Association has dropped the union as its representative for collective bargaining, said the union's executive director, Jim Diamond.
The votes were submitted Wednesday and Thursday and followed the lead of Hillsborough's law enforcement chapter of deputies, which voted 689 to 250 in February to end the union's role in its contract negotiations.
A two-year contract between the sheriff's office and the deputies and corporals in the union expired Sept. 30. Raises remained in limbo without a compromise, and the union declared an impasse.
Gee said he expected the votes to swing his way because employees grew disappointed with the union's representation.
"They had been promised things that really could not happen," Gee said.
The "things" included assurances of raises that were not financially possible and fixing individual problems for deputies, he said.
Employees Show Confidence In Gee
Employees realized the unlikelihood of those promises coming to fruition and chose to support management over the union, Gee said.
"I do appreciate the vote of confidence and the opportunity to do the best I can," he said.
Diamond questioned whether the sheriff can keep that support without finding funding for acceptable raises, increasing the number of deputies on the street and officially creating the rank of detective for deputies who serve as investigators.
"They voted their confidence in the sheriff, his staff and his successors to fulfill his promises to give them everything they were asking for in the contract," Diamond said. "Our concern was security of the deputies and to provide them a voice."
Before the halt in negotiations, Gee offered a step-increase pay plan with an average annual salary increase of 4.5 percent. Union representatives said the plan would not benefit veteran deputies with 11 or more years on the job.
The union protested outside Gee's office and distributed ads criticizing the sheriff for a deputy shortage, though his office recently achieved the largest deputy increase in department history.
There are hundreds of vacancies, and the county's deputy-to-resident ratio is well below the national average of about 2.4 per 1,000 residents. It's about 1.6 per 1,000, according to the sheriff's office.
Gee has said he intends to increase that to 1.7 per 1,000 by 2011.
The union also sought to have two full-time deputies devoted to union work. The sheriff's office balked at that, saying union members should conduct union business on their own time.
About 600 Hillsborough deputies still are members of the PBA, and this week's vote does not affect the benefits they have as union members, Diamond said.
The union offers them legal representation and representation during disciplinary actions and internal affairs investigations.
The sheriff said he was determined not to give up authority over employee salaries to an outside organization because the issues surrounding binding arbitration rest with him.
Sheriff Says He's Not Role Model
He is hesitant to talk to other sheriffs who might seek his input on dealing with unions, because his experience might not relate to their issues, Gee said.
"I'm not on a campaign against collective bargaining units," he said. "For us, it didn't work well."
After patrol deputies cast their votes to end collective bargaining in February, Gee met with them to talk about what's next, he said.
"There's nothing to do but move forward," Gee said. "Regardless of their position, that's what the people expect of us."
Reporter Mike Wells can be reached at (813) 259-7839 or mwells@tampatrib.com.
MAYBE WE SHOULD CONSIDER THIS?