Teamsters Law Enforcement League

Just so everyone knows, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents law enforcement officers. This is not new, just not very well known. The Teamsters will agressively represent it's members. Teamsters Local 385, http://www.local385.org has represented police officers and deputy sheriff's for well over ten years. Local 385 employs active and retired law enforcement officers as business agents to better represent it's members. These business agents have considerable experience in representing officers/deputies in internal affairs investigations and the disciplinary process. If your agency is not represented, or you are considering making a change, please contact the Teamsters. Teamsters has a hundred year history of representing members to improve wages, hours, and working conditions, no other union can say that.

Thanks...But NO thanks. Please read the other post that inquired about a union or representation. As of now our agency is happy the way it is and our Sheriff takes care of us as well as we take care of each other.

I am not trying to be rude but I am not interested.

If anyone else feels the same or different, please feel free to comment but I will be just as happy to see this thread diapear to the bottom of the pile.

I have copied my response from the Union question to this one. My feelings have not changed just because you call it another name. Union or Teamsters, the concept and divisions it creates are the same:

Explore the message boards through out this web site and you will see a big difference with the topics, behavior and attitudes from those agencies that have a union.

Unions have their place but in this day and time those places are becoming few and far between. They naturally create division and force the "Us" vs "Them" mentality and that is never a positive working environment.

I am just thankfull that CCSO does not have a union nor needs a union. I hope this continues but if one day the majority of deputies decide we do need a union, that will be the day I move on.

In a nutshell, if I wanted to work in an environment with "I" vs "You", I would have stayed married to my first wife :P

George, I am glad that you reside in a rose colored glass, but in the real world things are not rosie. The reality of things is that the "good'ol boy" syndrome is alive and kicking in the 21st century. Apparently you are one of the golden children that has been wearing a badge for well under 10 years, or your are one of the individuals that should the sheriff make a sudden turn your head will snap off. In my experience, if "you" as an individual or as a group do not have someone looking out for your best interest other than your employer, then you are eventually going to get burned. I can almost guaranty that someone within CCSO has been disciplined or terminated without proper just cause, (whether you want to believe it or not) I do not no of an agency that this has not happened. I can tell you though, since the Teamsters began representing my agency, there has not been anyone disciplined or terminated without proper just cause. Also do you realize that should you attain the rank above lieutenant with a sheriff's office, when a new sheriff comes in you more than likely will be looking for a new job. I will say this, I applaud your convictions. My experience though, your sheriff or chief will not be there for unit after you retire, and when you get a new boss, things change, and not always for the better. As a cop and a union business agent I await your call when those things do change.

I can say that collier county has one of the best sheriffs that has proven himself and has been around for quite some time. I worked in another state that was union happy for 15 years and now work for collier. I see a HUGE difference. I am not knocking the unions, but the unions sometimes do worse than good. If there is a problem or complaint against me, i rather sit down face to face with one man and talk it out and solve it than have a union fight for me. I would not want to go the rest of my career worrying that everyone is out to get me because the union backed me up, because regardless of how good the union is, you can get fired if thats what the upper brass really wants. I TRULEY believe unions are not as a good as having a GREAT sheriff. When i worked out of state our union protected officers that should have been fired for reasons that are just down right criminal. That doesnt happen here. Everything is fair. People have been fired, they have been reprimanded and its all fair. I can honestly say that every person that has been fired that i know of have not been fired for a mistake, theyve been fired for neglect or reasons that have been prove ntrue, that any legitimate deputy would say, yeah i dont wanna work with them anymore. I cant think of any instanc ewhere someone was injustily terminated for.

Now you can say when the sheriff is no longer here things will change, people will loose jobs, etc. For one, this county is proud as hell! The sheriff has been here forever, and im willing to bet he will be here until the day he dies in his office chair. He worked here, was elected here, and will never forget that. I will gurantee you that the next sheriff weather it be 5 years from now or 10 years or 15, 20 years from now will be someone within the department that will continue the legacy of sheriff hunter, and would not change much. Why fix something that isnt broken. Other departments may have problems, but we are graced with a true leader, who has been forever. Ive seen sheriff departments that change sheriffs every election, that have sheriffs that never worked in law enforcement and now simply appoint there friends, etc. That doesnt nor will never happen here. We are proud of who we are and do not need a union to fight for us.

also, working in a union state, i can say there are people that do the job with the mentality of, "screw it, the union will back me up." Well unfortunatly, those people win, and the union does back them. I want to work with people that do the job right because they want to, i do not want to work with people that do things becuase they think the union will back them. Its simple here, do your job to the best of your ability and your fine. If you make an honest mistake you will be backed by the sheriff. If not, then guess what, what ever happens happens, you chose to act like an idiot and thats what you get. I dont want to work with people who feel there not replaceable or they can do whatever they want because the union has their back. I can go on to give examples for hours, i worked with officers who had beaten their own wives, drank alcohol on the job, etc etc etc and the unions fought for them and covered it up. Shame on them. I will NOT work with people who can not follow the same laws they enforce.

You can argue with examples as well, but this county is absolutly fine, we dont have any unjust firings, nor do we need any of that union crap!

Guest 3614,

First of all, I do not look through rose colored glasses. My statements and beliefs are made from working at this agency and co-existing with the fine people that make up CCSO, civilian and sworn! What you may view as a “Good O Boy” syndrome may in fact be a perception of ignorance on YOUR behalf, not mine! As a person who was born and raised in the south, I know and have lived the results of a “Good O Boy” system and CCSO comes no where near this. Obviously you have not been a part of one or you would not come on this board with ignorance as your sword.

Next, I do not know who you think the “Golden Children” are but I can assure you that I am not one! Furthermore, I probably have more time as a LEO, have seen more, done more and produced more than you could ever hope for, all without a union!

To say that I am up the Sheriffs back side is a childish and arrogant statement and only lends me to see the lack of character first traits you possess. It also goes to prove that you are out for yourself and have no clue of the teamwork concept which further separates me from you in terms of the true value of a union.

I do not need anyone looking out for my best interest, which is MY responsibility. I can see that since you feel it is worthy or necessary to have someone looking out for your best interest than you are not mature enough to accept the responsibility for yourself much less what is required to be a true cop!

As for discipline, we could “what if” this question for eternity and still not have a happy solution. For you see, each case is different and should be judged on its own merit. If you do not feel comfortable with this concept then do not try to cheat the system or your moral values and this issue will never be the focus of your concern. Maybe then you could start to relax and enjoy life instead of thinking everyone is out to get you.

As for your rank theory and job security, who promised you that you would always be employed? The civilian populous has to deal with this on a daily basis. Why should I have it any better as a cop? If you think cops should have it better than everyone else then you are one of those who need a badge to be important…get over yourself!

Somehow you think that something is owed to you and that is where you make your first of many mistakes. Nothing is owed to you. You work hard and follow the rules, life will seem to work itself out by itself…again the taking responsibility for your own actions thing.

You state that “your” agency has the “Teamsters” which leads me to believe that you do not work for CCSO. If this is the case, who do you think you are to come to our board and tell us how bad our sheriff is when you can not speak from experience? Who are you to tell us what we need when you have no clue what we have. Are you that insecure that you fear that someone may actually have what you been looking for all these years?

And if I were to decide to join a union, I would definitely NOT call yours, just because of the way you have represented yourself and the “Teamsters” here today! As a cop and a union business agent, they must really be proud of you.

Good day SIR! :evil:

I am not attempting to tell anyone what they need, and if you have a great sheriff which has been in place for a signifcant period of time I congratulate you. I can tell you that it is important. I can also tell you from almost 19 years on the job and currently on my third chief, things are ever changing. That is not to say that change is a bad thing, we have all seen a lot a change in this profession over the years.

I will say that of the three chief I have worked for, the current is the best, the equipment is the best available, and we have toys we do not even need. But when I started I was making $8.42 an hour, and twelve years later I was only making $13.87. In the six years since the Teamsters my hourly rate has jumped to $19.23, and a service bonus that is $200 for every year of service.

Now, if there is no need for a union at CCSO I am happy and pleased, and just because CCSO is the exception not the rule when it comes to fair and equitable treatment does not mean that it is all rosie everywhere else.

I have seen officers terminated not because of their sub-standard performance, but because the chief wanted to hire his daughters boyfriend.

I am offended at the implication that I am a sub-standard law enforcement officer. My attacks were in response to yours. I have worked at my agency for well over 18 years, and have worked everything we have, Patrol, K-9, CID, Narcotics, Traffic and FTO.

At no time did I state your sheriff was bad, or less than an upstanding individual. I too was born and raised in the south, specifically Florida. And I know from experience the good ol' boy syndrome is alive and it is not a perception of ignorance. You should know that the it is a position of subjectivity not objectivity. And you could be "Super Cop" and if the bosses don't like you, your screwed.

With regards to discipline, your right, each case is different, however when you have one individual receive one level of discipline for something, and another individual receive something either more sever or less, for a similar violation, this is not fair and equitable treatment.

By no means would I suggest retaining a sub-standard officer, I whole heartedly discourage it, I just insist that there is proper documentation which eliminates potential wrongful termination law suits. I do not want bad cops backing me up.

Your right, at no time was I ever promised I would always be employed, however if I am going to be terminated, I would prefer to be terminated because of poor performance or policy violations warranting it, NOT BECAUSE MY SGT, LT, or Chief didn't like me. Or in the case of a sheriffs office, I attained a rank under one sheriff, and the new sheriff in town wants to give the position to his poker buddy, sorry I have seen it. I have also seen a sheriff give a Chief Deputy their gold star at their academy graduation almost a year after appointment.

As for my responsibility, I do look out for my best interest, as well as taking the responsibility of every sworn member of my department and the two other departments I am the business agent for, which totals around 200 cops. It appears you have enough time on the job, that you can watch out for youself, but how many cops with less than 5 or 10 years do you know are so productive, that they sometimes forget simple things like the PURSUIT POLICY? Does this mean they are bad cops, usually not, but they lack the experience to step up to the plate and say "I F--KED UP" and usually dig themselves deeper trying to justify their actions. Sometimes they need someone to say "SHUT UP" and sign the warning form.

I am not insecure at all, as a matter of fact there are few who are secure in who they aren as me, no my badge nor status defines who I am. I have worked for everything I have, and my lfamily is my life. I am 6 years 7 months and 6 days away from retirement. I believe in the job that we do, and I believe that cops need protection, not always from the chief, city, county, sheriff, but a lot of times from themselves.

Again, I am happy for you that things are so wonderful there CCSO, however please do not be so close minded to think this is the case everywhere in the State of Florida or the United States of America. I have seen so many good officers and deputies victimize, I hope this does not happen to you and yours.

Please STAY SAFE!

I have read and respect your position. Thank you for your professional response.

Stay safe also my friend!

All I want to say is that we do not need a union here at CCSO and the day it comes, will be my last day at CCSO. I will go work for another agency that does not have a union.

Anytime this subject is brought up, extreme emotions on both sides of the coin are expressed. Each side believing with passion that they are right. Just the mention of a union causes anger, fear and division. Anything that can create so many negatives, in my eyes, is not positive. I do not need to deal with the drama nor do I need it in my life so I will go elsewhere.

Thanks for keeping the disussion professional.

That is all I have to say on this subject matter.

I do not work for the CCSO anymore but I do keep in contact with many deputies. I now work for an agency in New England that has a union. If I didn't have to join, I wouldn't have. They do nothing for us as far as I can see.

On another note, remember that the teamsters were developed by organized crime families. So while you are fighting crime on the streets part of your pay will go toward those who create your street crimes.

I do not work for the CCSO anymore but I do keep in contact with many deputies. I now work for an agency in New England that has a union. If I didn't have to join, I wouldn't have. They do nothing for us as far as I can see.

On another note, remember that the teamsters were developed by organized crime families. So while you are fighting crime on the streets part of your pay will go toward those who create your street crimes.
The police unions up north are very strong, so I tend to think you are spreading manure.

I do not work for the CCSO anymore but I do keep in contact with many deputies. I now work for an agency in New England that has a union. If I didn't have to join, I wouldn't have. They do nothing for us as far as I can see.

On another note, remember that the teamsters were developed by organized crime families. So while you are fighting crime on the streets part of your pay will go toward those who create your street crimes.
The police unions up north are very strong, so I tend to think you are spreading manure.

They may be strong, but they ARE led by corrupt union bosses who pad their pockets at the expense of the members. They also endorse candidates that the membership doesn't agree with. Oh, that happened with the state FOP too. Thanks Chuck.

You have been reading way to many novels. Read some non-fiction about the growth of the labor movement. It may help open your eyes.

Unions and Labor (bowel) Movements are fine for those cesspools up north. None need here, except for a few who think they'll get more with one.

i see some troll decided to bring up a long (2006) dead topic....probably on his mandated 5 minute union break.

i see some troll decided to bring up a long (2006) dead topic....probably on his mandated 5 minute union break.
We get 15 minute mandated breaks<<<VOTE UNION>>>.

Unions?

Create division
Create voice for the quiet
Create voice for the lazy
Create voice for the uncaring

Create yourself
Step up to the plate
Sell yourself
Earn your pay

If you do this, you will be recognized for your endeavors, not your shortcomings, therefore, you won't need a union.

Unions?

Create division
Create voice for the quiet
Create voice for the lazy
Create voice for the uncaring

Create yourself
Step up to the plate
Sell yourself
Earn your pay

If you do this, you will be recognized for your endeavors, not your shortcomings, therefore, you won't need a union.
Not at the CCSO it's who you know not what you know or do. I could make a list for you.
Start with:
BR
TW
RG
CG
JB
JW
MB
SS
GA
KR
HM
MJ
BJ
The list goes on<<<VOTE UNION>>>

So basically, everybody that has succeeded here has done so because of who they know? wow, how depressing it must be to be you and know that you will never accomplish anything unless someone gives it to you.

porky gave it to me

[AKOVENDETTA]

Yes, woe is me. What a bunch of crap. Try doing a better job as deputy and then as a supervisor instead of blaming politics for your current place in line. It is an insult to those people who worked hard and did the right thing and are moving up the career ladder and deserve it. My grandfather always used to say, “the world needs ditch diggers." Maybe this isn't for you and you are only going to be a corporal or sergeant after 25 years of service. Oh well, get over it.

You guys don't need a Union. I think that here in the freakin' north they do. There are some strange laws here and LEO's are not protected the way they are down there. Not to say that I am in support of them or anything but here you have to belong. I am constantly being told I have to vote for one thing or another. Unions Unions Unions. They suck!

Explain how "LEO's are protected down here".

We don't care Steve!

I would explain but the other Guest said you-all don't care.

Explain how "LEO's are protected down here".

LEO "Bill of rights" By Florida Statute. lIsts certain things Sheriff can and cannot do to you.

"If the board approves the recommendation, 250 custodial positions — including full and part-time custodians, head custodians and custodial attendants — will be eliminated.

The custodians will be notified of the reduction-in-force by mail, according to a letter written by Allun Hamblett, the district’s executive director of human resources, to Randy Pines, chief negotiator for Teamsters Local 79, the union that represents the custodians."

Just look what the UNION is doing for the -about to be fired- CCPS employees !!

I'm willing to bet most of them wish they had all that money in union dues back in their pockets to help pay rent. 15 to 20 years of paying dues for what? Unions + Florida = ? Buy lotto tickets instead, better investment. Or put down some new linoleum in that shack in the estates with the brand new F250 in the driveway.

[parrothead]

I have been in a union before and they did not do what I paid my dues for. i will not be in another union if I do not have to be. I believe if you do your job and "Man Up" to your actions then you have nothing to worry about. You are a grown adult so you should know better right from wrong. If you are unsure then ask a supervisor. It is better to have your ass chewed on by a supervisor for asking a question than messing up and your supervisor being blind sided for something stupid you had done.

If this is so great of a place and the Sheriff is so good then I request the following be fixed:

40 work week not 43
pay period of one week not two
No balancing for late arrest
Shift Diff for the real cops that work night and don't see there family like the day shift people in yrd, civil, dayshift traffic, bailiff, CID & etc.
Holiday Pay for the real cops that work all of them.
On Call pay
4 hour min for court not 2 (it takes two hours just to drive in and go home)
health insurnce supp. money for retired guys

whatever night guy...thanks for saving the world at night. We'll clean up the mess you leave us (all the missed 21's, 35's, 45's, etc). Keep waiting for that shift differential pay. You hard chargin', super trooper, go-getter! Heck of a job.

[Smashed]

hey sunny guest, you sound like a report writer. You shouldn't even get paid LEO pay. SHUT UP!!! If you were a hard charger or super trooper you would be on nights trying to catch the bad guys when they get out of bed. The night guys can't catch all the bad guys because the dayshifts are FAT that is to say loaded with cops that are not actually fat.

If this is so great of a place and the Sheriff is so good then I request the following be fixed:

40 work week not 43
pay period of one week not two
No balancing for late arrest
Shift Diff for the real cops that work night and don't see there family like the day shift people in yrd, civil, dayshift traffic, bailiff, CID & etc.
Holiday Pay for the real cops that work all of them.
On Call pay
4 hour min for court not 2 (it takes two hours just to drive in and go home)
health insurnce supp. money for retired guys

So, if the savior (union) comes and grants all of this, is it retro? I mean would I get back all the OT that I actually worked and never got paid for over my first 17 years before the agency started paying real OT? (We use to get an extra few bucks in each paycheck whether you worked it or not instead of the OT you actually worked) And, can I get extra weekends and other days off when I spent several years working nights and only having Tuesdays & Wednesdays off? (New guys got Tues & Wed's off - and you kept them till someone died, retired or you got promoted. And it took two years to be eligible to test for Cpl. then too. – yes TEST not given.) I worked nearly every holiday then too. The same goes for several years in CID never getting paid for being on-call, do I get that pay back too? I mean gee, I think I was a real cop then, maybe not so much now but I feel that I earn what I get from the agency and believe me, I'm grateful for how things are now compared to how they were. But then again, I never complained because I really love what I did and do now. You have no idea how good you really have it. If you think its better elsewhere with a union, go there!

I love what I do also but I still want a 40 hr. work week. Also the other items listed sound good and should be implemented!

Old Night Guy.

PS if you worked OT and did not get paid u should called the feds and made a FLSA complaint. The link for there web site is below.
http://www.dol.gov/

I love what I do also but I still want a 40 hr. work week. Also the other items listed sound good and should be implemented!

Old Night Guy.

PS if you worked OT and did not get paid u should called the feds and made a FLSA complaint. The link for there web site is below.
http://www.dol.gov/

Thanks, but I'm not that desperate. I accept that that's how things were then. I for one do not want a 40 hour work week and don't know why you'd want one. You would vote to cut yourself out of 156 hours of pay a year? And for what? So you can go home 45 minutes earlier? That's just nuts. Considering how tight things are now you'd be nuts to give up hours.

[Oscar732]

I have read some bs on this thread about a "15 minute work break". What the hell is that? You show up to work, go to calls and do your job. If you get some time in between, then that is your break. As a retired cop, I can tell you that some nights, days, afternoons and mornings, I was so busy I couldn't get a dinner break. Then, there were many shifts that I had down time and had all kinds of time to myself, or with my fellow deputies. It is a give and take.

I was a member of a Union in my last job and the UNION SUCKS!!!

All the union ever wants it more for less and how to keep crappy cops from losing their jobs.

Work your butts off, be proud of what you do.

As for the 43 instead of 40 hr work week, in 20 years I have yet to see, meet or hear of a cop (including myself) that doesn't flub off 3+ hours a week. Just think, you get paid 156 hrs per year to flub off.

Of course the come back for the 156 hrs per year is that the union people want to get paid the same for working 156 hrs less. Why doesn't that suprise me.

[Oscar732]

Unions do nothing but reward those who work less. It does not reward those who work and produce more. It is my philosophy that you should be directly compesated for the work you produce. I have always felt that way and I always hated that government work did not reward those who produced more.

I now run two businesses and my income is in direct relation to my hard work and production. Unions want ALL to be treated the same. I think that is BS.

[veteranrookie]

Unions do nothing but reward those who work less. It does not reward those who work and produce more. It is my philosophy that you should be directly compesated for the work you produce. I have always felt that way and I always hated that government work did not reward those who produced more.

I now run two businesses and my income is in direct relation to my hard work and production. Unions want ALL to be treated the same. I think that is BS.

there's another system that works like that, it's called Communism...

Over 20 years ago, an old timer then, made one distict statement to me, "boy, if you got in this job to make money, you got in the wrong job"

If you don't love it, leave it. Suck it up and only know that it could be worse. Private industry all around us are facing budget cuts, salary cuts, and yes, employee cuts.

Times will be tough and it's obvious you haven't been here long. I remember years back when we didn't recieve a raise for a couple of years. The Sheriff took care of us afterwards.

Tighten up alittle, hold your chin up and make us all proud by just doing your job. Good people who do good things do get rewarded. Stay safe and keep up the good work.