Union Claims 100% Support From Deputies for Job Action

The union representing the Orange County sheriff’s deputies announced Friday that two membership meetings had shown unanimous support for a major job action aimed at winning higher wages.

Though the union would not reveal the form that job action would take, officials said they had already decided whether they will strike and, if so, when. But Robert MacLeod, general manager of the Assn. of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs, said it was a “safe assumption” that a strike would not be called before the deputies’ union meets with four other unions on Monday to consider a combined strike.

The deputies voted overwhelmingly about a month ago to authorize their union leadership to call a strike.

Although wages are the deputies’ chief concern, their anger has been significantly fueled by what they perceive to be an insensitive county bargaining team. And they do not accept the county’s assertion that it cannot afford raises.

“They feel they do a service for the public, and they’re disappointed that the county does not recognize that,” MacLeod said. “If the county is not going to live up to its responsibilities, then we’re not going to be as dedicated as we would be.”

Membership meetings Thursday night and Friday morning were called to detail the possible consequences of a strike--including dismissal--and to provide a last-minute forum for expressing reservations.

MacLeod said the deputies were asked in both meetings whether anybody wanted to accept the county’s latest wage offer. There was not one positive response, he said.

Several deputies, who asked not to be identified, said after the meetings that the membership was solidly behind a major job action, including a strike. One deputy described the membership as “100% in support” and another said the members were “surprisingly militant.”

MacLeod said the job action could be avoided if the county increased its wage offer or agreed to a fact-finding hearing on the county’s ability to pay for a wage increase.

But county negotiator David M. Carlaw said Friday the county has no plans to change its position at the bargaining table or to agree to a hearing.

The deputies staged a weeklong work slowdown that ended Aug. 27 and caused county courtrooms to run up to five hours behind schedule. Negotiations with the county broke down Sept. 2 after the county offered a 2.5% pay raise over one year and the deputies demanded 7%.

The 1,100 members of the deputies union now earn a base salary of $2,220 to $2,983 a month.

A major job action could include a sickout, a strike or mass resignations. But, as union officials said, the effect of any of those options would probably be the same: Deputies would abandon their patrol beats in unincorporated areas and walk out of the county jails, which they operate.

County officials have said they will seek a court order immediately to force the deputies back to work if there is a strike. They also said they are prepared to provide for public safety if there is a walkout.

The county has been deceptive about how much money is available for raises, the deputies believe, so they have asked that an independent auditor be allowed to examine financial records with the cooperation of county officials.

Arbitration Suggested

They have also said they would submit to binding arbitration, with a mutually acceptable third party hearing both sides and determining the size of a pay raise.

And they have asked for a fact-finding hearing in which both sides would argue their differences before a third party. The third party would then issue a report about the issues in the negotiations, such as the county’s ability to pay and how the deputies’ salaries compare with other Orange County law enforcement agencies.

“If the county is being honest and forthright, then why would they avoid public scrutiny?” MacLeod asked. “We think that would resolve the matter right there.”

John Sibley, county director of employee relations, said the county has strongly rejected third-party involvement in the talks, because that would remove spending authority from the hands of elected officials.

He said a settlement could have a lasting impact on the county’s already-troubled financial situation, so the decisions should be made by publicly accountable people.

County supervisors have repeatedly declined to comment on the labor situation. Last month, they approved a $1.7-billion budget that was described as one of the tightest ever in Orange County.

The eight unions representing county employees have been without contracts since July. Four of them have already staged job actions. Two, the Orange County Employees Assn. and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, are continuing to conduct partial work slowdowns.