NCJ Number
168831
Journal
American Jails Volume: 10 Issue: 1 Dated: March/April 1996 Pages: 63-65
Date Published
1996
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article describes the way in which the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office (Florida), Detention and Corrections Bureau, prepared for a vote to unionize its detention deputies and sergeants.
Abstract
In January 1995, the Police Benevolent Association (PBA) secured enough signatures from dues-paying members to petition the Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC) to conduct an election regarding who would represent detention employees in labor matters--the sheriff or the PBA. PERC then notified the Sheriff's office. After seeking the counsel of a private law firm that is well versed in the handling of public employee/union matters, the sheriff tailored his actions pertinent to the election to Florida law. The sheriff met with management staff to plan a lawful strategy to defeat the PBA's attempt to unionize jail employees. The PBA's approach was to argue that it could do a better job than the sheriff in representing employees to gain benefits related to salary, working hours, working conditions, and ability to file a grievance. The sheriff's approach was one of restraint and professionalism. He appointed one person to act as a liaison to answer questions regarding what could and could not be done and to help stop any rumors. The sheriff sent several letters to employees to remind them of the benefits he had secured for them from the county. The sheriff was careful not to do anything that would obstruct employees from voting on election day. In the election, the PBA was defeated by almost 80 percentage points.