Before You Dye or Buy New Leather

Inspector Cooper has issued a memo stating that:

"All licensed and detention personnel, if they wish, may immediately begin wearing all their black leather gear."

Be aware that the Sheriff's Office has not yet spelled out how this change from brown to black leather is to be paid for. While the Sheriff has the right to make this change it is the union's position that this is a certified contract item. As such it's implementation must conform to the contract. As stated in our contract, Article 1, ...the AGREEMENT is entered into between the County of Hennepin...and Teamsters Local 320.

While the Sheriff may change a uniform item, a uniform committee composed of the Sheriff's administration and a few employees (even if representatives of bargaining units), does not have the the ability to change the terms of a ratified contract. This contract is owned by Teamsters Local 320!
Article 2 of the AGREEMENT and Minnesota Statue 179A.06 expressly forbids the employer from entering into any agreement with members of the bargaining unit which conflict with terms and conditions set forth in this AGREEMENT, except through the certified representative. That representative is our Business Agent Tom Perkins.

You are advised to wait on purchasing new leather or dying your leather gear until the financial aspect is clear.

It is the union's position that according to the contract:

1). The contract provides for the employer to replace changed items not dye or refurbish existing items.

2). The employer must cover 100% of all the cost for new leather for detention techs and 100% of the cost for detention deputies still in their first year of employment. For detention deputies over one year of employment the detention deputy is responsible for the first $65 and the employer for the rest.

You can read the contract language regarding uniform allowance in a previous post by clicking here.

Further food for thought. A few years ago the detention deputies asked the Sheriff's Office permission to change from the then brown uniform, to the tan and brown one we wear now. It was approved, but we had to pay for the change ourselves because the change was at the request of the employees. Now the employer is changing the leather gear and once again trying to pass 100% of the cost on to the employee.

The union recommends not making any changes until this is ironed out. Don't get caught holding the bag. If you have already purchased new black leather save your receipts.

IMPLEMENTING THIS CHANGE AND PASSING THE COST ON TO OUR MEMBERS IS AN EXPRESS VIOLATION OF THE AGREEMENT!