Hennepin County Artbitration Award

Congratulations Hennepin County on winning your Arbitration with the Detention Deputies, Techs, Dispatch and Crime Lab Techs. You have the honor of running the LARGEST, BUSIEST AND MOST DANGEROUS JAIL IN MINNESOTA AND HAVE THE DISTINCTION OF THE LOWEST STARTING PAY AND THE THIRD LOWEST TOP PAY!

This is the award from Arbitrator Mary Jo Schiavoni:   Arbitration Award 

There hasn't been a cost of living raise since 2008 and no step increases for new hires since 2010. This has caused us, the largest jail in Minnesota, to fall to dead last in starting pay and our people remain there for years! The MNPEA asked for a 1.5% Market Adjustment, a 1.5% Cost of Living Raise and Steps for 2012.

Some highlights:

While, the County acknowledges that it has the ability to pay, it argues that it 
should not have to pay given the state of its finances and the economy. The MNPEA 
argues that  the County cannot use the excuse of a weak economy to justify its zero 
percent offer when it weathered the recession with a budget surplus and growing cash 
reserves.  The previous history of wage freezes has moved Hennepin County to the 
lowest starting wage of any metro area county and it now ranks dead last compared to the 4
Met Council 7 County Metro counties in starting detention wages.


Some interesting findings of the Arbitrator are that,


There is no question that the County has the money to meet the MNPEA’s 
requested increases inasmuch as it would constitute a minor percentage of the County’s 
overall budget.

and,

Even recognizing that  four of the non-essential units have not settled for the 
County’s offer, four other essential units represented by AFSCME and Teamsters and 
independent units of Sheriff’s and Social Service Supervisors have accepted the wage 
freeze and $500 lump sum.  There are correctional employees in those bargaining units 
whose job positions are very similar, if not identical, to those of the Detention Deputy 
position in this unit.  It is difficult to conclude that the employees in this particular 
bargaining unit are entitled to more than those similarly situated from an equity 
standpoint.  This has established, as the County argues, a strong internal pattern favoring 
the County’s position.  

So the AFSCME Workhouse CO's and the TEAMSTER Juvenile Center CO's hurt everyone by rolling over, yet again! No wonder we left the Teamsters!


With respect to market  considerations in  recruiting and  turnover for this 
bargaining unit, the MNPEA has not been able to establish that the County is having any 
serious difficulty in the recruiting or retention of bargaining unit employees under the 
current wage schedule.

As of today 25% of the Detention Deputies hired a few short weeks ago have quit to work for better paying jobs in other departments!

So again, congratulations Hennepin County. I'm sure the results of this victory will be less staff, lower morale  and more overtime.

The estimated cost to Hennepin County for the MNPEA proposal was $143,298.  At a cost of about $25,000 to hire and train a new employee I'm sure that savings will be gone in a couple of months.

Let me put this in perspective. The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office spent over $400,000 on one vehicle last year.