The 2015 State of the Unions in Hennepin County

This is a look at the State of Public Employee labor unions in 2015 representing Corrections Officers/Detention Deputies' in Hennepin County Minnesota. 

AFSCME Local 1719 represents the Hennepin County Adult Corrections Facility (the workhouse). They are the anchor responsible for holding down the prevailing wage of corrections officers in the Seven County metro area. How? 

Rather than having the essential employees, corrections officers, negotiate separate from the non-essentials, they lump CO's in with clerks and negotiate one raise.

Because AFSCME is the largest union Hennepin County has to negotiate with, they settle quick, and then declare a pattern, holding the rest of Hennepin County's essentials to.  In reality AFSCME is the only union Hennepin County negotiates with.

The result is that even though Hennepin County is the most populous county in the state, and the downtown Hennepin County jail is the largest in the State, they are the lowest paid in the Twin Cities Metropolitan area along with all of Hennepin County's corrections groups.

Conclusion: AFSCME, rather than bettering the wages of essential members is actually holding them down. This is opposite of what a union should do for organized employees.


Teamsters Local 320. Represents the CO's at the Hennepin County Juvenile Center. Typically settles early with AFSCME also anchoring metro CO wages down.

Teamsters Local 320 was decertified by the Detention Deputy's in the Hennepin County jail in 2011.

When we were with Teamsters Local 320, they actually worked against the dues paying members! Go to, Why we left Teamsters and joined MNPEA for more info. This is why we decertified Teamsters for MNPEA. For a full history read, Teamsters to MNPEA, Lest Ye Forget

Teamsters have also worked against their other members robbing union members of pension benefits. This is the result of Jim Hoffa's poor management along with his cronies from 320, Sue Mauren, and current Hoffa supporter Brian Aldes.

Teamsters Local 320 has a history of meeting with management behind member backs.


Minnesota Public Employees Association (MNPEA). Represents the Hennepin County Detention Deputies and Techs in the Hennepin County Jail and the Hennepin County Dispatch (911). This is by far the largest Correctional Group in Hennepin County, well over 200 members, almost 300 when you add in the techs and Dispatch.

MNPEA has been unsuccessful in overcoming AFSCME and Teamsters race to the bottom for wages. Typically MNPEA gets whatever AFSCME gets. 

The Hennepin County Detention Deputies overwhelmingly left Teamsters Local 320 a few years ago. MNPEA promised early negotiations, arbitrations for grievances within four months, low dues and a good legal plan. 

In reality the contract negotiations are whatever AFSCME gets, in Hennepin County.

MNPEA is also following the old Teamsters pattern of letting arbitrations die on the vine and the Teamsters Local 320 history of appeasing management. To be fair, there are plenty of step 2 grievance meetings, but if a grievance is unresolved, the promise of arbitration in four months doesn't happen, The result being the employer knows most grievances will just go away.

The dues are low, $39 a month and the legal plan is top notch for anyone in our field. 

In summary, organized labor for corrections in Hennepin County is holding down the prevailing wage for all corrections groups in the Twin Cities Metropolitan area. All of the Unions tend to try to please management rather than member concerns.

The two largest unions, AFSCME and Teamsters settle contracts quick and MNPEA doesn't have the clout to overcome it. Typically getting locked into the pattern.

What can be done? If AFSCME workhouse members joined MNPEA , AFSCME's pattern would be broken for essential employees. This would force Hennepin County to negotiate with all of the essential groups.

Also MNPEA should aggressively arbitrate contract violations in Hennepin County and get their attention and respect. As always, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office is met with compromise and ignored grievances when they violate the contract. 

Until any of these happen, expect the largest county corrections groups in the State to have the lowest compensation. Wages will continue to favor management,  regardless of being essential, and the contracts will be unenforced, unless it applies to members.

In solidarity,
Wade

IMPORTANT NOTICE

AFSCME people have been coming to members doors. If they/when they show up get their name, a picture if you can and ask how they got your address.

Let a steward know we are compiling a comprehensive list of everyone they have visited at home or called.

The information they are using is not public.

There will be a meeting in the near future with a VERY important announcement.

Knock, knock

The Hennepin County Workhouse Corrections Officers are strongly considering joining the MNPEA. The advantage would be that rather than being lumped in with the non-essentials as AFSCME always does, they would finally bargain as essential employees. The Hennepin County ACF Corrections Officers and the Hennepin County Detention Deputies could bargain as the majority of the Essential Hennepin County Employees and it wouldn't matter what the non-essentials settled for.

 AFSCME Union reps are calling our members and even knocking on our doors. Scared? They should be. All of the Arrowhead AFSCME corrections groups have already joined MNPEA. .See the full list of MNPEA groups  here. Of course one must wonder where they got a list of Corrections Officers names, addresses and phone numbers. Also, in States like Wisconsin over 40% of AFSCME's bargaining units went FAIR SHARE. Why? They don't represent their members. While AFSCME members have endured wage freezes and cuts, AFSCME CEO's, er Leaders took hefty salaries. For instance,.Intl. President Gerald Mcentee made a cool $1,121,988 in 2012. Go to Union Facts.com to see all of their salaries. You'll get the point.

Let's compare representation:

MNPEA Dues - $39 a month, including the Legal Protection

AFSCME Dues-1.5% taken out of every check.

MNPEA Legal Plan- Full on and Off Duty protection, no extra cost.

AFSCME-NO LEGAL DEFENSE! As a Corrections Officer why would you risk criminal and legal action out of your pocket? Especially in the era of the PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act).

MNPEA, Attorneys at Internal Affairs interviews

AFSCME, Not

MNPEA, Attorneys at Step 2 Grievances

AFSCME, Not

MNPEA, 24 hour hotline. Attorneys available for all critical incidents, day and night.

AFSCME, Not

Maybe AFSCME should spend less on CEO size salaries and politicians and more on members.

Workhouse Corrections Officers, every contract they force you to bargain with non-essential employees. By law, you could have bargained separately, and should have. As essentials you have no right to strike, instead you have the right to binding arbitration. AFSCME has NEVER arbitrated your contract.

One more point. For years us Detention Deputies wanted to be in the same bargaining unit as the Workhouse CO's. We had two obstacles. Teamsters Local 320 and AFSCME. They had a "no raid" clause and required whoever decertified the one to go a full year non-union before joining the other. Get rid of the last obstetrical. Join MNPEA!