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Hernando Today

Union Vote Prompts Questions

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By MICHAEL D. BATES

Hernando Today

Published: March 6, 2009

County workers voted by a 3-1 margin Wednesday night to join Teamsters Local 79.

"It's been a long time coming," said Jim "J.D." Worley, a seven-year employee who works at the county's landfill. "We look forward to a long and prosperous relationship with the union."

But what does it mean for employees and taxpayers?

Hernando Today contacted several officials to get answers to some immediate questions.

What was the final vote tally and how many employees will join Teamsters Local 79?

The workers voted 331-110 to join the Teamsters. The nonprofessional bargaining unit includes about 550 employees who work in various departments, including recreation, the courthouse, public works and utilities.

Who exactly are the Teamsters?

Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents more than 1.4 million people - including 220,000 public employees - in the U.S. and Canada.

I thought Florida was a Right-to-Work state. How can employees unionize?

Florida is one of 22 Right-to-Work states, which means that workers cannot be forced to join a union and pay dues.

However, the Florida Constitution allows public employees the right to collectively bargain, as Hernando County employees have just done.

Will this end up affecting taxpayers in the pocketbook?

That is still to be determined, County Commission Chairman David Russell said.

"The revenues haven't changed (and) I honestly don't know what to anticipate at this time."
County Administrator David Hamilton said the financial impact to taxpayers is uncertain.

"The initial cost is borne by the members (through) dues," Hamilton said. "Beyond that, we will work within the parameters of our fiscal measures."

Would county employees be allowed to strike?

No. It is prohibited by Florida Statutes.

What happens to the current employee salaries? Will they be renegotiated?

Everything will remain status quo during the course of negotiations, according to John Sholtes, business agent for Teamsters Local Union 79.

What salaries will eventually turn out to be will be determined in the collective bargaining process, he said.

"Recently, a county commissioner has been making misleading comments in the press that negotiations will 'start from base zero' in an effort to frighten the workers," Sholtes said. "The truth is, once contract negotiations commence, we will request information from the county regarding the rates of pay for all of the job classifications in the bargaining unit, and we will formulate our proposals up from there."

Do employees really have more job security under the Teamsters? Will it protect them from future layoffs?

"The union has cited job security as an important issue," Hamilton said. "Given the times that we are in and the precipitous reductions in our operating budgets ... there is only so much assurance that we can offer on behalf of the organization."

Put another way: Money is tight and the county cannot give what it doesn't have, he said.

Sholtes said: "It is understandable that some employers need to reduce their work force to be more efficient or to be more competitive, and employers in the public sector, like Hernando County have to deal with deep budget cuts.

"But with a Teamsters union contract, these reductions will be made with respect to seniority. It's simply not fair to lay off a 20-year county employee and keep a one-year employee with equal qualifications working just to save money on wages and benefits."

How much will employee union dues cost?

Said Sholtes: "Union dues are based on the employee's hourly rate of pay and are paid monthly. No one pays union dues until we have a signed contract that has been negotiated on and voted on by the Hernando County workers. They are the only ones who will decide if their union contract is good enough."

Why did employees vote to join a union anyway?

Several of the employees said they did it because they were concerned that, given the current economy and the threat of layoffs due to streamlining, their jobs were in jeopardy.

To date, 56 employees have either lost their jobs or been transferred to other departments.

What's the next step in the process?

After a 15-day grace period allowing someone to challenge the election results, it will be up to the state to certify the election. Then the Teamsters will begin contract negotiations with the county.

The final vote was 331-110. Will the employees who voted against union membership still have to pay union dues?

Employees who voted against the union will not have to pay union dues, Sholtes said.

"However public employees who do not pay union dues also do not receive representation from the union. In the event of a contractual violation, such as an unjust discharge, or monetary-payroll issue, they will be on their own," he said.

Has the county put together a management team to work with the Teamsters and to make sure the proper protocol as dictated by the Florida Public Relations Commission is being met?

Yes.

Hamilton said the bargaining unit team for county management will consist of himself, Human Resources Director Cheryl Marsden and Assistant County Attorney Jon Jouben.

All have experience working with labor unions, Hamilton said.

Where can I get more information about the rights of union members in Florida?

The National Right to Work has a wealth of legal dos and don'ts when it comes to union members' rights. Visit this Web site: www.nrtw.org/c/flrtwlaw.htm.

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.

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