January 19, 2010

Today, Wayne County Sheriff Thomas G. Maurer stated that he has filed an affidavit in Wayne County Common Pleas Court concerning the recent award to the labor organization representing the sheriff's deputies.  In the affidavit, the sheriff notes:

• He is the duly elected Sheriff of Wayne County, Ohio

• As Sheriff, he is the "appointing authority" over the employees in the Office of Sheriff

• As the appointing authority, he is the sole and exclusive "public employer" for the purposes of negotiating collective bargaining agreements with the employees

• As the sole and exclusive Public Employer, he has engaged in collective bargaining negotiations with the Ohio Patrolman's Benevolent Association, which negotiations had proceeded to "conciliation", and involuntary, statutorily imposed form of binding arbitration

• At the conciliation hearing, he had, through his representative, argued that his office budget was insufficient to support the wage increases being sought by the Union

• Conciliator Zeiser issued a conciliation award on November 9, 2009, granting the Union's wage package of 3.5% in each of the years of the new contract, including retroactivity; increased longevity, and rank differential

• Conciliator Zeiser, in his award, did not limit his inquiry to the budget of the Office of Sheriff; but rather looked at the entire county's ability to finance a wage increase through incurring debt or raising taxes

• Following the issuance of that award, he asked the Board of Commissioners for sufficient additional funds to cover the additional cost of the award

• His request was denied

• If made to follow the conciliator's award, he will have to lay off deputies and curtail law enforcement services to the county; thereby incurring irreparable harm to his office, the county, and its residents.

Further, the sheriff indicated that he is pursuing an order requesting that  "motion to stay" be placed on the application.  This is asking that the award be temporarily set aside until the courts have had a chance to review all documentation from this filing.  Maurer states that the resolve of this issue may not come for several months.

Wayne County Sheriff's Office, 201 W. North Street,  Wooster Ohio 44691
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