Oconto County has reached a new three-year agreement with its sheriff’s deputies that better aligns their benefits with county employees no longer eligible to negotiate contracts.
“For the most part, working together collectively, we have been able to bridge a little of the gap between the general employee contracts and our union contracts,” said Deputy Todd Skarban, who helped negotiate the agreement for 20 members of the Wisconsin Police Professionals Association.
Previously, the county bargained with several employee unions, but with the state Legislature’s passage of Act 10 in 2011, the bargaining rights of public sector unions were restricted, with the exception of protective service employees.
A big change in the 2015-2017 agreement relates to retirement. The deputies will pay the same share the general employees pay toward their retirement, which is 6.8 percent. However, the county will pay the deputies 6.8 percent more in wages, bringing their hourly wage to $26.24. Both measures took effect Feb. 22.
“It’s very similar to what other counties are doing in the state to get this agreement,” Oconto County Administrative Coordinator Kevin Hamann said.
The agreement also grants a 12 cents an hour wage increase on June 28, 2015. According to Hamann, the county originally requested no wage increase, and the union requested a 25-cent bump.
“After some negotiations, we compromised on 12 cents,” he said.
The 12-cent raise will cost an additional $7,000 annually, Hamann said.
Wages will also increase 2 percent in 2016 (to $25.87 an hour) and 2 percent in 2017 (to $26.39). Factoring in all raises, the cost impact of the agreement is $112,000 over a three-year period.
Funeral leave also was adjusted to match the time off available for general employees. For example, paid time off following the death of an immediate family member decreased from five days to three days.
Hamann said he was pleased an agreement could be reached with the union without going to arbitration. It was the second time in a row the county and union avoided arbitration.
“We had really good negotiation session,” Skarban said, then added, “We can’t please everybody all the time.”
Following tradition, the County Board approved the same offer for the four sheriff supervisors. Their wage as of Feb. 22 was $26.34, with pay increasing to $26.99 for 2016 and $27.53 for 2017.
The most recent working agreements expired Dec. 31.
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