39 Madera County Deputies Return to Work

Striking Madera County sheriff’s deputies who were fired after walking off the job Nov. 6 began returning to work Wednesday, having won most of what they fought for.

However, deputies were forced to agree to return only on a provisional basis until Feb. 15, during which time permanent status for the 39 peace officers will be negotiated.

“The issue of status is being deferred through a cooling-off period,” deputies’ spokesman Ian McAndrew said. He spoke in front of a roller rink where deputies unanimously voted to end the labor stalemate.

A week ago, county supervisors agreed to make three contract changes the deputies had fought for, but said they would hire the deputies back only as new employees, meaning they would lose seniority and some vacation pay.

That condition, called “incredible” by sheriff’s deputies’ officials, kept the strike from being resolved before the Thanksgiving Day holiday.

‘Pushed Into This’

“We were very unhappy to leave our jobs” to press demands, said narcotics Deputy Karl Hancock on Wednesday. “We were pushed into this.”

The contract changes agreed to by supervisors do not involve added compensation. They set up an impasse and mediation procedure for bargaining, require staffing levels to be discussed in terms of officer safety and require a salary survey of the kind sought by deputies.

About 120 residents of this largely rural and mountainous county on Tuesday had crowded into a converted courtroom where supervisors hold their regular meetings. They pleaded for full reinstatement of deputies, claiming that their lives and property were endangered by reduced law enforcement.

Supporters of the deputies decorated the supervisors’ chamber with 100 yellow balloons. Most also wore yellow ribbons on their dresses and lapels as symbols of support.