Officers Launch Labor Action

Frustrated over failed contract talks, Ventura County sheriff’s deputies began a work slowdown Monday that affected everything from courtroom and jailhouse operations to the number of traffic citations issued.

The move drew a sharp response from county Supervisor John Flynn: “These really are Mafia-type techniques,” he said. “I’d call on the department and the sheriff’s association to change their way of communicating and realize this isn’t the way to negotiate.”

The deputies’ job action involved delays in moving inmates from their cells to courtrooms and a drop in vehicle citations. The move is part of an increasingly aggressive campaign aimed at forcing county officials to settle the labor dispute, which has continued for more than a year.

Steve Silver, attorney for the Ventura County Deputy Sheriff’s Assn., said the officers did not want to participate in a work slowdown but thought they had no choice. Contract talks remain at a standstill, and the deputies are legally forbidden from striking because of the potential threat to public safety.

“They don’t like doing this,” Silver said. “It’s completely foreign to them and goes against why they chose law enforcement as a career in the first place. But when their backs are against the wall and they’re treated like children, they aren’t left with much choice.”

At issue is the deputies’ demand for salary increases that would be tied to raises at neighboring law enforcement agencies. They also are seeking a retirement benefit that would allow a deputy with 25 years’ experience to retire at age 50 with 75% of his or her salary as a pension. County officials say the estimated $40-million plan is too expensive.

Supervisors lashed out at the deputies, saying such tactics will ultimately make it more difficult to negotiate a settlement.

“What are they trying to accomplish with this action?” Supervisor Judy Mikels asked. “It doesn’t make sense. As my momma used to say, ‘Honey draws more flies than vinegar.’ ”

As part of their ongoing campaign, the deputies’ union took out a series of newspaper ads over the weekend, criticizing county supervisors for refusing to go to an outside arbitrator to resolve their differences. A judge recently ruled that such a move would be unconstitutional. The ruling is being appealed.

The deputies also picketed Mikels’ office last week and filed a lawsuit against the county, claiming it owed the employees’ retirement fund $100 million.

Silver warned that more job actions are likely if an agreement isn’t reached during the next round of talks, set to begin today. Sheriff Bob Brooks said his office already is preparing by ordering managers to scale back inmate programs and jail visitations if necessary.

Brooks said public safety is not being jeopardized.

Hourlong Searches in County Jails

“People are responding to calls; everyone is still working,” said Brooks, who added that department managers do not seem to be participating in the slowdown. “The thing to remember is that the department has been fairly restrained in their actions and hasn’t done anything to affect public safety.”

Brooks said he was unaware of the planned slowdown until it arrived Monday morning.

Deputies assigned to the jails took as much as an hour in some cases to search inmates and prepare them for court, delaying proceedings. This was followed by a marked decrease in the number of traffic citations issued and a slowing of other services for inmates at the county’s three jails.

The fallout was most dramatic for the courts, however, where sheriff’s administrators were left scrambling to find ways to mitigate the disruption.

Chief Deputy Ken Kipp, who oversees the jails, said officers were searching inmates much more closely than usual and leading them from their cells individually rather than in small groups.

“Is that inappropriate?” Kipp asked. “No. Is it inefficient? Yes.” Some lawyers and judges were irritated by the slowdown, having waited an hour or more for defendants to be escorted to court.

“I know there are several trials that were delayed,” said Presiding Superior Court Judge Bruce A. Clark, adding that some jurors were forced to cool their heels in the halls.

“We are at their mercy in delivering the defendants,” Clark said of the deputies. “Attorney time is valuable, jury time is valuable.”

Defense lawyers assembled in Department 11, the arraignment court, waited an hour Monday morning for 14 defendants to be brought up from the men’s main jail.

Judge Art Gutierrez made no comment about the delay or the empty holding area where typically a dozen or more blue-uniformed defendants are seated before him at 9 a.m. for their cases to be called.

Judge Says Deputies Are Making a Mistake

Instead, Gutierrez handled those cases involving out-of-custody defendants until the inmates arrived at 10 a.m.

Clark criticized the deputies’ actions, saying the slowdown was punishing people who have nothing to do with the labor dispute.

“I think they are making a mistake,” Clark said. “Obviously, the courts and the juries have no control over their benefits and pension. They are inconveniencing a number of people who have nothing to do with their labor negotiations.”