Deputies’ Union, County to Reopen Contract Talks

After five months of impasse over pay and benefits, contract talks between Ventura County sheriff’s deputies and county government negotiators will resume next week, a union official said Friday.

The new round of talks is set to begin Thursday at the County Government Center in Ventura, said Glen Kitzmann, president of the 830-member Ventura County Deputy Sheriff’s Assn.

“We’ll see how serious they are about trying to get something together,” Kitzmann said. “Hopefully they are just as serious as we are.”

Renewed negotiations come as the county presents fresh information on the health of its retirement fund and after deputies lost a court bid to force unresolved issues into arbitration.

In recent weeks, union leaders have suggested that deputies might consider a strike or other job action to force attention to their demands.

That was alarming enough for supervisors last week to urge both sides to resume talks to avoid any disruption in public safety services during a time of heightened insecurity.

“I’ve heard from constituents about their anxiety if there is a labor action,” said Supervisor Kathy Long of Camarillo. “We don’t need to have that kind of anxiety.”

Deputies have been without a contract since Jan. 1. The union is demanding that deputies receive raises whenever pay for law enforcement in surrounding counties increases. Negotiations broke down in May.

The biggest sticking point is the union’s request for expanded retirement benefits, allowing a deputy with 25 years of service to retire at age 50 with 75% of his or her pay.

Currently, deputies are entitled to 50% of their pay as a pension. They earn $41,939 to $58,552 annually.

County Executive Officer Johnny Johnston said the retirement system cannot afford the estimated $44-million cost of providing the additional pension benefit to deputies, because the county’s other employees likely would demand them, too.

The cost of giving an expanded pension package to everyone is $260 million, Johnston said.

A consultant on Wednesday will detail for union leaders the health of the county’s retirement fund. Negotiations will resume the next day.

“We figured, let’s all sit down and figure out if we can come to a long-term arrangement that satisfies all the parties,” Johnston said.

Kitzmann said union leaders will meet Nov. 13 to discuss an increase in union dues to pay for a strike fund. But County Counsel Frank Sieh has said it is illegal for deputies to strike and the county would seek an immediate court order to stop such an action.

Kitzmann said deputies believe they have few options after a bruising court decision last month denying their attempt to settle differences before a panel of arbitrators. They can appeal the decision, but it could be months before an appellate court rules, he said.

In the meantime, deputies would not be getting any salary increases. Deputies contend that the expanded retirement package is quickly becoming standard for law enforcement and a $350-million surplus in the county’s retirement fund can easily cover the cost.

Johnston said the surplus is not reliable because of the stock market’s wild fluctuations and the nation’s unstable economic condition. With the nation fighting terrorism and facing the prospect of more attacks, the county must take a cautious stance, Johnston said.

At least one supervisor is also urging a conservative strategy.

“It’s good they’re getting back together,” said Supervisor John Flynn of Oxnard. “But the deputies have to be reasonable. We can’t give them something we don’t have.”