By Ed Jacques, LEJ Editor

According to POAM Business Agent Ken Grabowski and recently retired Research Analyst Marv Dudzinski, Wayne County Deputies have been interested in affiliating with POAM for nearly twenty years. "Beginning about 1990 we began hearing from frustrated members about their union representation," said Grabowski. "And every year since, the number of inquiries about joining POAM has consistently increased."

Although initial recruitment drives stalled, Local 502 did team up with Grabowski and POAM on legislative and political activities in 1993. As part of that arrangement POAM also offered the limited support of its research and legal department, as well as inviting representatives to attend POAM board meetings, conferences and training seminars. But, over the course of many years and several Executive Board changes, 502's participation disappeared.

In late 2004, shortly before their collective bargaining agreement expired, members became increasingly vocal about the need to join a real police union. Local 502 had been organized by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) whose membership consisted of various service, hospital and maintenance employees. Decades ago, Wayne County deputies had thought that affiliating with the national AFL-CIO would bring some political clout to their organization and positive results at the negotiating table. Local 502 members still pay an additional $14.00 a month for that relationship but receive no on-going labor support for their dues. The local union basically acts as its own independent association, paying for its own expenses and hiring attorneys to handle much of its work load.

As their latest contract neared expiration and an opportunity to change unions occurred, Local 502 attorneys filed for Act 312 (binding arbitration) even though no real negotiations had taken place. The likely reason was because those lawyers knew that filing for Act 312 would block any attempt by local members to petition the Michigan Employment Relations Commission (MERC) to conduct an election to switch unions. Local 502 Executive Board members were told that compulsory arbitration was requested to keep current terms and conditions of their contract in place while they negotiated a subsequent agreement, even though the Public Employment Relations Act (PERA) already guaranteed that protection.  Other labor unions, including the Police Officers Labor Council (POLC) and Michigan Association of Police (MAP) have utilized that tactic to temporarily stop a movement of employees to POAM. Three years and approximately $150,000 in attorney fees later, the Arbitrator's Award was issued. It was not a favorable one, and resembled what Wayne County initially offered the union.

When Arbitrator George Roumell's decision was published in late December 2007, the POAM office was inundated with calls from deputies insisting that we take an aggressive role in helping save their union. 502 Executive Board Members were notified about the recruitment incentive in the hope that POAM would receive their endorsement, which did not come.

Interest cards were disseminated and mailed to members and within two weeks, a majority of the signed cards were received at POAM, six weeks earlier than expected! In conjunction with their signature, many officers verified that their current system of representation was flawed; placing employees in prominent positions where the employer and supervisors could make promises or threats to achieve their desired result. There was no training on important labor issues like negotiation preparation, grievance arbitration, unfair labor practices, Act 312, Garrity protection, etc. On top of that, fees to SEIU and the attorneys were sucking the local association's treasury dry. When 502 Executive Board Members realized the overwhelming interest in POAM, some negative backlash occurred. A meeting between POAM officials and Local 502 officials was arranged for March 3, 2008, to see if there was common ground. The 502 Board informed POAM that they were interested in utilizing our services for 312 Arbitration cases only. They stated that there were working board members and stewards that could handle negotiations, grievances and other labor matters. POAM emphasized that we were a full-service union and our units select us on that basis. Besides, limiting POAM to a 312 Advocate's role would not deliver on our promise to improve the fundamental representation of Wayne County deputies. Instead, POAM insisted on drafting a full service agreement with the Wayne County Deputy Sheriffs Association (a new entity needed to displace SEIU) utilizing some of their current staff and board members. The POAM proposal included every available service and at a monthly rate affordable enough for the local union to keep much of its current identity or rebate the difference in dues back to the membership.

Within two days of the meeting, 502 leaders were disseminating "interest cards" for the Wayne County Deputy Sheriffs Association, but telling members that the "new" association would be similar to the Oakland County Deputy Sheriffs Association (OCDSA). This would end their affiliation with SEIU, allow them to continue to act independently and hire lawyers, and severely limit or eliminate any role that POAM will have in their future union business. Talk about negotiating in bad faith! Needless to say, POAM's proposal was rejected.

But, referencing the OCDSA as a positive example is like asking Navy Seals to sign up for a Kamikaze Squadron. Because of an adversarial board, poor advice and weak representation from their retained labor attorneys, OCDSA is close to six years without a contract. Tens of thousands of dollars per member in retro pay is at risk and the once unified union has split into a corrections vs. road patrol civil war.

POAM is moving forward with its original initiative to provide Wayne County Deputies with 100% full-service under the exclusive name of the Police Officers Association of Michigan. Meanwhile, Former 502 member and current President of the Monroe County Deputies Association, Dave LaMontaine, scratches his head. "I was listed as a reference in some POAM literature, but only one 502 Board Member called. A lot of deputies did though, and I was glad to tell them that this POAM election was a light at the end of the tunnel for them. I worked at Wayne County for five years and used to feel the same frustration and anger. With the help of POAM, they will start to get the same respect that my members in Monroe County receive."

POAM conducted an informational meeting in April and will file its Petition for Representation with MERC on May 1, 2008. The election should be conducted prior to the contract's expiration in September 2008. POAM will be scheduling more meetings with Wayne County Deputies prior to the official vote.