The Deputy Sheriff’s Association has filed an official complaint regarding unfair labor practices within the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, alleging unilateral decision making relating to overtime and staffing without union conference, and interference in protected union activities.
In a joint letter from the DSA and the Organization of Sheriff’s Sergeants, members were notified of their “fight to improve working conditions in the Sheriff’s Office” by filing a formal complaint with the Public Employment Relations Board — a state agency that investigates and mediates labor issues for public agencies.
“We all want a successful Sheriff’s Office where employees are valued and where internal issues can be resolved in a prompt and respectful manner,” said the letter sent Aug. 30. “However, after extensive conversations, meetings and negotiation with our administration, we no longer believe that the issues in the Sheriff’s Office can be resolved through the usual, non-adversarial processes.”
The complaint alleges the Sheriff’s Office administration failed to provide advanced written notice or opportunity to meet and confer over decisions to changing minimum staffing levels or the now expired mandatory overtime policy. Also, it alleges violations of strict neutrality by engaging in unlawful communications with union members.
While the DSA claimed the Sheriff’s Office administration “walked away from the negotiation table” before the mandatory overtime policy expired Aug. 7, Sheriff Christina Corpus sent an email Aug. 9 to all personnel saying “we made ourselves available, but the urgency was not reciprocated,” according to the complaint.
To address the staffing crisis, the new overtime policy still has a core requirement of 24 hours per pay period, with an increase from 12 to 18 hours dedicated specifically to corrections. Minimum and maximum staffing levels were also adjusted at the Maguire Correctional Facility and Maple Street Correctional Center, according to the complaint.
According to the complaint, Corpus’ Aug. 9 email said “we cannot continue to operate corrections at unsafe staffing levels” considering the evolving composition of correctional facilities.
“We now house state prisoners, a significant number of individuals suffering from mental illness, and those battling drug and alcohol addiction,” Corpus said, according to the email in the complaint. “We must implement safe staffing levels that allow our employees to take proper breaks and receive the relief they desperately need.”
According to the email, Corpus said an internal audit by the payroll department revealed 106 employees are “not contributing to the minimum overtime requirements or are working substantial overtime without supporting the essential needs of corrections.”
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“I bring a unique perspective to the role, being the first sheriff in several administrations to have risen through the ranks, starting in corrections,” Corpus said, according to the email. “I understand the challenges with corrections, the demands, and the needs of this job because I’ve lived them.”
According to the filed complaint, the DSA alleges this Aug. 9 email “directly communicated to DSA members that the DSA board is misunderstood by the membership, not addressing the staffing issues with urgency, neglecting and failing to take action regarding staffing issues, and misrepresenting information about the membership.”
In the Aug. 30 letter sent to its members, the DSA and OSS also said they have heard concerns about Chief of Staff Victor Aenlle and are looking to hold a no confidence vote of the general membership.
“We have heard of him repeatedly overstepping his role as civilian chief of staff, and have also been made aware of numerous HR complaints,” the letter read.
During a meeting with administrative personnel and DSA members to discuss staffing policies on Aug. 13, Aenlle allegedly said to a DSA member “If you aren’t happy with how the [DSA] board is handling the situation, you should encourage the membership to vote them out,” according to the complaint.
The complaint claims Aenlle, as a representative of the county, violated his duty of strict neutrality by engaging in “unlawful communications with DSA members where the county undermined the DSA board and encouraged DSA members to recall the DSA board for engaging in protected union activity.”
The filed complaint with the PERB requests the authority to publicly issue notice reflecting the unlawful conduct and order the county to cease and desist from violating union protections.
Neither the DSA or the Sheriff’s Office could be reached for immediate comment.
I’ve worked in San Mateo County for over three decades. I cannot recall anytime point in time where there was a call for a vote of no confidence of the Sheriff. Not during the tenures of; Cardoza, Horsley, Munks or Bolanos. What adds credibility to this proposed action, is the rank and file (DSA) and the first-line supervisors (OSS) BOTH support this move. The history of labor actions has rarely seen the front line workers (the life blood of an organization) and their immediate superiors joining together in this matter. This partnership is definitely a “red flag” that there is a growing crisis in the Sheriff’s Office.
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(2) comments
I’ve worked in San Mateo County for over three decades. I cannot recall anytime point in time where there was a call for a vote of no confidence of the Sheriff. Not during the tenures of; Cardoza, Horsley, Munks or Bolanos. What adds credibility to this proposed action, is the rank and file (DSA) and the first-line supervisors (OSS) BOTH support this move. The history of labor actions has rarely seen the front line workers (the life blood of an organization) and their immediate superiors joining together in this matter. This partnership is definitely a “red flag” that there is a growing crisis in the Sheriff’s Office.
If you go to the article in the Palo Alto Daily Post, you can read the DSA/OSS joint letter and the PERB Unfair Practice Charge complaint.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.