Press release issued by Mineral County commissioners' office

May 31, 2016

On May 27, 2016 the County was notified via email that Teamsters Local 2 would strike the County’s Sheriff’s Office beginning on the morning of May 30, 2016. Negotiators for the two sides last met on May 13 and the County presented the union’s negotiators with its “final” negotiation’s proposal. The union’s representative told County representatives that its members would vote on the County’s proposal at a meeting that it would conduct sometime in the future (the date for the meeting had not been set).

Officials at Mineral County were not advised of the outcome of the meeting or vote, and had to assume its proposals were rejected since the union was announcing a strike. The strike is presently in progress.

Mineral County has a statutory responsibility to provide law enforcement to its citizens.

In light of the strike by employees at the Sheriff’s Office, the County continues to provide law enforcement to the County’s residents along with other law enforcement personnel.

Each fiscal year presents financial challenges for Mineral County. The County predominantly consists of state and federal lands and business activity on those lands has decreased over the years. Federal financial subsidies intended to compensate the County for lack of taxable real property are uncertain and steadily declining.

Mineral County’s Board of Commissioners has the statutory responsibility to ensure the economic well-being of the County. Contrary to statements by the union, whose proposals are not accompanied with a financial analysis showing that its proposals are achievable now or in the future by Mineral County.

On May 13 Mineral County made what it considered a “fair” offer to employees at the Sheriff’s Office after considering the financial condition of the County and the interests of ALL of the County’s employees. That offer was previously presented to the union in February 2016. The budget for the Sheriff’s Office has increased through time, the same as the financial demands of other departments within the County. Unfortunately, demands for the County’s limited resources are increasing faster than financial resources available to the County.