Fourteen NAPE/AFSCME members who work for the Richardson County Roads Department who have not had a pay raise since 2022 took their case for fair pay to the Nebraska Commission of Industrial Relations (CIR) in late March.
The Richardson County Commissioners have refused to reach an agreement on a new labor contract containing wage increases unless NAPE members would agree to give up a number of items in our union contract, including safety protections, grievance procedures, disciplinary rules, and more.
Since 2022, the County Commissioners salaries have increased their own salaries by 40%, and they have spent more than $140,000 on legal fees instead of investing in their employees. The County Commissioners actions were profiled in a recent article in the Flatwater Free Press.
To protect their rights, our Richardson County members filed an impasse case at the CIR asking the CIR to set wages based on market rates in comparable counties in accordance with state law.
A trial began in Lincoln on March 24 to determine which counties Richardson will be compared to for the purposes of setting wages. Richardson County union members Bryan Dettmann, Wyatt Martin, and Ron Ramer all testified before the CIR as to their job duties. The CIR will now determine which comparable counties will be used, and a second trial date will be set to determine wages and working conditions.
We are all united behind our Richardson County members as they fight for a fair contract. They aren’t just standing up for themselves, but they are standing up for all union members’ rights. They are also standing up for the taxpayers we serve to ensure the County Commissioners act with transparency in the best interest of their residents. Give the Commissioners a call and tell them to reach a fair settlement now.
John Caverzagie – 402-419-9071
Rick Karas – 402-239-8228
Bob Campbell – 402-801-2919
