NAPE/AFSCME union members who work for the Richardson County Highway Department will host a community forum on Thursday, December 11 at Prichard Auditorium in Falls City at 6:30pm. Our members have been working without a contract since June 30, 2023, and this forum will allow community members and our road workers to discuss the contract stalemate and answer questions from the community.
The elected Richardson County Commissioners rejected a settlement offer union members proposed in September on a 2-1 vote. Commissioners John Caverzagie and Rick Karas voted to reject the settlement, while Commissioner Bob Campbell was in favor. Commissioners Caverzagie and Karas also voted to raise their own salaries by 40%, and the county has spent more than $140,000 in legal fees during the negotiations process according to the Flatwater Free Press.
A trial is now set before the Nebraska Commissioner of Industrial Relations on Thursday, January 8, 2026 at 9:30am in the CIR Hearing Room on the 1st Floor of the Nebraska State Office Building (301 Centennial Mall South) in Lincoln. The trial is open to the public.
It is still our hope to avoid a trial with a settlement that benefits the community. We invite community members to attend our forum and encourage the County Commissioners to settle this dispute. The quality of Richardson County roads has deteriorated because of the inability of the county to hire employees at 2022 wage levels.
You can reach the county commissioners by phone to encourage them to reach an agreement. Please thank Commissioner Campbell for his willingness to end this dispute with a fair contract.
John Caverzagie – 402-419-9071
Rick Karas – 402-239-8228
Bob Campbell – 402-801-2919