Monday, Feb. 6, 2012 | 12:08 p.m.
By more than 80 percent, Clark County's union of service employees ratified last week a new two-year contract that preserves longevity pay but eliminates merit pay increases over the next two years.
The deal is seen as a win for both the county, which will save $20.4 million over two years, and for the union, which preserved longevity — something county administrators want to eliminate over the long term.
But it has caused dissension in the union, where even longtime supporter Joseph Campbell, a union steward who voted in favor of the contract, has decided to resign.
In emails forwarded to the Sun, Campbell said he didn't believe union members were getting enough information about the true effect of the contract. He wanted to give members more time to be "properly educated." Instead, he wrote, access to the union's email system was blocked.
So Saturday afternoon, Campbell turned in his resignation as a union steward to Al Martinez, president of Service Employees Union Local 1107. Campbell, who was a member of the union's bargaining team, also said he would now seek Martinez's seat during the next election for union president.
"Union Hall mentality is that membership are sheep to be herded to and fro and never to be given complete information," Campbell wrote. "We are subject, in my opinion, to the 'smart' Union bosses at the Hall and 'we' the membership, can never be trusted to make the right decisions based on the facts."
Union spokesman Nick Di Archangel said the union held informational meetings, put out fliers and made robo-calls, all with the intent of educating members about the terms of the contract.
"Our members knew what they were voting for," he said.
The Clark County Commission is expected to vote on the contract at its meeting Tuesday.
Continued here:
Service employees union OKs divisive contract
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