Sheriff's deputies and county jailers ask for pay raises; County supervisors propose pay freeze for 2011-2012

Winneshiek County supervisors have proposed freezing the salaries of jailers and sheriff's deputies for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

Their counteroffer was made in response to initial contract demands from the two unions representing the groups.

In the case of Teamsters Union local 238, which represents the jailers, their opening contract proposal called for a four percent across-the-board pay raise for the jailers.

In the case of AFSCME Local 3483, which represents the deputies, their opening contract proposal called for tying the wages of the deputies to the annual base salary of the Winneshiek County Sheriff. The proposal would give new hires 71.5 percent of the Sheriff's base salary, with deputies earning 84 percent of the Sheriff's base salary after two years of employment, or $24.86 an hour. Deputies are currently paid $24.25 an hour.

All the parties have scheduled further negotiation sessions.