Most county employees are now working under a new contract settled recently between the commissioners and the service employees union. However, sheriff's deputies and administrative staff at the sheriff's office and in the courts continue contract negotiations with Butler County.

John Listisen, business manager and lead negotiator for Service Employees International Union Local 688, said the reason this group of employees, designated as the court-related employees, remain without a contract continues to be the two-tier wage system favored by the county commissioners.

If accepted by the union, Listisen said the wage system would lower the starting rate of sheriff's deputies from $22 per hour to $16 per hour. He said it would take new hires four years to earn the wages of existing deputies, adding that even then they would always earn 10 percent less.

The union does not feel Sheriff Mike Slupe would be able to hire qualified deputies at that starting rate.

“And if he can, the candidates will be bottom of the barrel,” Listisen said.

Commissioners Chairman Leslie Osche said in March that the county must ensure that expenditures do not exceed revenues as they make decisions on behalf of taxpayers.

Osche reaffirmed their goal on Monday.

Read the rest of this story in Tuesday's print edition of the Butler Eagle.