Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/243343
A HALF MEASURE Lifeguards are among the county's Teamsters members. File photo THE COUNTY COMMISSION MAKES A COUNTEROFFER IN A YEARS-OLD PAY DISPUTE WITH THE TEAMSTERS By Cooper Levey-Baker Associate Editor Amid tales of hardship and stress caused by without a collective bargaining agreement staffers going more than four years with fro- since September 2011. Disputes between the zen wages, the Sarasota County Commission union — which represents park employees, this Wednesday, Jan. 15, made 400 unionized truck technicians, lifeguards and more — employees an offer that includes some of the and the county have dragged on and on, with pay raises the union has sought during more more than 30 bargaining sessions already in than two years of negotiations. Whether the the books. union will OK the What's the holdup? plan, though, remains They might be satisfied with this Money. unclear. — a true 3 percent raise. They still didn't The members of Local get nearly what they lost, but it's a step 173 of the International in the right direction. Brotherhood of Mike McElmury Te a m s t e r s h a v e Teamsters International Representative been working The union workers have had their wages frozen since October 2009, and they have pushed the county to