NHP troopers plan to join Teamsters union

Monday, Oct. 16, 2000 | 9:50 a.m.

With just nine dissenting votes, NHP Association members have voted to negotiate with Teamsters Local 14 of Las Vegas to represent them.

"I really see no problem here," association spokesman Gary Wolff told the Nevada Appeal.

"We may be the only law enforcement in Nevada under the Teamsters, but they're a good solid union and they have law enforcement members in other states."

With Clark County police agencies still paying thousands more a year for officers than the NHP, salary is a major issue to troopers.

But medical benefits are an even bigger concern, Wolff said.

"Our medical cost has just skyrocketed through the state," he said. "We need the additional political clout (of the Teamsters).

"The single biggest problem in state government is the lack of collective bargaining."

Wolff plans to return to his board of directors by Nov. 6 with a deal outlining dues and benefits. The package then will be submitted to members for a vote.

Until salary and benefits issues are resolved, the NHP will continue to effectively serve as a training center for local police agencies in Nevada, Wolff said.

"We're losing quite a few troopers to Clark County agencies," he said, adding the effect is twofold because the NHP loses a trained officer and then must spend a year or more training a replacement.

The problem isn't limited to the NHP, he said.

"There's huge turnover in Parole and Probation as well and in other state agencies," he said.