NHP union leaders seek better deal in meeting with Guinn

Jace Radke

Tuesday, March 27, 2001 | 11:06 a.m.

The leadership of the Nevada Highway Patrol Association was scheduled to meet with Gov. Kenny Guinn today after the group's rank and file voted Saturday to become affiliated with Teamsters Local 14 in Las Vegas.

NHP union leaders were to state their case that troopers need salaries and benefits that are more competitive with what other law enforcement agencies are paying throughout the state.

The union is the first state trooper organization in the country to affiliate with the Teamsters. Its business manager, Gary Wolff, said the partnership should help in gaining the ears of politicians in Carson City.

"There were several factors that led us to this point, and probably salaries and health-care benefits are the most important to the troopers," Wolff said. "Local 14 offers additional political clout. We don't have collective bargaining so we have to go to the Legislature, and everyone is going after the same dollar."

Local 14 represents mostly people who work in the public sector in Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas and Boulder City. The union also represents workers at the Las Vegas Valley Water District, the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District and the state divisions of Motor Vehicles and Mental Health.

The Highway Patrol is the second-largest law enforcement agency in the state, behind only Metro Police, but a starting trooper makes from $9,000 to $12,000 less than what starting officers at North Las Vegas, Henderson and Metro make. NHP supervisors also make much less than their city counterparts.

The differential in pay is resulting in waves of defections that have left about 50 troopers responsible for the freeways in the Las Vegas area, which are mandated to have around 100 troopers. Being part of a strong international organization that is also highly respected within Nevada is what was needed, association President Stewart Handte said.

"We have an ambitious agenda at the current state legislative session, working to reduce evacuation of our state troopers to other law enforcement agencies," Handte said. "We believe with the help of the Teamsters we will be successful."