Judge rules in favor of police union in collective bargaining dispute

CARSON CITY–A Nevada judge in late November ruled the State of Nevada must include an article for a 2% increase in compensation in a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the Nevada Police Union. The decision upholds that of an arbitrator made in August.

Carson City District Court Judge James Russell ruled that the state must submit a new CBA to the Board of Examiners reflecting the compensation and must pay the union’s attorney fees and costs.

NPU members are expected to ratify the CBA in December before sending it to the Board of Examiners—Gov. Steve Sisolak, Attorney General Aaron Ford and Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske—to approve.

“The state has been fighting the Nevada Police on a collective bargaining agreement ever since the legislature passed the law to allow state employees to unionize in 2019. We hope Judge Russell’s decision will end the state’s continuous fight against its peace officers,” said Matthew Kaplan, president of NPU.

NPU in negotiations asked for a 2% raise for Category I state police officers and added increases for additional training, education and degrees. Category I officers are those with more hours of training—a minimum of 480 hours–than either Category II or III, which require a minimum 200 or 160 hours of training respectively.

In a statement announcing the judgement, an NPU spokesperson said the pay increase would help to relieve some of the financial strains placed upon the state police workforce over the past two years including increased health costs and mandated furlough days. Kaplan said he also expects the new CBA to help attract and retain state police officers.

The NPU represents public safety officers including Highway Patrol troopers, parole and probation officers, fire marshals and detectives.