AUBURN — The three-year-long stalemate between Androscoggin County and its labor union of patrol deputies, jail guards and dispatchers goes on.

The three-member commission is denying union allegations that it ever voted on contract offers that were then voted on by union membership.

The denial is part of a point-by-point response to a prohibited practice complaint filed with the Maine Labor Relations Board on July 14. The commission has also filed its own countercomplaint.

This latest complaint alleges that the union, which numbers around 70 county employees, has ignored several attempts to reignite the negotiation process.

Union leaders have not returned calls for comment.

“We believe that we can still move forward,” said Randall Greenwood, chairman of the county commission. “It’s unfortunate that it’s come to this, but we’re here now.”

Both complaints are being examined by the Maine Labor Relations Board, Executive Director Marc Ayotte said. His office will decide what happens next. Future steps could include either written arguments or a hearing with the board.

Already, the contract negotiations have been a marathon requiring the work of mediators, fact-finders and lawyers.

Negotiations began in 2008 with a previous County Commission. When all three commissioners lost their seats at the end of the year, negotiations started over with the new commission. Since the beginning of 2009, workers have been without a contract.

Mediation began in early 2010. When that failed, the process went to fact-finding.

The commission made at least three offers. The union rejected all three. In protest for working without a contract, workers grew whiskers and, in some cases, wore street clothes instead of uniforms.

Then, this spring, the sides seemed to have finally come to an agreement.

On May 4, commissioners made an offer that would have ended the three years of deliberation and 31 months of work without a contract. Union members approved the deal six days later on May 10 with a vote of 54-1.

Members of the union contend that the May 4 offer was accompanied by a vote of the commissioners.

“I don’t want to talk about the word, ‘Vote,'” Commissioner Elaine Makas said last week. “We had a discussion, certainly, and there was a point at which Jonathan (LaBonte) and I agreed and Randy (Greenwood) did not.”

The commissioners’ response to the union complaint also said there was no vote.

“… The meeting described was in executive session for purposes of negotiations and as such it would have been illegal to take any vote …” stated the response

And if there were a vote, it would have been void, the commissioners said.

The union has until late this month to file an official response to the countercomplaint with the Maine Labor Relations Board.

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