Annapolis, Maryland - Correctional officers who work at the Anne Arundel detention centers today sued the County over proposed legislation that would freeze their wages while giving other county workers a 3 percent raise.

The lawsuit was filed a few days before the County Council will vote on legislation to implement the proposed wage freeze.

The workers are members of the Fraternal Order of Anne Arundel Detention Center Officers and Personnel, affiliated with the Communications Workers of America.

The union is charging the county with discrimination and bad faith bargaining. The county is retaliating against the union workers because the union and the county had not reached an agreement to amend the existing contract.

“The county’s action is outrageous,” said Jimmy Tarlau, CWA’s chief negotiator. “It is punishing our members because we have not come to an agreement. The wage freeze is even worse than the county’s last proposal. In my thirty years of negotiating, I have never had an employer implement a contractual provision that is even worse than what it had demanded. This is bad faith bargaining and completely illegal.”

The County Council will be voting on the wage freeze bill at the Monday July 6 meeting. CWA is asking the County Council to at least amend the bill so the correctional officers are not treated worse than other county employees.