Kentucky Revised Statutes Title IX. Counties, Cities, and Other Local Units § 70.262.Collective bargaining for deputy sheriffs in merit system in county containing a consolidated local government or a city of first class; prohibition against strikes; employment contract with sheriff

(1) Except as provided in KRS 336.130, in any county containing a consolidated local government or city of the first class that has adopted a merit system under KRS 70.260 to 70.273, deputies subject to the merit system may organize, form, join, or participate in organizations in order to engage in lawful concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid and protection, and to bargain collectively through a representative of their own free choice. Deputies shall also have the right to refrain from any or all of these activities but shall be subject to the lawful provisions of any collective bargaining agreement entered into under this section. Strikes by deputies of any collective bargaining unit shall be prohibited at any time.

(2) Except as provided in KRS 336.130, in any county containing a consolidated local government or city of the first class that has adopted a merit system under KRS 70.260 to 70.273, the sheriff shall contract with a representative of the deputies described in subsection (1) of this section employed by the sheriff where the representative has established representation of a majority of the deputies, with respect to wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment, including execution of a written contract incorporating any agreement reached between the sheriff and the representative. The sheriff shall not be required to bargain over matters of inherent managerial policy.