About 24 hours after a wave of grievances were filed by Teamsters detention deputies the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office made the shift bid available. This is a vivid reminder that solidarity works. A Union is not just an organization you pay dues to. It's all of us united.
Thanks for your solidarity.
THIS IS AN OFFICIAL NEWS SITE FOR CURRENT AND RETIRED CORRECTIONS OFFICERS! This blog will keep up on current events affecting Detention Deputies and Corrections Officers. SINCE 2006!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
32 grievances in a couple hours!
32 grievances were filed late dayshift and early mids over the shift bid not being available. At 1730 a jail Inspector called and said the bid would be available 2/19. Way to go Teamsters. If it doesn't materialize I expect 150 grievances! See the e-group.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Sheriff's Office Violates Agreement
On Friday the 13th of February the HENNEPIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS DIVISION issued a memo stating that:
The Shift Bid has been delayed. More information is forth-coming.
This is a direct violation of our Agreement with our employer Hennepin County!
Our Agreement reads in Article 7, sec. 4: "On or about February 15 and August 15 of each year, each Detention Deputy and Detention Technician shall be permitted to bid for the shift such employee prefers within the work unit of the Sheriff's Office to which such Detention Deputy and Detention Technician is assigned. "
This blatant disregard of our Agreement affects not only detention deputies and techs right to bid their shift but also cuts into the time employees have to bid their Prime Time Vacation which is due by April 1st.
I will be speaking with Hennepin County Labor Relations tomorrow. I'll let you know via the e-group if any action is needed on your part.
Apparently the Professional Standards Division doesn't include following the contract!
The Shift Bid has been delayed. More information is forth-coming.
This is a direct violation of our Agreement with our employer Hennepin County!
Our Agreement reads in Article 7, sec. 4: "On or about February 15 and August 15 of each year, each Detention Deputy and Detention Technician shall be permitted to bid for the shift such employee prefers within the work unit of the Sheriff's Office to which such Detention Deputy and Detention Technician is assigned. "
This blatant disregard of our Agreement affects not only detention deputies and techs right to bid their shift but also cuts into the time employees have to bid their Prime Time Vacation which is due by April 1st.
I will be speaking with Hennepin County Labor Relations tomorrow. I'll let you know via the e-group if any action is needed on your part.
Apparently the Professional Standards Division doesn't include following the contract!
Friday, February 13, 2009
DOC Releases Video of Prison Fights
To bring home the costs of budget cuts and double bunking, something we do regularly, the MN DOC has released video of what goes on behind the walls.
http://www.startribune.com/local/39550512.html
Any of this look familiar?
http://www.startribune.com/local/39550512.html
Any of this look familiar?
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Labor Management Meet & Confer RE: 28 Days
Teamsters 320 BA Tom Perkins and your Stewards met with managment and Hennepin County Labor Relations and heard their proposal. (More details for those on our egroup). We have another meeting set for February 25th 2009.
Friday, February 06, 2009
February 10 Union Meeting Info
The Sheriff's Administration is going to meet with Teamsters and Labor Relations and give us their proposal on the 28 days.
We will NOT need everyone at the next union meeting (although all members are encouraged to attend meetings) it will not deal with the 28 days.
We will NOT need everyone at the next union meeting (although all members are encouraged to attend meetings) it will not deal with the 28 days.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
IMPORTANT TEAMSTERS UNION MEETING
Concerned about possible upcoming schedule changes?
All detention deputy and tech union members are urged to attend the next union meeting on February 10th.
Twin Cities General Membership meetings held at the Teamster building, 3001 University Avenue, S.E., Minneapolis.
2nd TuesdaySocial Hour: 6:30 p.m.General Membership: 7:00 p.m.
All detention deputy and tech union members are urged to attend the next union meeting on February 10th.
Twin Cities General Membership meetings held at the Teamster building, 3001 University Avenue, S.E., Minneapolis.
2nd TuesdaySocial Hour: 6:30 p.m.General Membership: 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
A Brief History of Our Paid Holidays
When I started working at the Hennepin County Jail in 1990 Holidays were worked at straight time, lunches were considered unpaid except for a $600 a year interrupted lunch check, and we owed the Sheriff's Office "payback hours."
In 1994 we initiated a lawsuit against then Hennepin County Sheriff McGowan to get the Holiday benefits already listed in our contract enforced. Our then labor association LELS at first backed us then testified in court against us. The judges ruling was that while we appeared correct in our interpretation of the contract the contract was between Hennepin County and LELS therefore we had no legal standing to challenge it.
We then decertified LELS and organized under Teamsters Local 320 in 1998. Our first Teamster contract recognized our full 8.5 hours worked and gave us enough hours to receive the full Holiday benefit afforded other Hennepin County workers.
The Sheriff's Office then claimed they couldn't afford to give us the Holidays off and Sheriff McGowan cut our days back to 8 hours. This meant our 88 hours for the 11 Holidays got sucked up and we actually had to work an additional 48 hours as "payback" hours. This caused a rift between us and Sheriff McGowan that was never bridged. Through pressure from the Teamsters and member tactics like putting in for overtime at the end of each shift (because there were no shift overlaps) the half hour overlap and Holiday benefit was restored.
The Sheriff's Office next tactic was to cash out the Deferred Holidays rather then giving us the actual days off specified in our Agreement. A grievance was filed and the result was the Letter of Understanding. The Letter of Understanding made it so that Detention Deputies had the choice of either cashing out the Deferred Holiday or banking up to 24 hours of Deferred Holiday. This was a benefit to the Sheriff's Office because they had less time off to cover and a benefit to Detention Deputies who preferred the cash option.
The preface to the Letter of Understanding reads:
LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN
HENNEPIN COUNTY AND
TEAMSTERS LOCAL #320
DETENTION DEPUTY/TELECOMMUNICATOR UNIT
The parties agree to the following interpretation regarding holiday pay under Article 11 for Detention Deputies who are assigned to a 6-3 schedule of 8.5 hour days:
A few pertinent points.
1) The Agreement is between Hennepin County and Teamsters Local 320 NOT the Sheriff's Office.
2) Allowing the Employer to cash out Deferred Holidays rather then giving us the days off is dependant on the 6-3 schedule of 8.5 hour days.
Any variation in these hours or schedule violates the Letter of Understanding and will result in getting the 11 deferred Holidays off per the Agreement.
In 1994 we initiated a lawsuit against then Hennepin County Sheriff McGowan to get the Holiday benefits already listed in our contract enforced. Our then labor association LELS at first backed us then testified in court against us. The judges ruling was that while we appeared correct in our interpretation of the contract the contract was between Hennepin County and LELS therefore we had no legal standing to challenge it.
We then decertified LELS and organized under Teamsters Local 320 in 1998. Our first Teamster contract recognized our full 8.5 hours worked and gave us enough hours to receive the full Holiday benefit afforded other Hennepin County workers.
The Sheriff's Office then claimed they couldn't afford to give us the Holidays off and Sheriff McGowan cut our days back to 8 hours. This meant our 88 hours for the 11 Holidays got sucked up and we actually had to work an additional 48 hours as "payback" hours. This caused a rift between us and Sheriff McGowan that was never bridged. Through pressure from the Teamsters and member tactics like putting in for overtime at the end of each shift (because there were no shift overlaps) the half hour overlap and Holiday benefit was restored.
The Sheriff's Office next tactic was to cash out the Deferred Holidays rather then giving us the actual days off specified in our Agreement. A grievance was filed and the result was the Letter of Understanding. The Letter of Understanding made it so that Detention Deputies had the choice of either cashing out the Deferred Holiday or banking up to 24 hours of Deferred Holiday. This was a benefit to the Sheriff's Office because they had less time off to cover and a benefit to Detention Deputies who preferred the cash option.
The preface to the Letter of Understanding reads:
LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN
HENNEPIN COUNTY AND
TEAMSTERS LOCAL #320
DETENTION DEPUTY/TELECOMMUNICATOR UNIT
The parties agree to the following interpretation regarding holiday pay under Article 11 for Detention Deputies who are assigned to a 6-3 schedule of 8.5 hour days:
A few pertinent points.
1) The Agreement is between Hennepin County and Teamsters Local 320 NOT the Sheriff's Office.
2) Allowing the Employer to cash out Deferred Holidays rather then giving us the days off is dependant on the 6-3 schedule of 8.5 hour days.
Any variation in these hours or schedule violates the Letter of Understanding and will result in getting the 11 deferred Holidays off per the Agreement.