28 day cluster fuck

This, the first day of the 28 day 8 hour schedule has begun as a cluster fuck. I ended up on the phone with a lieutenant at midnight after members were told they were to be signed in at the start of their shift. Then today I get a call about an email from the jail Captain telling us to be at the sign in board at the start of our shift.

This is my email response to the Captain:


Captain,

Everything has changed since the implementation of the 28 day 8 hour schedule. The employer shortened our day to 8 hours from 8.5. We will not give the employer that extra half hour for free. At the Labor Management Meet and Confers the Hennepin County Labor Relations, Chief Deputy Carlson and Inspectors Roberts and Martin were informed that our day begins in the locker room pursuant to the unanimous Supreme Court decision regarding uniforms. At those meetings Inspector Roberts said that we will be expected to be in the locker room at the start of our shift and at our duty station 15 minutes later. Apparently this information was not passed on to you. This is not a contract item, this is not negotiable, this is Federal Law.

"Therefore, the time, no matter how minimal, that an employee is required to spend putting on and taking off gear on the employer's premises is compensable "work" under the FLSA."http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/FieldBulletins/AdvisoryMemo2006_2.htm

If you require our members to be dressed at the start of the shift we will expect 15 minutes of overtime every day.

Wade Laszlo
Chief Steward Teamsters Local 320

Members, do not disobey any direct orders. Follow them and put in for overtime. Then file a grievance if the overtime is denied. The 8 hour day is their schedule!