The first week of the 28 day schedule is behind us. So far it's been a total debacle. Unlike what was said at the Labor Management Meet and Confers and said at the jail squad meetings, that our shift was to start and end in the locker room, management instead demanded that we be dressed before and after shift on our own time. Conveniently those who could do something took vacation!
In the meantime, overtime put in before shift for dressing and even overtime put in for time after shift waiting to be relieved was deleted!
I filed a formal complaint with the County and hopefully we can resolve this next week.
Keep following orders and putting in for overtime. Keep filing grievances.
Also this next week our business agent and I will be filing a grievance to restore the 1.5% inconvenient work schedule pay we gave up in 2002 for the Holiday arrangement that is now nullified by the 28 day 8 hour schedule.
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!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Inmate Dirty Deeds for your viewing pleasure!
Anyone working in our profession will find much of this familiar!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
NOTICE
TEAMSTERS LOCAL 320 DETENTION DEPUTIES AND TECHS
UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE BE AT THE SIGN IN BOARD AT THE START OF YOUR ASSIGNED SHIFT PER ORDER OF THE FACILTY COMMANDER. PUT IN FOR 15 MINUTES OF OVERTIME. IF OVERTIME IS DENIED FILE A GRIEVANCE.
AT THE END OF YOUR SHIFT YOU SHOULD BE OUT OF YOUR UNIFORM AND LEAVING THE LOCKER ROOM. IF NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE YOUR DUTY STATION BY SUPERVISORY ORDER OR LATE RELIEF. PUT IN FOR 15 MINUTES OF OVERTIME. IF OVERTIME IS DENIED FILE A GRIEVANCE.
These issues were dealt with at the Labor Management Meet and Confers but apparently were not passed down to the Jail Administration. Those who can straighten this out are out town and this may not be settled until next week. 8 hours work for 8 hours pay!
Wade Laszlo,
Chief Steward Teamsters Local 320
UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE BE AT THE SIGN IN BOARD AT THE START OF YOUR ASSIGNED SHIFT PER ORDER OF THE FACILTY COMMANDER. PUT IN FOR 15 MINUTES OF OVERTIME. IF OVERTIME IS DENIED FILE A GRIEVANCE.
AT THE END OF YOUR SHIFT YOU SHOULD BE OUT OF YOUR UNIFORM AND LEAVING THE LOCKER ROOM. IF NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE YOUR DUTY STATION BY SUPERVISORY ORDER OR LATE RELIEF. PUT IN FOR 15 MINUTES OF OVERTIME. IF OVERTIME IS DENIED FILE A GRIEVANCE.
These issues were dealt with at the Labor Management Meet and Confers but apparently were not passed down to the Jail Administration. Those who can straighten this out are out town and this may not be settled until next week. 8 hours work for 8 hours pay!
Wade Laszlo,
Chief Steward Teamsters Local 320
Monday, May 25, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
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!
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!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Real cost saving for the County
The State will finally end the sending of short term offenders to the county jails. For 6 years the State has been sending it's inmates to the County Workhouse and only paying $10 a day for housing, food and medical!
Read the story here.
Read the story here.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Teamsters Local 320 says, No Give Backs!
As local governments ask for "give backs" Teamsters Local 320 Business Agent Tom Perkin's says "no."
Both Ramsey County and Washington County have asked Teamsters Correctional Officers to re-open signed contracts to take away wages. Both were told "no," by our B.A. Tom Perkins. A signed contract is a contract.
To Hennepin County we also say no give backs. Four years ago we sat in Sheriff McGowan's office with Hennepin County Labor Relations and were asked to accept 0% in cost of living wages for two years. We were told this would be a "once in a lifetime" request. Unlike the licensed deputy association, we agreed to this and did not arbitrate (they lost). We, the largest jail in the upper Midwest, fell behind in wages to most smaller metro area jails. Our incomes were also decimated by rising health care costs and gasoline prices. In short our real income shrunk dramatically.
This last contract we finally got a cost of living adjustment and will not give it back! Especially in light of the fact the county will most likely offer a 0% cost of living raise this next contract round.
What about the County Board's furlough program? We will not participate. Asking you to "give back" three days is equivalent to a three day suspension for being a public employee! Not to mention Sheriff Stanek's new schedule that requires us to work fifteen more days a year for the same wage! We are essential employees that keep dangerous people off of the street. We are not tax payer leaching pencil pushers as Governor Pawlenty would have some believe. Nor glorified security guards as others would have you believe. Corrections Officers have higher injury and workers compensation rates then police.
Both Ramsey County and Washington County have asked Teamsters Correctional Officers to re-open signed contracts to take away wages. Both were told "no," by our B.A. Tom Perkins. A signed contract is a contract.
To Hennepin County we also say no give backs. Four years ago we sat in Sheriff McGowan's office with Hennepin County Labor Relations and were asked to accept 0% in cost of living wages for two years. We were told this would be a "once in a lifetime" request. Unlike the licensed deputy association, we agreed to this and did not arbitrate (they lost). We, the largest jail in the upper Midwest, fell behind in wages to most smaller metro area jails. Our incomes were also decimated by rising health care costs and gasoline prices. In short our real income shrunk dramatically.
This last contract we finally got a cost of living adjustment and will not give it back! Especially in light of the fact the county will most likely offer a 0% cost of living raise this next contract round.
What about the County Board's furlough program? We will not participate. Asking you to "give back" three days is equivalent to a three day suspension for being a public employee! Not to mention Sheriff Stanek's new schedule that requires us to work fifteen more days a year for the same wage! We are essential employees that keep dangerous people off of the street. We are not tax payer leaching pencil pushers as Governor Pawlenty would have some believe. Nor glorified security guards as others would have you believe. Corrections Officers have higher injury and workers compensation rates then police.
We will not reopen a signed contract. We can't control what the County offers us this year in negotiations, but I'll be damned if we give back money that's been agreed upon. Money we will never make up for in the future. We provide the public a vital service and are not the cause of government waste.