Happy Labor Day

AFSCME Workhouse questions answered

I am getting emailed many questions from Hennepin County Workhouse AFSCME members. Just to be sure the word is spread beyond just the emailers I will post some of the answers here to questions and AFSCME misinformation..

Misinformation: AFSCME will get a raise but if you go to the MNPEA you won't.

Fact: Raises come from the County not the Union. The County typically offers every organized bargaining unit the SAME raise. Because AFSCME always lumps their essential Corrections Officers with the non-essential clerks and janitors you actually have a BETTER chance of getting a bigger cost of living adjustment with MNPEA. Consider that Hennepin County CO's are the lowest paid in the seven county metro area. You would not do worse than the county offer, but have a real good chance at doing better if you bargain as essentials with MNPEA.

Misinformation: Side agreements like our bid agreements will disappear.

Fact:  Those agreements are between the employer and YOU, the bargaining unit. Those agreements will remain intact. All of the side agreements we had as Teamsters carried over when we switched to the MNPEA. You can also negotiate NEW side agreements with the employer as MNPEA members.

Misinformation:  You will pay MNPEA $39 a check in dues.

Fact: Dues are only $39 a month and includes the Legal Protection Plan.

Misinformation:  The MNPEA legal plan only covers up to $5,000 and they decide who they cover and who they won't. 

Fact:  Right from the MNPEA website: 

I.  Criminal Charges – Trial & Defense: Complete legal representation (all attorneys fees paid) for criminal charges (including DWI and Criminal Traffic matters- meaning where jail time may be potentially be imposed), whether job related or not, on duty or off duty, within the State of Minnesota.  Covers all attorneys fees for all stages of representation, from pre-charging to sentencing. 

The $5,000 number comes from the part of the MNPEA Plan covering other expenses:

Additionally, all costs (costs are not attorneys fees- these are expenses the firm pays out of pocket or advances to the client’s case) incurred by the Firm shall have a maximum coverage of $5,000 per case.  Cost may include, but are not limited to, online legal research fees, mileage (excluding Fowler’s mileage), filing fees, copy expenses, fax expenses, obtaining police reports, expert witness fees and retainers, depositions, statements, fingerprints, collection of physical evidence, hiring private investigators, etc.  For costs in excess of $5,000, the Member shall be personally responsible. 

There are several MNPEA members who have used this plan for things ranging from DWI, Disorderly Conduct, Domestic Assault and even a fire pit that got out of control. They did not spend a penny.

Also consider how much you would spend to defend yourself from an inmate allegation of sexual misconduct under the PREA.

Misinformation: We will wait until after the contract is settled. After all the AFSCME State Corrections Officers got a 3% and 3% cost of living. We don't want to jeopardize that. 

Fact:  If you wait until after the AFSCME contract is settled you will not be able to drop them for 2 years. The open period for contracts is between 120 days and 60 days before the contract expires. For Hennepin County that means you can only change exclusive reps in September and October every two years. Again, the County will offer everyone the same raise as a starting point.

Changing Representation should not be taken lightly.  Ask yourself these questions:

Does my business agent represent the rank and file concerns or the larger political ones of the Union?

Does my Union back me when I have a grievance?

Does my money go to overpaid fat cats and politicians rather than arbitrations for member concerns?

Does the Union care about my shop, or are we lumped in with job classes we have nothing in common with?

If I am a Public Employee does my Union have Legal Representaion, because my job could depend on it?

Why hasn't my Union paid any attention to us until we started filling out cards to leave? 

Can I take another 2 years of AFSCME?

If you are happy with your current representation vote to stay.

If not, it's time to end a bad relationship, vote to join MNPEA and get the representation you deserve.

REMEMBER THIS IS A BLOG. FEEL FREE TO POST QUESTIONS ON THIS BLOG AND I CAN ANSWER FOR ALL TO SEE. YOU CAN POST ANONYMOUSLY. 

An Open Letter To AFSCME Members Seeking To Join MNPEA

Let me preface this by saying that I am a CO and a Union Steward. I am a member of the MNPEA, not an employee. This is based on my experience of us Hennepin County Detention Deputies decertifying Teamsters Local 320 two years ago and us than certifying the MNPEA as our exclusive rep.

Once your current Union discovers that you are filling out cards to leave, the propaganda begins. Teamsters sent out a mailing telling us we could lose our seniority, benefits and that the contract would be non-existent until it was negotiated from scratch with the new Union. 

Fact: The contract is between you and the employer. The ONLY thing changing is who you have to represent your interest in your part of the contract. 

Every aspect of the contract between you and the employer stays the same.

Once the Bureau of Mediation Services (BMS) has your cards authorizing an election they will mail out a ballot to every member of your bargaining unit. Each individual will vote in the privacy of their home and mail the ballot back to the BMS.

The BMS will set a date to count the ballots. On that day witnesses from the MNPEA and AFSCME will watch the BMS count the ballots. Whoever gets at least 51% of the ballots returned will be your groups Exclusive Representative. Teamsters Local 320 only got one vote when we voted them out.

Representation changes hands at midnight that night if the MNPEA wins, and your legal coverage begins. If the MNPEA loses then nothing changes with you and your current Union.

Prior to the election your present Union MUST continue to represent you in grievances, discipline, etc. If they do not they are open for a Failure to Represent Lawsuit. Larger Unions have been known to threaten members. That is not legal. 

Once the change was made with us, the MNPEA held Steward elections (some of us had been removed as Stewards by Teamsters) then we proceeded to negotiations.

I really hope the Hennepin County Workhouse CO's come over. You are essential employees and have been forced to bargain with the non-essentials. To my knowledge AFSCME never gave you a contract arbitration. If you chose the MNPEA you will bargain only with and as essential employees. Your salary will not be comparable to the non-essentials.

If any of you has a questions feel free to email me at wade.laszlo@gmail.com

In solidarity,

Wade Laszlo

Detention Deputy Down

LODD: PHOENIX, AZ

Detention Officer Jorge Vargas
Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, AZ
EOW: 8/8/2013

Officer Jorge Vargas was murdered Thursday morning at 4 am, after being shot in the driveway of his Arizona home while he prepared to head to work.

It appeared that Officer Vargas might have been working on his truck since the hood was up and the driver-side door was open. Vargas was found on the ground beside that truck.

Officer Vargas was an eight-year veteran of the department's Custody Support Bureau in the jail’s food factory, but he often came into contact with inmates.

Officer Vargas is survived by his loving wife, his 5 year old son and his parents.

God comfort his family, friends and partners during this difficult time...Pray God accepts his soul...

RIP Brother...

http://www.azfamily.com/news/Suspect-in-West-Phoenix-shooting-on-the-loose-218830801.html

Officer Safety Warning

There are people who are knocking on the doors of the Hennepin County Detention Deputies, Techs and Dispatchers from AFSCME. We believe they have improperly obtained non-public data to do this. There is an ongoing investigation being conducted by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office.

WARNING: One of the people going to our homes is a CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER. The victim was just 14 years old. We do not know the criminal  backgrounds of the rest of them. USE CAUTION IF THEY APPROACH YOUR HOME.

This the sex offender's mugshot:

Click here for his most recent picture.

Just yesterday a Maricopa County Detention Deputy was murdered in his driveway as he prepared to go to work. Use Caution.

There is a special meeting being held Monday. Please attend, it is posted on the bulletin boards at work.

MNPEA Legal in Action

Last night I received a call from one of our stewards at the Hennepin County Jail. There had been a critical incident. He called the MNPEA 24 Hour Hotline. In no time at all Rob Fowler and another MNPEA attorney were on scene to be with our members as they gave statements to investigators.

Thanks again Rob and MNPEA.

Ryan Hanson, AFSCME, Publish Corrections Officers Addresses

This is Ryan Hanson. He is an organizer with AFSCME. His card has been left at the homes of  our Hennepin County Detention Deputies and Dispatchers.

He, along with Hennepin County Workhouse Corrections Officer Dale Blom, Minnesota  State Patrol 911 Dispatcher Megan Hennessey, and Minnesota DOC Stillwater Prison Corrections Officer Bill Stephens are visiting our homes with lists they claim are "public information." 

I then must ask the question. How would Minnesota State Correctional Officers, Minnesota State Patrol 911 Operators and Hennepin County Adult Corrections Facility Corrections Officers feel if their names and home addresses were published? As fellow Corrections Officers isn't this a major security violation? How unnerving would it be to your family to have two strangers at their door asking for you by name as a CO? Do you really trust a Union that thinks this is OK?

Would you have a problem if your private data was passed out for people to knock on your door? 

This tells me AFSCME has no respect for workers, and especially no regard for the safety of Corrections Officers.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

AFSCME people have been coming to members doors. If they/when they show up get their name, a picture if you can and ask how they got your address.

Let a steward know we are compiling a comprehensive list of everyone they have visited at home or called.

The information they are using is not public.

There will be a meeting in the near future with a VERY important announcement.