Union Meeting

UNION MEETING

MONDAY APRIL 28TH

7 PM

2233 N Hamline Ave 
Roseville, MN 55113
BASEMENT MEETING ROOM

WE WILL BE MAKING SIGNS FOR THE MAY 6TH PICKET

Texas says NO to the PREA

Perry: Anti-Prison Rape Standards "Impossible"

More than a decade after the Prison Rape Elimination Act unanimously passed Congress, federal standards for implementation of the law have been finalized. Now, Gov. Rick Perry and some prison reform advocates are at odds over what those standards mean for Texas lockups and the taxpayers who pay for them.

In a March 28 letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, Perry wrote that while he believed the law was well-intended, he would not certify that the 297 state prisons and local jails that are subject to PREA comply with its regulations come May 15, the certification deadline set by Department of Justice.

The new standards, he wrote, are "impossible," out of touch with the daily realities of state prisons and would require heavy financial burdens.

"Absent standards that acknowledge the operational realities in our prisons and jails, I will not sign your form and I will encourage my fellow governors to follow suit," Perry wrote.

FULL STORY THE TEXAS TRIBUNE

INFORMATIONAL PICKET

ATTENTION ALL MNPEA MEMBERS 

INFORMATIONAL PICKET

TUESDAY MAY 6^TH

1 PM TO 3:30 PM

24^TH FLOOR HENNEPIN COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER

ALL MNPEA BARGAINING UNIT EMPLOYEES SHOULD COME. BRING FAMILY AND FRIENDS IF YOU CAN.

MEET AT 1 PM IN THE GOVERNMENT CENTER by the 2nd floor fountain. MIDS IF YOU ARE WORKING STAY AS LONG AS YOU CAN, DAYSHIFT, COME TO THE 24^TH FLOOR WHEN YOUR SHIFT ENDS.

THIS IS AN INFORMATIONAL PICKET TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF THE HENNEPIN COUNTY BOARD OUR NEED OF A DECENT RAISE.

Your rights in a PREA investigation

We all know that the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), is in full force. Close to home, an inmate at the Sherburne County jail recently filed a complaint under the PREA.

We've all been told what the inmates rights are, but what are your rights? 

I'll try to answer that in this post.

If you are the subject of a PREA investigation:

You have the right to Union/Legal representation BEFORE making a written or verbal statement. 

Article 34, Section 3 of our contract states: 

Employees will not be questioned concerning an administrative investigation of disciplinary action unless the employee has been given an opportunity to have a union representative present at such questioning. An employee desiring such opportunity shall promptly notify the EMPLOYER and arrange for such representation in a timely manner. The employee shall cooperate fully in such questioning providing full disclosure of all pertinent facts. 

 also,

MSS 241.026 states:

Subd. 4.Place of formal statement.

 

The formal statement must be taken at a facility of the employing or investigating agency or at a place agreed to by the investigating individual and the investigated officer.

Subd. 5.Admissions.

 

Before an officer's formal statement is taken, the officer shall be advised in writing or on the record that admissions made in the course of the formal statement may be used as evidence of misconduct or as a basis for discipline.

What this means is the statement must be taken in a formal setting with your representation present.

If a supervisor or detective comes to you and asks you to write a report or talk about an incident, politely tell them no, until you have your Union/Legal representation with you. Don't let them pressure you to get it done because they don't want to wait for your lawyer. They are there to protect the employer, our lawyer is there to protect you.

If you are asked to write a report or give a statement regarding a PREA investigation call our

MNPEA lawyer at: 651 287-8883.

The PREA contains very severe disciplinary, criminal and civil consequences. Do not take a PREA investigation lightly.

Don't fear being disciplined for exercising your rights. MSS 241.026 states:

Subd. 9.Retaliatory action prohibited.

No officer may be discharged, disciplined, or threatened with discharge or discipline as retaliation for or solely by reason of the officer's exercise of the rights provided by this section.

So stay calm, be smart, exercise your rights.

The end result of short staffing

Video of armed assault on Corrections Officer..

We are locked in 60 to 1 in direct supervision. This could happen here...and they want to give you the same raise as non-essential clerks.

Ramsey County CO assualted

Inmate Convicted in Widstrand Beating Accused of Attacking Correctional Officers 

A teen sentenced to 16 years in prison for his role in the brutal beating of Ray Widstrand on St. Paul’s east side is accused of assaulting and spitting on officers at the Ramsey County Law Enforcement Center.

 Full Story KSTP

The daily grind for a CO. Inmate refuses to cooperate then assaults staff.

Informational Picket, May 6th

Attention MNPEA Detention Deputies, Techs and Dispatchers:

INFORMATIONAL PICKET

WHEN: MAY 6TH 2014


WHERE: HENNEPIN COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER DURING THE  BOARD MEETING AND THE HENNEPIN COUNTY JAIL

TENTATIVE TIME: 1 PM TO 3PM


FAMILY AND FRIENDS WELCOME TO PICKET ALSO.

PURPOSE: TO EDUCATE THE COUNTY BOARD AND MEDIA AS TO WHY WE DESERVE A DECENT RAISE. THE HOPE IS TO MOVE BEYOND BEING THE LOWEST PAID IN THE METRO AREA IN OUR JOB CLASSES. 

*MORE DETAILS TO COME

Wisconsin questions high warden pay compared to low CO pay...hmmm

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MADISON — Gov. Scott Walker said Thursday he is reviewing a decision by his administration to sharply raise the salaries of a group of prison wardens last month to $100,000 a year without clear documentation of the reasons.

...Michael Meisner, who became warden at Redgranite Correctional Institution after leaving the same post at Columbia Correctional, and Marc Clements, who became the head of Dodge Correctional after leaving the top post at Fox Lake Correctional, both saw their pay rise to $100,000 a year from $90,420, an increase of $9,580, or 10.6%. The salary increases for those two wardens come on top of those given to six others as part of the series of transfers that the Journal Sentinel reported last week.

The salary increases came at a time when rank-and-file corrections officers received 1% pay raises and are still adjusting to a 2011 law that cut their overall compensation and greatly reduced the power of unions representing them.

Full Story: Corrections One

Closer to home, Sheriff Rich Stanek's salary went from $145,000 a year in 2007 to $157,000 a year in 2013. The Hennepin County board makes $99,000 a year and are the only county board in Minnesota to get take home cars. 

At a time that the employees of the largest jail in Minnesota have the lowest pay in the metro area after years of wage freezes.

And they will be wondering why we are picketing very soon.