Arbitration Filed Over Brown/Black Leather

Here we go again. Typical Hennepin County Sheriff's Office logic. Take a grievance settled years ago and decide to break their agreement and also violate the contract.

Of course I'm talking about the brown to black leather uniform switch.

The issue is simple. The Sheriff's Office, as is their right decided to make a uniform change from brown to black leather in 2007.  No one questioned the switch, just how it was to be paid for.

The contract states in Article 32, section 2:

Section 2. If the basic clothing provided by the EMPLOYER is changed in type, color or style by order of the EMPLOYER, the EMPLOYER will bear any replacement cost in excess of $65.00 per calendar year, the employee to be responsible for the first $65.00 of replacement cost.

When told the employees pay only the first $65 and they pay the rest they balked. We grieved it and they settled the grievance in 2007 by stating that employees who were in brown leather could remain in brown leather.

Suddenly in 2014 the few of us still in brown leather are an issue. This also calls into question the integrity of the Sheriff's Office and their willingness to break an agreement. But it's not the first time we've heard them simply say, "We're not interested in doing that anymore."

Well we just filed for arbitration. The Sheriff's Office will now spend thousands of tax payer dollars rather then follow the contract and spend a few hundred. Bravo!

December Update-2014

This is an update for our MNPEA members for December 2014.

Let's start with the elephant in the room. As most of us know Hennepin County claims they overpaid us on the December 5th check so they took hundreds of dollars back from our last check. Hennepin County and Sheriff's Office payroll are chronically bad. We demanded an itemized reason for each person affected, they claim they will provide it. After all, if you're going to take hundreds of dollars from our checks there better be documentation as to why.

A new grievance was filed Friday for another member's screwed up check. They had 8 hours of sick time taken, even though they were at work, last September. After much wrangling Sheriff's payroll stated in writing it would be on the check on December 19th...it was not. Now they say it's too far back for them to fix...county APEX must...typical.

We stewards and our attorney met with Sheriff's Administration and Hennepin County Labor Relations on Friday December 12th. We covered three grievances.

The brown leather grievance....again..What a waste of time to try to make us few remaining in brown leather to switch to black, seven years after agreeing we didn't have too. They say they'll have an answer by the 30th of this month. Our argument is the same, per the contract we will pay the first $65, they pay the rest. It's the "they pay the rest" part they've never liked. 

Article 32, section 2: If the basic clothing provided by the EMPLOYER is changed in type, color or style by order of the EMPLOYER, the EMPLOYER will bear any replacement cost in excess of $65.00 per calendar year, the employee to be responsible for the first $65.00 of replacement cost. 

The weekend shift differential grievance.  Sheriff's payroll says a software glitch caused this to get messed up last June. They say they will fix it. They are asking all of us to check and see if we are missing weekend differential going back to June. If you are, email Dave Rice in payroll, letting him know the dates and you will be reimbursed.

Night shift differential. This has been an ongoing problem. Article 10 of our contract covers this. The Sheriff's Office position is they will only pay nightshifters this for an extension of their shift. For example if you stay over an hour or two wrapping up a report.The Sheriff's Office says if you stay over four hours you're working someone else s shift! Doesn't matter to them if you are forced to stay over...it's someone else's shift in their mind. They usually pay the nightshift differential for two hours or less, they rarely (but sometimes) pay it if you stay over four hours. The only consistency is the inconsistency. 

The Union's contention is that the contract is clear. They are to pay the ENTIRE time worked. This is Article 10 section 8 of the contract:

Compensation under this section will be in addition to the employee's regular salary and will be earned for the entire period worked, provided at least five hours of the shift worked falls on the day for which the additional compensation is being paid. 

One of the stewards and the county are looking at a Memorandum of Understanding regarding this. I disagree. They just signed the contract last September. They agreed to this language. 

It's pretty cheap to not pay someone an extra $.85 an hour for the four hours they must stay over after being up all night! They are arguing over $3.40! 

This is ongoing. If it ends up in arbitration I think we'd win. 

I'd be remiss not to mention that messing with people's money is a bad idea. It's a morale buster. A major bone is that when they short us it takes weeks or months to get reimbursed. When they say we owe them, it's taken out the next check...and that without any documentation other then they said so.

Happy Solstice, Merry Xmas or happy however you celebrate this time of year!

How the Grinch stole Xmas

Imagine your employer informed you that they overpaid you the previous check and were taking hundreds of dollars out of the next. The check before Christmas! They claim they overpaid the FLSA calculations on your last check, the check with your Stability pay (Holiday Bonus). But offer no explanation or proof.

They email you with a number to call if you have any questions.

Questions like:

Can you show me where you overpaid me?

Can't we spread this out over a few checks if I was over paid?

When you call the number you don't get the person who you were told to call. But the person on the other end takes your information and you are told you will be called back that afternoon.

That call doesn't come. If you call back later and ask, you are told, "No one is available to talk."

We have had payroll issues with Hennepin County for a long time. Unpaid overtime, missing sick time, unpaid raises and backpay. We have had many meetings with the County. County payroll is chronically off.

Now Hennepin County has a budget of hundreds of millions of dollars. They have very high paid accountants to manage their budget, guys with Masters Degrees in Accounting. Their one job is to make sure the numbers add up.

All of the payroll is done on software. Software with names like APEX and Workforce. Software programmed and run by high paid IT guys. Guys who's one job is to make sure that the payroll is inputted correctly.

Finally the day before Thanksgiving we were  told we just had to trust them.

The very next check they claim is wrong in their favor. Suddenly it's not weeks to resolve, grievances to be filed, no, it's instant correction.

Merry Xmas Grinch, er Hennepin County.

I'd love to give them a Department of Labor audit for my gift.

Hennepin County Jail, pre-dawn

Walking into work, 5:35 AM, November 3rd, 2014

Steward Nominations

I will be hanging up the sheet for Steward Nominations when I'm back at work Saturday. If you are interested in being a Union Steward you must Self Nominate. The sheet will be posted until Dec. 5th.

This is your chance to be involved. Negotiate the contract, file grievances, represent members.

Public Safety and Judiciary Board meeting. Nov. 4, 2014

Highlight is the County Commissioners grilling about overtime use in the first 5 minutes.

More info on the Social Security vote, a Q and A

THIS POST WAS UPDATED 11/10/14

I emailed Lisa Underhill a couple more questions and asked her to read over this post for accuracy. The items in red were clarified by Lisa and updated. The questions in red at the end of the post are new questions.

As I previously wrote about last August in my post, Big Change in Correctional Pension, The members in the Correctional Pension must choose to stay in Social Security or opt out.

There are major ramifications for Corrections Officers/Detention Deputies if they opt out.

Jeremy Zajicek and Lisa Underhill from Hennepin County’s Benefits Division were here today to answer questions.  I asked a few and these were their answers.

Q. If the CO's opt out of Social Security what happens to previous contributions? 

A. The money and credits stay in Social Security but future contributions stop.

Q. If one requests a refund does it go back only three years (member contribution only, not employer portion)?

A. Yes, requests for refunds can only go back 3 years (2011-2014) which is what the Social Security Administration’s statute of limitation is set at.  You will lose Social Security credit for any years that are refunded and Hennepin County also receives a refund of its contributions for those years.

Q. What about survivor benefits for spouses or children? Will they be able to collect if we opt out?

A. It depends on how much was paid in before you opt out. You have to have paid in enough quarters and it will be greatly reduced.

Q. What about Social Security disability?

A. If you get hurt outside of work, currently SSI Disability pays more than PERA Disability. You might not get anything, it will depend on how much you paid in and if you had enough quarters to qualify.

Q. How do us older employees who don't have to vote know we are still going to be participating in Social Security?

A. Historically Social Security has grandfathered those in. :  Those employees who are in the non-voting group had their Social Security participation approved by the Social Security Administration on 7/1/1999 when they were moved from PERA’s Coordinated Plan into the Correctional Plan.  Their Social Security participation continues regardless of the outcome of the vote.

Someone asked why we were being asked to vote to be in Social Security now.

Lisa answered, There is no guarantee government employees participate in Social Security.  There must be a 218 Agreement to be in it. Sometimes it's voted on, sometimes it's legislated. The PERA Coordinated Pension voted to be in, in the 60's. Police and Fire were legislated out. The Correctional Pension should have voted in 1999, but it was assumed they were still in like the Coordinated Pension, but Social Security says they must decide. 

The way the vote goes will be County by County. For example, the CO's in Hennepin could vote to be in, CO's in other counties can vote to be out.

You must vote Yes to be in Social Security. If you don't return a ballot it counts as a NO vote. If a Majority Vote of 50% plus 1 is not reached everyone's vote counts as NO and you will be out of Social Security.

Some things to consider: 

You will get an increase in your take home pay equivalent to your employee contribution (6.2%). It will be taxed, and you will NOT get the employer portion. Hennepin County will keep it. If you think you can invest that 6.2% increase in your take home and do better than Social Security remember this: You will have to make a 100% return on your investment just to make up for the lost employer contribution! Plus if you live to be 95 your investment might run out, whereas Social Security will still be paying you.

Also, when you retire whatever reduced Social Security benefits you do qualify for will be further reduced by the WEP tax (windfall profit). You see, if you opted out of Social Security because of another pension it is considered a windfall profit. That pension is supposed to be your main retirement. The Police and Fire pension pays twice as much as our Correctional Pension, and they contribute twice as much to it. Ours was designed with the idea that we'd also have Social Security in addition to it.

No, PERA is not going to double our pension!

I hope this helps. Even though this doesn't affect me, it will affect your future retirement and your spouse's and children's survivor benefits and possibly your future disability payment, or lack thereof.

Choose wisely this January.

Responses to Your Questions:

1. Will this affect detention deputies who have left? If so, will they be voting? 

1.  No, this does not affect detention deputies who have left employment with the county and they will not be voting.  To be able to vote, you must be an active employee participating in the Correctional Plan as of 10/30/2014 and as of 1/30/2015; hired/rehired into a position that participates in the Correctional Plan after 7/1 1999; and/or had a break in Correctional Plan service after 7/1/1999 . 

2. Why doesn't the County have ING or other deferred comp plans talk to us about alternatiive investments?

2. Unfortunately, Wade, due to the 10/30/14 deadline to distribute the referendum information we were unable to have our deferred compensation plan representatives at these meetings.  During the 90 day period between the distribution deadline and the last day of the voting period (1/30/15) employees can call one of our vendors (Fidelity, MNDCP or VOYA) and talk directly to one of their representatives.  Here are their phone numbers: 

Fidelity – Paul Knigge 612-590-6054

MNDCP (State Plan) – David Wright 612-964-8094

VOYA (previously ING) – 612-492-0202

We are currently working out details with one of our vendors for use of their brand new, simple retirement calculator tool which uses Social Security in the calculation.  I’m hopeful we can do a demonstration of the tool at the meetings on Tuesday.

MN Progressive Project puts Stanek spending in perspective

A brief look at the list of travel charges leads one to start asking questions:
 
1) On 01/23/2012, $2,244.20 was spent at “MARRIOTT 33769″ in Washington DC, for the purpose of “JW DC NSA Conf Hotel – Stanek.” A online website lookup of this hotel says that the daily room changes range from $229 to $429. So it appears that Stanek took the most expensive room for 5 days. Is it the policy to take the most expensive room?
 

2) The number of Sheriff conferences seems high. Why did Stanek go to the WESTERN sheriffs conference?
 
3) On 03/22/2012, $1,327.20 was spent at Delta Air on a flight for and “Flight to DC and PHX”. Aren’t DC and Phoenix in the opposite directions from Minneapolis? Currently Delta Air round trips delta flights from Minneapolis to Washington are $559 first class. So was this charge for two round trip first class tickets?

 
4) On 08/14/2012, $183.98 was spent on a “Dinner with Fed Partners” at Sunsets Wayzata. An expensive meal at Wayzata’s Sunset restaurant would be $30. So did Staneck buy meals for 6 “Fed Partners”? Why didn’t “Fed Partners” use their own expense account?
 
And those questions are only from the first half page, the list goes on.
 
Stanek is Republican, so we shouldn’t be surprised that he spends other people’s money lavishly.

FULL STORY MN PROGRESSIVE PROJECT

Hennepin County Sheriff Stanek's Travel expenses

Post by Frizell for Sheriff.

Post by Frizell for Sheriff.

Post by Frizell for Sheriff.

Post by Frizell for Sheriff.

Post by Frizell for Sheriff.

Payroll Woes

As you all know when the contract was settled we were to receive all back pay on the October 10th check.

For most it didn't exactly happen that way. Some were paid their cost of living adjustment(COLA), but it appeared not all back pay was included. Some received their COLA, but not the Step increase due them. Several people said they didn't get the $350 lump sum due to people making less than $18 an hour.

On October 21, 2014, our MNPEA BA and three stewards met with Hennepin County Labor Relations to discuss this and some of our other grievances we've had with HCSO payroll.

The County admitted many did not get their Step increase on this check, and doesn't know why HCSO payroll sat on the ones who had their reviews done. Some of those missing their Step will get it on this check, but not all. Some will get it on the following check. One of our concerns was that the COLA was paid on the lower rate before the Step was included. They assured us the back pay Step will include the COLA adjustment on the higher amount when paid.

Steward Phil M stated that we can't read our paychecks as printed and we didn't trust them. He asked if those who believed their checks were wrong could get a line by line print out of how the amount was arrived at. The County said that would be too time consuming as each of our 205 members would have to have it done manually by payroll. The county said they would audit 5 members of our choosing, and if they found the back pay wasn't correct they would audit everyone and make it right.

As to the $350 members making less then $18.00 an hour were to receive, the offer was only to those making that amount before Jan 1st. Our union is fighting that.

Payroll has been a major issue, especially the Sheriff's Office payroll. There are months of unpaid weekend and night shift differentials. When contacted Sheriff's payroll either says it will be on the next check or flat out says you don't get it. Further emails bounce back. Grievances have reached the county level and I won't be surprised if they reach arbitration.

One has to wonder why the Sheriff's Office uses Workforce rather then APEX like the rest of the county and why no one can read their checks.

I think a State audit is overdue.

Ebola...Does our jail have a protocol?

Dallas County Deputy in Contact 

With Duncan's Apartment Taken to Hospital   NBC Dallas

A Dallas County sheriff's deputy in Frisco who said he was feeling ill and who had been in the apartment of Thomas Eric Duncan, the man who died Wednesday of Ebola, has been hospitalized.

NBC 5 has confirmed the man is Sr. Sgt. Michael Monnig with the Dallas County Sheriff's Office.

I remember all of the Swine Flu protocol...is there one for Ebola?

How to contain it? 

How many staff would stay home?

Just food for thought.

Gov. Candidate Jeff Johnson thinks you get paid TOO much

This is the video of the Hennepin County Board approving our contract. The single NO vote came from Minnesota Gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson. 

He believes the step raises are"too much."

Too much for Detention Staff working in a dangerous environment and for stressed out 911 Dispatchers.

Too much for a job class that has had 5 years of wage freezes.

 In Jeff Johnson's world you should start at one rate and stay there forever, except for small occasional cost of living raises to keep you exactly where you started as inflation occurs.

This is a no vote from a man who has made the largest most dangerous jail in the State the lowest paid in the seven county metro area.

This coming from one of the highest paid County Commissioners in the State. A man making six figures a year and one of the only County Board members with a tax payer paid take home car!

Is this the man we want for Governor?

Remember this at the polls in November.

Member Contribution on Social Security Vote

This is a member contribution regarding the Big Change in Correctional Pension post.

For people who are not self-employed, 12.4% of gross income is contributed to Social Security.  6.2% by the employer and 6.2% by the employee.  So, to place it in perspective, for every $1000.00 a person earns, $62 goes into SS from a person's paycheck and their employer pays in another $62.

Here is my take on the benefits and the drawbacks of opting out of paying into Social Security...

The benefits of continuing to pay into SS:

-6.2% is employer paid.

-employees would keep their full SS benefits (contingent upon how much Congress decides to pay)

-PERA employees would keep a good amount of money that was paid into SS as opposed to only receiving back 3 years worth from the IRS if they opt out.

-Most people aren't responsible enough to save or invest if there were no SS tax.

-Older employees would not see a reduction in benefits even if they joined PERA after 1999.

-SS has been, and can continue to be beneficial as supplemental income for millions of people.

-SS is income insurance for when people stop or no longer can earn an income.

The benefits of Opting out of SS:

-6.2% more money to invest in a pre-tax IRA (deferred comp.)

-money paid into SS prior to joining PERA would still be available.

-You would have more money that would not be controlled by government bureaucrats to squander.

-SS is controlled by congress, bureacrats decide how much you will be paid out per month and when you should get a cost of living adjustment.  Funds in an IRA and personal savings are controlled by the individual, not the government.

-SS payouts are taxable income, (so you would end up paying taxes on a tax, (which seems a little asinine to me) as opposed to post-tax investments such as a Roth IRA.

-The SS fund is currently used to fund retirees, disabled people and the children of disabled people, and, for some reason, to pay back Treasury Bonds, to  fund wars, subsidies, and other government programs.

-By 2033, the SS fund is projected to be depleted.

-SS grows at a rate of approximately 4.4% from bond interest, while the stock market has grown an average of approximately 10% over the last 50 years despite the crash of 2008-09.

-with compounding interest, which equates into higher growth on money you control, taking the money you would have paid into SS and investing it in good growth stock mutual funds that have a long track record of growth would, and should, yield exponentially more money than placing it in the hands of Congress.

-with only an estimated 49% of the U.S. population paying income taxes, how can SS be sustained?

On my last pay stub, the amount that I paid into OASDI\EE amounted to $184.44.  That is $184.44 I could have placed into my deferred compensation accounts, or $138.33 into my post-tax Roth IRA. 

Honestly, does anyone feel comfortable with the government managing their money, placing it into an insolvent fund when there is annual deficits and over $17 trillion in national debt?  I personally do not.  The benefits of opting out, for me, far outweigh the benefits of continuing to pay in. Forget the so-called "three legged stool" of SS, savings, and investments, I would rather stand on my own two legs with savings and more to invest!

 Contributed by Noel Schlitter

Contract Vote Passes

The membership has accepted the County's offer. Traditionally, the County Board will approve it the second week of September and the raises will go into effect in October.

This means Detention Deputies will get the following raises:

Those in steps, will get your step plus 2.5% Cost of Living (COLA) 2014 and 2015
Those at top pay 3.5% COLA 2014 and 2015

All Dispatchers, even those in steps will get a 4.5% raise plus steps in 2014
and 2.5% plus steps in 2015.

Corrections News & Views August 2014

Contents: PERA Social Security Opt Out, Grievances, Schedules and More!

Big Change in Correctional Pension

Correctional Plan referendum on Social Security set for December
Correctional Plan members are currently participating in both PERA and Social Security. However, members who did not originally transfer to the plan from the Coordinated Plan in 1999 will be voting in December on whether to retain their Social Security coverage.

When created in 1999, it was assumed new correctional officers would be covered for retirement, disability and survivor benefits by both PERA and Social Security, just as were original participants in the plan. Only recently was it learned that the Social Security Administration requires a referendum for that to happen. PERA has prepared a Question and Answer sheet that explains the reason for the vote, the referendum process, and the impact of a “Yes” or “No” vote.

From PERA http://www.mnpera.org/

12 hour days?

I came back from vacation last week and landed in the land of the 12 hour day scuttlebutt. 

Background

5 years ago the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office took us off of the 6/3 schedule, and with the pound of a fist put us on the 28/8 schedule.

For 5 years the Sheriff's Office  REFUSED to discuss or entertain other options. As recently as a few weeks ago at negotiations with MNPEA Detention Deputies and Dispatchers they again refused citing, "employer right."

For some very relevant background read my post form 2005, Schedule Facts For Teamsters (we were Teamsters then.)

It seems an odd coincidence that once the HCSDA endorsed challenger Ediie Frizell for Hennepin County Sheriff that the current Sheriff is suddenly interested in changing from the unpopular 28/8 schedule.

All of the sudden there's a steamroller blazing the way to a 12 hour day. 

Fact 1

While refusing to talk to MNPEA Detention Deputies about alternate schedules for 5 years, a letter from Chief Deputy Carlson reveals they have been discussing just that with the HCSDA (licensed deputies) since last February!

They then added some Detention Deputies to this committee a couple of weeks ago, that as far as I can tell is only interested in a 12 hour schedule and how best to implement it. THERE WAS NO SURVEY OF DETENTION DEPUTIES! It is a piggyback onto seven months of licensed deputy talks. When I questioned Sheriff Stanek about this when he addressed us at a "meet and greet" on July 29th he said, "If it's good for the licensed deputies, it's good for detention, right?" 

Not so fast.

In an effort to find out what schedule preferences our members want a survey is going out with the contract vote ballots this week. We want to know what you want. To be sure some want 12's and some don't. To properly represent we need to know.

Bum Rush

Major Storms told the committee that they need an answer by this Wednesday. According to one of our stewards, when informed that the survey being mailed out wouldn't be back by then, Major Storms said to just verbally ask our members, because they needed to know it by Wednesday in time to implement the shift bid.

So for five years they won't discuss the schedule now they want an answer pronto. 

Sounds more like they are trying to appease themselves and implement a new schedule like they did the 28 day, but if it proves unpopular they can say, "This was the Union's idea."

Fact 2

The schedule is an inherent managerial right. (Minnesota State Statute 179A.07, Agreement Article 6, Sec. 1.)

The Sheriff can put us on whatever schedule he sees fit. Any schedule is ultimately the Sheriff's.

However,

That schedule must fall within the guidelines of the contract.

Here's what our contract says:

ARTICLE 10 - WORK SCHEDULES - PREMIUM PAY 

Section 1. This Article is intended only to define the normal hours of work and to provide the basis for the calculations of overtime premium and other premium pay. Nothing herein shall be construed as a guarantee of hours of work per day or per week. 

Section 2. A payroll period shall be an averaged eighty (80) hours. 

Section 3. Work shifts, work breaks, staffing schedules and the assignment of employees thereto, shall be established by the EMPLOYER. 

Section 4. For Detention Deputies, worked hours in excess of the assigned work shift of eight (8) or more hours or an averaged eighty (80) hours per payroll period, with the exception of the twelve mandatory training hours for employees on a 6-3 schedule, shall be overtime and compensated at one and one-half (1 1/2) times the employee's base pay rate, or one and one-half (1 1/2) hours compensatory time for each hour worked, subject to the provision that no employee shall be eligible for overtime premium unless prior approval of the overtime work was granted by the Sheriff or his designee
(bold type mine)

As long as a 12 hour schedule equals 80 hours a pay period, the Sheriff can impose it. The problem is every pattern I've seen laid out in the string of emails is 84 hours a pay period. That's an increase of 104 hours a year more at work.

There are two ways around it. One, pay that extra 4 hours as time and a half or make one workday every two weeks an 8 hour day.

Problems

1).There is an idea floating around that the union can just get a Letter of Understanding with the Sheriff to make the extra 4 hours a pay period straight time. That is not true. It is solid contract language and as such can only be NEGOTIATED at contract time. They let that window pass, and the next time that can be opened is in 2 years, but hey, for the last 5 they had no interest in discussing it.

2).The cynic in me can see the Sheriff claiming the 12 hour day can't work without concessions, concessions that can't be made outside of contract negotiations, and then blaming the Union because it couldn't work. I suspect this is a ploy to either feign wanting another schedule or a ploy to get your first 104 hours of overtime at straight time.

3). According to steward Phil M., Major Storms said that 16 hour days were a possibility if we were short.

4). Drafts on days off are possible. Currently at Dispatch they are on a 10 hour day schedule, 4 on 3 off. Well, not exactly. Due to short staffing they work overtime almost every day and are often forced to work 1 and sometimes 2 of their days off. This could happen to us if we go to 12's.

Reality is, going to 12's would be a hardship to anyone with kids in daycare, anyone who wants to attend their kids activities and anyone trying to go to school.

If implemented as I've seen emailed, you would be at work 104 more hours a year than now. There are 80 hours in a pay period, that's almost two and a half weeks MORE time at work!

At first there would be little to no overtime. Then the extra deputies would be transferred to the very short Courts Division.

Again, OK at first.

Then as staff continues to leave due to low pay, and maybe some due to the 12 hour day our compliment will fall.

Now add in some 2 man hospital guards, sick calls, and prime time vacation and you have 16 hour days and drafts on days off. Suddenly you aren't off, "half the year," as I hear some proponents saying.

Speaking of sick time, vacation time and holidays. This is how it would work with current contract language. Which again, can't be changed for 2 years if they actually choose to negotiate.

If you call in sick you will burn 12 hours a day. If you stay home 2 days to care for a child with the flu you just burned 24 hours. It'll take you 3  months to get that back, and let's not forget how quickly you will hit their 96 hour sick time limit.

If you take a vacation day, again you burn 12 hours.

Sick and vacation accruals WILL NOT CHANGE. It is a county wide benefit and accrues as hours, not days. 

Holidays would work like this. If you work a Holiday you would get paid 12 hours at time and a half and still get only 8 hours of either Deferred Holiday or Deferred Holiday paid out.

If you took the Holiday off, you would receive ONLY 8 hours of Holiday pay. I don't know how the other 4 hours would be accounted for. 

These are just some of the problems I see with a 12 hour day. 

I will not hide the fact I am no fan of 12's, but if the survey comes back and a majority of our members want it, as a steward I will support you.

I just want you to go in with both eyes open.

Video of Eddie Frizell speech 7/29/14

Video of Stanek 7/29/14 speech

Eddie Frizell Speech to MNPEA 7/29/14

Thanks to Dave Bentzen for providing audio wav.

Rich Stanek Speech to MNPEA 7/29/14

Thanks to Dave Bentzen for providing audio wav.

Candidate Websites for Hennepin Co. Sheriff

These are the official websites for both candidates running for Hennepin County Sheriff. Both candidates will be at the Meet and Greet on the 29th. Come, listen, ask questions.

EDDIE FRIZELL

http://www.frizellforsheriff.com/





RICHARD STANEK

http://sheriffstanek.com/

Hennepin County Sheriff Race Headlines

Hennepin deputies endorse Sheriff Stanek's opponent, MPD's Frizell Fox 9

Mpls. deputy chief of police to run for Hennepin County sheriff Star Tribune

Frizell Beats Stanek In Henn. Co. Sheriff’s Deputies Assoc. Vote  CBS

Meet and Greet-MNPEA Release

Contributed by Mike Golen

Attention all Detention Deputies, Detention
Technicians, Henn Co, MPLS & Edina Dispatchers 
and MNPEA Members living in Hennepin County. 

Come and join us for a “Meet and Greet” party 
with fellow union members & co-workers. MNPEA 

Director Mike Golen and MNPEA Vice President Tom Perkins will both be there. 

We have invited the candidates running for Sheriff 
to come for part of the meeting and speak to us and
answer questions. 

4PM Rich Stanek – 4:30PM Eddie
Frizell - for approx 20 minutes each. 

Come and be better informed on what is happening 
with your union. 

Where: Di Noko’s Pizza - 420 S 4th

(Next to Goldberg Bail Bonds)

When: July 29th

*25% discount on all food with work ID - Happy
Hour from 3-7PM.

 St, MPLS, MN

 (Tuesday) from 3PM till when ever...

Meet and Greet Union Mtg with Sheriff's Candidates

Shared by Carol Orcutt

Meet and Greet Union Mtg with Sheriff's Candidates

Attention all barganing units under the Sheriff's Office with MNPEA

Come and join us for a “Meet and Greet” party with your fellow union members and co-workers. Share some thoughts with our MNPEA Business Agent Michael Golen. He’ll be available to answer any questions about our union.

Also Sheriff Richard Stanek and Sheriff Candidate Eddie Firzell will be there to speak to us and answer questions from: 4 PM to 5 PM

Stop over even if you don't’ want to discuss union things and just hang out. If nothing else you’ll be better informed on what is happening with our union.

Where: Di Noko’s Pizza Next to Goldberg Bail Bonds 

When: July 29th (Tuesday) from 3PM till when ever…

There will be a 25% discount on all food with work ID and happy hour is between 3-7PM.

Let’s make it a fun informational gathering.

Eddie Frizell

Rich Stanek

What's it like being a corrections officer?

Each year over 33,000 Correctional Officers are assaulted. In the last year records were released on the prosecution rates of those assaults, only 10.9 percent resulted in prosecutions. Yet over 20 percent of the Officers assaulted required medical attention. How loud would the public outcry be if only one in 10 assaults on our city streets, where the assailant was clearly identified, were prosecuted? What would morale be like in our police departments if only one in 10 assaults of our cops were prosecuted? What would our communities be like if the criminal element knew they had only a one in 10 chance of being prosecuted, even if we knew who they were and could prove they committed the assault?

The number and severity of the assaults behind the walls has dramatically increased in the past decade. In the past six years, 47 of our brothers and sisters have died in the line of duty. With continued overcrowding, understaffing and more violent gang members being incarcerated, it will only continue to get worse. But, assaults aren’t the only problem we face.

FULL STORY CorrectionsOne

Arbitration FAQ

1. What happens in an arbitration? 

When essential employees and their employer deadlock in negotiations they file for arbitration. As essential employees we cannot strike.
The rules for arbitration are spelled out in Minnesota State Statute 

179A.16 INTEREST ARBITRATION

Both sides file their final positions to the arbitrator. 

A hearing is then held where both side present their positions to the arbitrator. It's much like a courtroom setting, testimony, witnesses and exhibits.

Briefs are filed by both sides, usually within a couple weeks of the hearing. The arbitrator then has 30 days to publish the decision.

An arbitrator is supposed to treat the arbitration as if the essential employees are on strike and make a decision considering what it would take to end a strike.

2. Will we get less than the employers offer that was rejected?

Not likely. The County's main argument is ALWAYS the pattern is set. They always compare  the three essential county corrections groups; the Workhouse, Juvenile Center and the Adult Detention Center.

As a matter of fact if you peruse the arbitrator decisions at the BMS site you will see that no one in any county has received less then the employers last 0ffer. arbitration! http://mn.gov/bms/arbitration_awards.html

For an example here's the arbitrator's decision for us from 2012: BMS Case No. 12-PN-0697

Here's a quote from that arbitration:

In the County’s view, MNPEA offered no compelling, different or special 
circumstances that would justify the MNPEA’s offer and granting the MNPEA’s offer 
would destroy the internal wage relationship that has existed for years with the County’s 
other correctional officers not represented by the MNPEA, such as the Juvenile 
Correctional Officers represented by the Teamsters and Correctional Officers at the Adult 
Correctional Facility in Plymouth represented by AFSCME

So there you have it, the County's game in their own words from the last arbitration. Both the County Correctional Officers and the Juvenile Correctional Officers received steps, a 2.5% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) and 1% Market Adjustment for those at the top step only for 2014 and 2015.  

The ONLY difference in the offers was that dispatch was to get a 2% market adjustment in 2014 only across the steps.  The county still wasn't deviating from the 2% market adjustment, just giving it all to dispatch the first year and including those in steps.

I still firmly believe dispatch deserves the market adjustment across the steps, but so does everyone in our bargaining unit.

The County will have to offer the market adjustment in arbitration, and even if they didn't we would argue it...only higher to get us where we should be.

I'm still voting no.

Don't Talk to Detectives about PREA without an attorney

It happened again today. One of our new Detention Deputies was told to report to a Sergeant’s office and give a statement to a Detective regarding a PREA complaint. 

Is that the place for a formal statement?

A PREA investigation IS criminal. It is voluntary. If you decide to talk, call our attorney! You CANNOT be ordered to talk. This is 5th Amendment stuff.

MSS 241.026 states 

Subd. 3.Governing formal statement procedures.

The formal statement of an officer must be taken according to subdivision 4.

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.

REALITY is 99.9% of these investigations are unfounded. However, even if you are “just a witness” an investigation can take a turn on a dime. Could a “witness” be accused of not reporting? Covering up? Being complicit?

NEVER EVER TALK TO A DETECTIVE OR PARTICIPATE IN AN INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATION (I.A.) WITHOUT OUR ATTORNEY.

Just a few weeks ago a Lieutenant was conducting I.A. investigations via email!

 I notified our attorney to call the jail Major This has to stop.

You must participate in an Internal Affairs investigation, but are entitled to have our attorney present.

You do NOT have to cooperate with ANY PREA interviews as they are voluntary. That’s right, they are criminal and you have the right not to talk. If you choose to talk, bring our lawyer.

MNPEA Legal Hotline: 651/287-8883

M.S.S. 241.026 

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.

Subd. 10.Rights not reduced.

The rights of officers provided by this section are in addition to and do not diminish the rights and privileges of officers that are provided under an applicable collective bargaining agreement or any other applicable law.

Furthermore Article 34 in our contract says you are entitled to your Union representation as do your Federal Weingarten Rights.