Members blame AFSCME for problems at Stllwater MCF

As a retired CO who was extremely involved in my Union, my heart is always with the CO's and their efforts to improve workplace conditions. The following letter was forwarded to me from the CO's at Stllwater Prison in the wake of the murder of Joseph Gomm. It highlights the reason many of the larger Unions are loosing members.The members now believe AFSCME became more interested in politics than members. My hope is they form their own  Association to look out for their interests.

Subject: Stillwater

Cc: #DOC_CO-AllStaff; #DOC_FRB-AllStaff; #DOC_FS-Staff; #DOC_LL-AllStaff; #DOC_ML-AllStaff; #DOC_OPH-AllStaff; #DOC_RC-AllStaff; #DOC_RW-AllStaff; #DOC_SCL-AllStaff; #DOC_SHK-AllStaff; #DOC_STW-AllStaff; #DOC_THD-AllStaff
Subject: AFSCME responsibility

Mr. Westmoreland & Mr. Henderson,

I am demanding to know the process that I need to take to stop giving any of my money to this “union” immediately!! Not “fair share” but any money that I was forced to give so you could support your agenda.  The Supreme Court of the United States has recently ruled that I have that right.

This “union” is directly responsible for what has happened yesterday.  This union has silently stood by doing nothing to help our members because they agreed with and promoted this extremely liberal policy of “stopping the harmful effects of long term segregation”.  Numerous officers have been injured and now killed so you could push your liberal agenda.

How many times have Officers spoke up about the harmful effects of short term segregation?  How many staff assaults need to happen for you to realize that this policy is extremely short sighted and utopian thinking?  And this is not the first time you liberal bias has harmed our members.  I will not sit by and promote this ideology by feeding it money.

Several years back you threw our members under the bus when you not only supported the Governor’s plan to lay off about 30,000 employees, you help facilitate it.  And for what?  Your liberal support of same sex marriage and illegal immigrant’s rights.  The first issue really doesn’t affect our membership as a whole.  It has nothing to do with members safety, salary’s or anything our union should be pushing.  The second issue, not only doesn’t affect us as a union, it harms us by taking jobs away from us and our fellow legal Americans.

You also said nothing when some of our fellow AFSCME members decided to protest, wearing ASFCME t-shirts and banners, members of our law enforcement community when a black man was shot by the cops.  You sided with the protesters over our law enforcement and us, as Corrections Officers.

I have done many things for this union.  Writing newsletters, acting as a Secretary, being a E-Board member.  I don’t think there has been one instance of our “union” doing something to benefit us.  Giving us a turkey for Christmas or throwing a bowling party doesn’t count.  Something that really matters is what we want and demand from you.  It’s your job to do that, and you have failed miserably. 

You blindly support one political party over the other and claim we benefit greatly from that support, which is so far from the truth, it’s laughable.  You tell us to vote them is so we get great benefits and pay.  Well, that has never materialized.  In my 26 years here, the largest raise I have gotten was when Tim Pawlenty, a Republican, was our Governor. When I started, Minnesota Corrections Officers were the second highest paid officers in the nation.  I don’t know where we stand today, but it’s nowhere near that.  But our “union” is more concerned with liberal causes than our own members.

I demand that you stop taking my money today.  I am officially denouncing AFSCME.  I will not be part of it or fund it.

Tom Schloesser

Former proud AFSCME Local 3607 member

RIP CO Joseph Gomm

Stillwater Corrections Officer Joseph Gomm had his last watch on July 18, 2018.
According to the Star Tribune he was murdered on duty by an inmate.

Everyday CO's go to work watching the 'bad guys' who were removed from the streets. Everyday they work a dangerous job out of sight and out of mind of Society.

As a retiree I know the long hours, the shift work and constant staff shortages that are a part of the profession. The article says Stillwater was short about 150 staff.

The Star Tribune reports there are over 1,600 inmates at Stillwater Prison and 527 of them are in for homicide.It doesn't mention the number in for assault, robbery, rape and how many are gang members or mentally ill.

Violence is all too common among inmates and towards staff in lock ups.

Joseph Gomm paid with his life keeping the rest of Society safe.
RIP brother.

Leonard Richards runs for U.S. Senate

When I worked at the Hennepin County jail one of our more notorious inmates was Leonard Richards. After being found guilty of 2 homicides he ran, and almost won a School Board seat. Now it looks like he's running for the U.S. Senate as a Democrat!

FULL STORY

BAD Cells from Hennepin County Jail

Portland Teaches Protesters a lesson

When anti ICE protesters blocked the entry to an ICE facility it didn't work out as planned!

News Stories of interest to Henn. Co. Detention Deps

Here's a couple of news stories Hennepin County Detention Deputies will find of interest.

Denny Hecker

One of our more famous former 'guests' Denny Hecker is out of prison.
https://www.twincities.com/2018/07/04/denny-hecker-free-from-federal-custody-minneapolis/

I can still see his privileged self coming back to the Court Staging area after a court appearance thinking he could just sit at the Court Staging desk and use the phone.

Of course he never saw a real Hennepin County Jail cell, maybe because he was 'high profile', maybe because he was a heavy Stanek Donor,  he was given a hospital bed in the Med Room and would ask the nurses for lemonade at 2 AM!

Story number two is a much more common story.

Due to lack of beds at State Mental Health Facilities a man suffering from schizophrenia was at the Hennepin Hilton for over 90 days
http://www.startribune.com/man-with-mental-illness-languishes-in-hennepin-county-jail-for-3-months/487453671/

The story says, "During Traylor’s time in custody, his mental state deteriorated substantially, officials said. He threatened to stab and murder jail staff and engaged in increasingly erratic behavior, such as smearing feces on his cell window, court records show."

Ah, the joys of the third floor!

Very few people realize the range of inmates Detention Deputies are required to deal with professionally. 

Happy Independence Day

Happy Independence Day

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government....