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