CO severely hurt in attack

Watch Your Backs!

Surge in Hennepin County Felony Cases

"felony charges in Hennepin County are up in all types of crimes, including a 63 percent jump in murder charges, and 15 percent increase in drug charges" -Star Tribune

FULL STORY 

Female CO's sue Cook County

Working in a jail or prison can be a tough environment. It can be even tougher if you're a woman.

The Chicago Sun Times is reporting:

Female sheriff’s officers sue Dart over masturbating jail inmates

FULL STORY

Some Details

As with most of you, I am a fiscal conservative. I have watched pension plans crash and burn. Like the Teamsters Central States pension.

To Minnesota's Credit, the PERA Board and legislature have historically done a great job of keeping our pensions solvent.

The last eight years were not particularly good for many pensions. The MSRS Correctional Plan, PERA Police and Fire, TRA (Teachers Union) and Judges pensions are not doing so well
and wisely some adjustments are being made to insure they remain solvent into the future.

Among proposals by Sen. Rosen in SF545 is to reduce the Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA) of some of the plans, but not equally. Among them is to cut MSRA Correctional from a 2% annual COLA to 1.5% and to cut our PERA Correctional COLA from 2.5% to 1.5% so they are uniform.

Wait a minute. MSRA Correctional is way under funded and only gets a .5% reduction in it's COLA. The PERA Correctional Plan which is funded at 95.7% is asked to take a 1% cut in COLA!

The Legislative Commission's own actuarials on the PERA Correctional Plan state, "The funded status of the plan will increase gradually towards a 100% funded ratio."

It's disturbing to see Republicans like Sen. Rosen and her counterpart in the House, Rep. O'Driscoll, wanting to make things uniform. That sounds more like socialism than conservatism. Sadly, the vote was 100% in the Senate for this.

I can understand the cut to the MSRA Correctional Plan, but not the PERA Corrections Plan. They are two separate pensions, separate funding and one plan is anemic, the other healthy. Why give the healthy plan the bigger cut? This is unfair to County Corrections Officers.

Here's a large part of the problem. The largest Unions representing County Corrections Officers are MNPEA and LELS. We had no input!

The two groups that had input were Teamsters Local 320 (who lost almost all of their CO's) and AFSCME.  They were more interested is shoring up the pensions of their General Groups and Police, which make up a majority of their members.

AFSCME actually threw their approximately 100 CO's at the Hennepin County Workhouse under the bus. On their AFSME Council 5 website they call for shared sacrifice! Cutting our COLA does not help MSRS! If I were a Hennepin County Workhouse CO I'd scream bloody murder at AFSCME.

I leave you with a picture from AFSCME Council 5, calling for shared sacrifice! They plan on working against County CO's again in 2018. We have much work ahead.

Pension Watch Pt 3, what we are up against.

Watch the video, in it Sen. Rosen, Chairman of the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement speaks of her bill.

Of note is the stated goal at the 3 minute, 30 second mark of "stabilizing the pensions at 90%."

Watch the video and then look at my comment son You Tube.

Pension Watch Part 2

So after much digging around here’s what I found out.

The PERA Board made no recommendations to change our pension.
It is 100% politically driven by the legislature.

The Bill (HF565) was introduced into the House by Rep. Tim O’Driscoll (R-Dist 13) and in the Senate (SF545) by Sen. Julie A. Rosen (R-Dist 23).

It died last time because Gov. Dayton vetoed it. But my understanding is it’s coming back.

Our PERA Correctional Plan already pays out the lowest benefit of any corrections or law enforcement pension in the state.

The Police and Fire pension pays out at a rate of 3% of their high 5 with a 1% annual COLA. They are only funded at 87.7%. (and they have a seat on the PERA board).

The State Corrections pension pays 2.4% a of their high 5 with a 2% COLA. (and they have a seat on their MSRS pension board).

Our PERA Correctional Plan pays out at 1.9% of our high 5 with a 2.5%  annual COLA because we are funded at 95.7%.

This Bill is patently unfair to PERA CO’s and Detention Deputies. We have the healthiest pension and the lowest payout! If they want to limit our COLA then make it fair and at least give us the 2.4% payout the State Corrections Officers get!

Rep. Tim O'Driscoll

The good news is that nothing can really be done on this until this summer. Our COLA is safe for 2018 and probably 2019 by the time they get anything done.

If we can get the authors of the Bill to withdraw the Bill or at least the part affecting us, we’ll be fine.

If not our pension will not keep up with the cost of living.

Contact Rep. Tim O'Driscoll  rep.tim.odriscoll@house.mn and ask him to withdraw our portion from his Bill.
Home: Sartell P.O. Box 225, 56377

Sen. Julie A. Rosen

Contact Sen. Julie A. Rosen sen.julie.rosen@senate.mn

Home: Vernon Center P.O. Box 428 56090

Ask her to withdraw out potion from her Bill.

When you contact them stress the unfairness.
Our pension is fully funded with the lowest payout.
Ask why they are punishing us! 

People who spend their lives in a dangerous career for public safety shouldn't get shortchanged at the end!



Feel free to contact me at my new email: pera.watchdog@gmail.com

PERA Correctional Pension Watch

As a retiree I am paying close attention to our Correctional Pension. There are some proposed changes afoot that concern me. They should also concern future retirees.

Of particular concern is this Correctional Plan item from the PERA website:

Anderson said that PERA staff will continue to meet with Correctional Plan stakeholders to gather input into possible plan changes. The Board did not propose changes during the 2017 legislative session; however, the Legislature did propose a change from the current 2.5 percent trigger to a fixed 1.5 percent COLA. 

In the same letter the legislature is proposing a change from a 1% COLA for Police and Fire to 1.5%.

Currently the *Correctional Plan is funded at 95.7% and the Police & Fire Plan at 87.7%. The trigger for a 2.5% COLA is 90%.

*Source PERA Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.Pg 12.

The exceptional health of the Correctional Plan triggers the higher 2.5% COLA for Correctional retirees.

The Police and Fire Plan has had issues and has been unable to hit the 90% -2.5% COLA trigger.

Our Correctional Plan pays out at a rate of 1.9% of our contributions. Police and Fire pays out 3%!

Our plan has more money and triggers the 2.5% COLA. Theirs currently does not.

I don't care what they give P&F, but the proposed downplaying of our benefit seems to be a give away from the money WE paid into ours for another plan.

There is a PERA meeting on December 14th supposedly seeking input I want to attend. I just emailed PERA to get the info.

Why is this important? Former Teamsters Business Agent David Metusalem has Retired from the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office to be Executive Director of Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, aka MPPOA (Congratulations). This required him to relinquish his seat on the Police and Fire Plan Board, triggering an election. We've never had a seat at the table!

The PERA website says they are meeting with "Correctional Plan Stakeholders." Who?

Why does this matter? P&F have members watching their retirement. Corrections does not!

Back in 2009 when we at Hennepin County were Teamsters, we made a proposal to get a Detention Deputy on the PERA Board. It passed, but never happened.

Who is looking out for us? Back in 1997 when we were first meeting at the Teamsters building with Mike Golen and Tom Perkins (our plans' architect) , Dan Wells from LELS sat behind me laughing at the idea. MPPOA and LELS won't care. Teamsters failed to act!

We have to get a Detention Deputy/CO and or Retiree on the Board. MNPEA members your board is already on this. The Correctional Plan architect is on MNPEA's board.

MPPOA and LELS, are you going to protect your 800 CO's?

Watch this blog for updates. Be prepared to contact your State Reps.

A good on and off duty Legal Defense Plan is a necessity

Fox 9 just ran a story about Hennepin County Sheriff Rick Stanek being involved in a fight in Las Vegas. Click here for FULL STORY

Unfortunately this sort of conduct emphasizes the all too common double standard of one set of rules for elected officials and another for everyone else.


I hope current licensed and detention stewards pay attention. This does set a precedent for discipline of employees for off duty conduct.

As a long time steward I can't tell how many times that same Sheriff disciplined employees for similar off duty conduct.

Before joining MNPEA, Hennepin County Detention Deputies were part of LELS. At that time they didn't cover either on or off duty charges. Next we went to Teamsters, their plan covered on duty incidences, but off duty you were still on your own.

When MNPEA formed in 2011, it was designed to protect members on and off duty with their legal plan. People will be people, and without protection off duty incidences can cost you time, money and as a public employee your job. They even added full coverage for spouses, because their conduct can also affect you and your job.

You don't have to abide their double standard.

Final Corrections News and Views

Hey all, thanks for your friendship all these years. Thanks for allowing me to represent you as a steward all those years. I've released the final Corrections News and Views. I will be keeping the detentionhome blog up, and may post to it from time to time.You guys are still welcome to post there.

I am now a licensed Realtor with theMLSonline.com. Call me, 763 807-6668 if you or anyone you know needs a house or wants to sell one. Or email me at wlaszlo@themlsonline.com 

Special thanks to MNPEA, especialy Tom Perkins, Mike Golen, Dave Deal and the Fowler Law Firm (Rob Fowler and Joe Ditsch).

Here's the last Corrections News and Views:

SEND 'EM

Retirement

Thanks everyone who showed up for the retirement cake and coffee today. I was moved to see so many co-workers and former co-workers from every level of jail staff. Thanks for coming, it's been a privilege to work with all of you and to represent you over the years. 

Thanks to Capt. Zimmer for presiding over the party and presenting me with my plaque. 

Two people I would like to single out. First of all Tom Perkins, MNPEA Vice President, who made the 55 correctional pension a reality. Second, Greg Failor, formerly  Labor Relations for Hennepin County. He was always honest, hard working, straight forward, and one of the few human beings I could trust enough to seal a deal with a handshake.

So True

Retiring from the County

My last working day is March 18, 2016. The HCSO coffee is March 11th, see the flier below. 

Mediation thoughts

On January 6, 2016,  MNPEA will again sit down at Mediation with Hennepin County.

I have sat in that chair many times over the years. It is a tough one. I want to thank the Stewards for their hard work. I know there are differences, as there should be, but the goal is the same to get the best contract for our members. 

I want to thank our attorney Joe Ditsch. I have sat with him at grievance hearings and in I.A. (Listen to the song). He is a good, knowledgeable guy and a man I would always want in my corner. He has a much less confrontational demeanor than yours truly! So he can be very persuasive with the jail Major and Labor Relations.

I want to thank our B.A. Dave Deal. He is a good honest man, and has a tough job dealing with our boss and county. Not to mention us cantankerous members!

The toughest part about contract negotiations with Hennepin County is that they settle with AFSCME first. In Minnesota we have, "patterned" bargaining. If the largest group, AFSCME, settles first, most arbitrators will uphold the pattern. I don't care what Union you are in, that is the reality.

It is frustrating as hell to seemingly bang your head into a wall trying to get something more or different from the county than what AFSCME got. I think Joe is the right attorney for that job.

About six years ago we left Teamsters for the MNPEA. I think it was a smart move. While, like the Teamsters, we still are stuck with the AFSCME pattern, MNPEA actually has our back.

Our attorneys, unlike any other Union are accessible to all members. No other Union gives you on and OFF duty coverage!

Yes, I've had a few disagreements over the years with the Union. It's the nature of the beast. But what I want to say is thanks to all of you for doing the hard, thankless work.

Hopefully we will have a contract to vote on after Mediation. I know how much work goes into it.

Department of Corrections in fight over definition of Disaster

This is a story about Shelley Koski.

Koski is one of the few certified American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health volunteers in the country. She’s also a clinical therapist with the Corrections Department at Moose Lake....

A 1994 state law allows state employees to take up to 15 days a year with pay to provide Red Cross disaster services. Koski has provided her services after hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, among other natural disasters.

She’s now involved in counseling returning veterans and their families through Red Cross workshops. When she sought approval from her bosses to use a portion of the 15-day allotment for a workshop, the department said no; counseling veterans does not qualify as disaster relief.  

Full Story: Star Tribune

This will be interesting to follow. I've had to argue with our employer over the definition of Emergency in our contract. One time the HCSO was drafting two people to fill some ADAM program overtime. They objected, arguing that it wasn't an emergency and couldn't be drafted. The employer responded with, "Anytime there's a slot on the schedule to fill it's an emergency." Traditionally the employer won't define these terms in a contract, which gives them great latitude to apply them.

Something to keep in mind with our Night Shift Differential grievance.

County bitch slaps HCSO Detention deps, Techs and 911 operators

Hennepin County made an offer to AFSCME, but not to the essential employees in the Hennepin County Jail and dispatch (911).

After three so called negotiating sessions they refused to negotiate money!

MNPEA then filed for Mediation.

Sitting down to talk and then not negotiating is called an unfair labor practice!

Under the Public Employee Labor Relations Act (PELRA) MN Statute 179A.07 subd. 2 The Law states,

Under Statute 179.13 UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES it states:

Subdivision 1.Actions.

(a) The practices specified in this section are unfair labor practices.

and in subdivision 2.

(5) refusing to meet and negotiate in good faith with the exclusive representative of its employees in an appropriate unit;

If we weren't essential employees this would be legal grounds for a STRIKE!

Today a former steward used employer email to vent about what he doesn't understand. Out BA asked members at our last union meeting following the negotiation to not use employer email for union purposes. I have a lengthy response on our Detention Chatter egroup.  If you wish to discuss on non-employer email join that private egroup.  Don't use employer email, it is not secure.

email me at wade.laszlo@gmail.com and ask to join. You must be a detention deputy, tech or dispatcher. 

Leather Griveance settled..in our favor

Today I woke up and checked my bank account, Hennepin County finally reimbursed me for switching from brown to black leather in accordance with our contract.

To make a long story short in 2007 Sheriff Stanek ordered all Licensed and Detention Deputies to switch from brown to black leather.

That was fine and our contract says if the uniform is changed in color, type or style the employee pays the first $65 and the employer pays the rest.

The employer didn't want to pay their part so we grieved it and won. The settlement was anyone still wearing brown could remain in brown leather, but once you switched you had to remain in black.

Then suddenly in December of 2014 the administration decided the three remaining Detention Deputies still wearing brown had to switch to black leather. Again they didn't want to pay their portion, and again we grieved.

The employer denied the grievance. MNPEA filed for arbitration on Dec. 31, 2014. There it rotted on the vine. After repeated complaints to our lawyer and business agent in  August of 2015,I finally appealed to the MNPEA board. On August 11, 2015 an arbitrator was chosen. Suddenly the HCSO was interested in settling. MNPEA President Dave Deal contacted Hennepin County Labor Relations and they agreed to settle it.

Then I received a settlement proposal, however it limited the employer's cost to $65 rather than the employee as specified by the contract. We rejected that.

Finally, they agreed to reimburse us for all of our expenses over $65 as specified by the contract. But our business agent was dragging his feet on signing the settlement. I was suspecting some sort of back door deal with number one.

Again I contacted the MNPEA Board and it was finally signed by our BA.

Today I received the reimbursement I was entitlement to.

I'm glad it's over. It's too bad the employer's initial reaction was to not follow the contract. It's also too bad our last BA let it drag out for almost a year. Thank you MNPEA Board for being responsive to members. MNPEA President Dave Deal, now our new BA promised that will never happen again.

Thanks.

MNPEA files for Mediation with Hennepin County

Hennepin County Government Center

Today, November 12, 2015 Hennepin County and MNPEA met for the THIRD time to "negotiate" the contract for the Detention Deputies, Telecommunicatiors, and Techs.

For the THIRD TIME THE COUNTY WOULDN'T DISCUSS WAGES!

WTF! How can you bargain in good faith and not be prepared to discuss wages after three meetings?

The County with the highest paid Sheriff in the State, at $158,000 a year, and the highest paid County Board at $104,000 a year keeps the essential employees in the largest jail in the state, and their 911 operators as the LOWEST PAID in the seven county metro area.

Apparently public safety doesn't rank high on the list of the Hennepin County Board!

OFFICER SAFETY-CUFF KEY BELT!!

Today I discovered a handcuff key in a pocket on the inside of an inmate's belt. It is located in the middle of the belt. So if an inmate/arrestee is arrested and cuffed behind his back he has easy access!

Stay safe!!

P.S. I asked a sergeant for permission to get my cell phone and take these pictures.

AFSCME protest over Hennepin County low wages

This is a video of AFSCME's protest. They make the same points we do. Hennepin County has the lowest paid employees in the seven county metro area. Not an AFSCME fan, especially after they attacked our Union MNPEA, but this protest makes a good point.