News Updates
City Of Oak Harbor Public Works Employees Choose The Teamsters
February 7, 2012(Bellingham, WA) On Wednesday February 1, 2012 the Public Employment Relations Committee (PERC) formally certified General Teamsters Local 231 (Local 231) as their representative for the purpose of collective bargaining with their employer. PERC conducted a cross-check certification where it was shown that more than 70% of the eligible employees signed bargaining cards in support of Local 231.
“We are very proud that the dedicated and hard working Public Works employees at the City of Oak Harbor have chosen The Teamsters to represent them in the collective bargaining process. We look forward to amicable and productive negotiations with the City as we move forward with the bargaining process,” said Leonard Kelley Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 231.
The Public Works employees and their Teamster Representatives will now begin the process of negotiating a first contract with the City.
Activist Gathers 23,000 Signatures In 5 Days Opposing Prison Privatization
February 3, 2012(TAMPA, Fla.) — A Florida Department of Corrections activist took it upon herself to circulate an anti-prison privatization petition and gathered more than 23,000 signatures in just five days.
Christina Bullins, a Miami probation officer supervisor, started the petition Sunday using signon.org. Just 48 hours later, 10,000 people signed. As of today, more than 23,170 people have signed the petition. The petition can be viewed and signed here.
“I'm beyond thrilled – and both honored and humbled at the same time – to have done this,” Bullins said. “It just shows that Florida citizens are extremely worried about the dangers of private prisons and the devastating impact it will have on thousands of corrections officers.”
The petition said the privatization plan “will compromise public safety, cause unemployment, and hurt communities and small businesses across Florida.”
In a letter asking people to sign the petition, Bullins wrote, “Did you know that private prisons do not chase escaped inmates past the perimeter like the public prisons do, which means more escaped prisoners in our communities? And private prison corporations have often failed to live up to legal requirements in the past. This bill will just make the problem worse.”
Bullins is a member of Teamsters Local 2011, which represents Florida Department of Corrections Officers. FDOC officers from every region in the state came to Tallahassee daily for the past two weeks to lobby against the prison privatization bill. Bullins testified against the bill before the Senate Rules Committee on Jan. 18.
Bullins said she hopes to come to Tallahassee again to deliver the signatures in person to the Senate leadership.
For more information, visit http://fdocteamsters.org.
Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, go to www.teamster.org or follow us on Twitter @TeamsterPower.
Teamsters Prepare to Strike Northern Ohio Red Cross
February 2, 2012(CLEVELAND) – More than 200 Teamsters who work as blood collection workers and mobile unit assistants for the American Red Cross in Northern Ohio announced today that they intend to strike on Feb. 14 over concerns about donor safety.
The workers, represented by Teamsters Local 507 in Cleveland, have been trying to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement for months, but the Red Cross is insisting on cutting health care benefits and reducing staff to unsafe levels, which they claim is necessary to keep profits growing.
“Our concern is donor safety,” said Albert Mixon, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 507. “Teamsters have served our great community for years as steadfast workers at Red Cross. We are operating blood drives at high schools, community centers and hospitals every day. But now Red Cross’ blood services division wants to cut staffing levels to the point where donors should be concerned for their safety.”
Teamsters who work as blood collection and mobile unit assistants take their work very seriously. But their jobs have become increasingly difficult with continued staffing cuts. Now Red Cross is seeking even steeper staffing cuts to dangerous levels. The nonprofit also is intent on axing workers’ health care benefits, claiming all reductions are necessary to keep profits flowing.
“Red Cross needs to respect donors before dollars,” said Safeyyah Edwards, a Red Cross Instructor on blood collection who has worked there for the past ten years. “They tell us the cuts are necessary to keep improving their profit margin. But we question why profits should come before donor safety.”
“Donating blood saves lives,” Mixon said. “It shouldn’t be seen as just a moneymaker. We want to continue providing a safe, clean way for the public, which includes our own families, to give blood.”
There are other blood collection agencies in the Cleveland area, and Local Union 507 is encouraging donors to consider them during the strike, which is set for Feb. 14.
Correctional Officers Call For Nonpartisan Cost-Benefit Analysis Of Prision Privatization
January 25, 2012(TALLAHASSEE, Fla.) — Today, Florida correctional officers asked lawmakers to conduct a thorough, nonpartisan cost-benefit analysis of the proposal to turn public prisons over to for-profit corporations. Officers traveled to Tallahassee for the third consecutive day to testify against a privatization proposal for Southern Florida that’s being rushed through the legislature.
The proponents’ claim of potential savings fails to include the additional cost of replacing work squads with public employees; the costs that for-profit prison operators shift to public facilities; accelerated depreciation of the physical plant; and vacation, sick leave and holiday payouts for the thousands of correctional officers who will leave the system.
According to an initial analysis conducted by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, these costs could run as high as $126.1 million.
Former Florida state Sen. Ron Silver, attorney for Teamsters Local Union 2011, testified against the privatization proposal at a hearing of the Senate Budget Committee.
“This proposal amounts to the government picking winners and losers,” Silver said. “The losers are the correctional officers who will be unemployed or displaced, their families and their communities.
“We simply do not have all the facts to know the total economic impact this could have. It would be reckless to run into what would be the biggest prison privatization in the country's history without a thorough, non-partisan analysis of the facts.”
Ken Wood, acting President of Local 2011, said privatizing correctional facilities will devastate local communities as higher unemployment will hurt local businesses.
”Privatizing prisons will shift costs onto counties,” Wood said. “For-profit institutions don’t provide work squads to the community. In Jefferson County, the loss of inmate work squads to run the recycling program, grounds-keeping and other maintenance functions will cost more than $250,000.
“Throughout Florida, work squads have cleared roads, parks and schools in the wake of hurricane damage and cleaned beaches after oil spills – something for-profit prisons won’t do,” Wood said.
Sarah Babineaux, an eight-year correctional officer with Martin Correctional Institution, said Wednesday that privatizing will have a huge impact on the staff.
“There’s so much stress on the officers, knowing we may not have a job, that some of us are getting sick,” Babineaux said. “Some of our staff can’t leave because they have elderly, sick parents they’re taking care of. Others have kids that are graduating high school.”
Babineaux said she would try to relocate and stay with the state, but that would be emotionally difficult for her four children, especially since she has two young nieces in her home who are finally feeling secure since she took custody of them three years ago.
“If the entire state goes private, I’m going to pull my money out of FRS (Florida Retirement System),” Babineaux said. ”I’ll take the penalties and I’ll do what I have to do. A number of us won’t work for private companies because of the difference between the way private and state facilities are regulated. It’s a thankless job.”
The plans include closures of the New River Correctional in Raiford, Jefferson Correctional in Monticello, Demilly Correctional Institute in Polk City, Gainesville C.I., Indian River C.I. in Vero Beach, and the women’s prisons Broward C.I. in Fort Lauderdale and Hillsborough C.I. in Riverview near Tampa. The department also plans to close work camps in Gadsden, Washington and Hendry counties and the Levy forestry camp.
For more information, visit http://fdocteamsters.org.
Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, go to www.teamster.org or follow us on Twitter @TeamsterPower.
Correctional Officers Say For-Profit Prisons Endanger Citizens, Community
January 24, 2012(TALLAHASSEE, Fla.) — Florida correctional officers renewed their plea on Tuesday for lawmakers to consider the dangers of privatization. Officers traveled to Tallahassee to testify against a sweeping privatization proposal for Southern Florida that’s being rushed through the legislature.
Former Florida state Sen. Ron Silver, attorney for Teamster Local 2011 in Tampa, Fla., testified against the privatization proposal at a hearing of the House Appropriations Committee.
“This proposal is being rushed through the process with blatant disregard to the public safety and economic hardships on the communities impacted,” Silver said.
“The proposals before the Florida Senate and House are extremely dangerous as they affect the safety of every Florida citizen and tourist,” Silver said. “Every aspect of corrections is being sought to be privatized including, but not limited to, parole and work release. A private-sector employee working for a big, private corporation will be determining who all is walking free in our communities. That is unconscionable, period.”
Ken Wood, acting President of Local 2011, said research shows for-profit prisons are more dangerous than public facilities.
“Private prisons had higher rates of escape and higher rates of inmate assaults on staff,” Wood said. “Correctional officers in private prisons are less well-trained, are paid less and have much higher turnover rates than in public facilities.”
Capt. Michael Riley from Marion Correctional Institute told the Senate committee Monday that the State of Florida is already lowering its training standards to pave the way for privatization. The state proposed that training hours for officers be reduced from 400 hours to 160 hours, he said.
“Why are they lowering the standards?” Riley said at yesterday’s hearing. “In 2005, private prisons overcharged the state $13 million. The majority of those overcharges were for positions that were not manned, but billed. Those are all security positions.
"I supervise 75 officers. When they go in that gate, I'm responsible to see they leave healthy,” Riley said to committee members. “I've had to go to three funerals in the past few years for officers who've been killed. Please rethink this. If you choose to privatize the facilities, the next time an officer is killed, I implore you to stand next to me at the funeral."
The plans include closures of the New River Correctional in Raiford, Jefferson Correctional in Monticello, Demilly Correctional Institute in Polk City, Gainesville C.I., Indian River C.I. in Vero Beach, and the women’s prisons Broward C.I. in Fort Lauderdale and Hillsborough C.I. in Riverview near Tampa.
The department also plans to close work camps in Gadsden, Washington and Hendry counties and the Levy forestry camp.
For more information, visit http://fdocteamsters.org/.
Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, go to www.teamster.org or follow us on Twitter @TeamsterPower.
Correctional Officers Say For-Profit Prisons Won't Save Money
January 23, 2012(TALLAHASSEE, Fla.) — Turning prison facilities over to for-profit companies won’t save Florida taxpayers any money and will probably cost them more, said Teamster correctional officers, their families, their neighbors and union officials who came to the Statehouse Monday. View more photos from this event here.
Former Sen. Ron Silver, attorney for Teamsters Local 2011 in Tampa, testified against the privatization proposal at a hearing of the Senate Rules Committee.
“This is yet another proposal based on empty promises of savings to the state,” Silver said. “The thousands of families and hundreds of local communities impacted by this proposal deserve better from their state officials. What recourse do they have after they lose their jobs and the promised savings are never realized? This is about real people, real families and real communities facing irreparable harm.”
Ken Wood, Acting President of Local 2011, said the rush to privatize correctional facilities has nothing to do with cost savings.
“After many conversations with our members and a great deal of research, I’m convinced that privatization is about political payback, not saving money,” said Wood. “This is just politics as usual.”
There is almost no evidence that Florida’s for-profit prisons have saved money, according to a 2010 Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy report. The report noted that prisoners who are most costly to handle, such as high-security risks, are usually housed in public prisons.
Wood said the proposed closing of 11 facilities is directly related to privatization. “Whether it’s a closure or a privatization, these reckless proposals will hurt thousands of Florida’s working families,” he said.
Capt. Mark Prevatt, a correctional officer at Jefferson C.I., said closing the institution will have a major impact on the staff and on the community, which is a rural area of critical economic concern. “There are no jobs for this county, this is it,” he said. “Closing the facility will put the small businesses under, because there will be no one there to support them.
“None of the private facilities was subject to the same criteria as the public facilities, and non-specified, non-weighted factors were used. It isn’t right and it isn’t fair.”
The plans include closures of the New River Correctional in Raiford, Jefferson Correctional in Monticello, Demilly Correctional Institute in Polk City, Gainesville C.I., Indian River C.I. in Vero Beach, and the women’s prisons Broward C.I. in Fort Lauderdale and Hillsborough C.I. in Riverview near Tampa.
The department also plans to close work camps in Gadsden, Washington and Hendry counties and the Levy forestry camp.
For more information, visit http://fdocteamsters.org.
Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, go to www.teamster.org or follow us on Twitter @TeamsterPower.
Correctional Officers Applaud Jefferson County Resolution Against Prison Closure
January 19, 2012(MONTICELLO, Fla.) — Local correctional officers hailed the Jefferson County Board for passing a resolution tonight asking that the Jefferson Correctional Institution remain open. Closure of the facility – the largest local employer -- would ruin the Jefferson County economy and uproot longtime residents.
The Florida Department of Corrections recently announced its intention to close the Jefferson Correctional Institution by April 1, 2012, without any input from lawmakers, local elected officials, economic development representatives, community leaders, business owner, or citizens.
“All of us who work here put our lives at risk every day,” said Barry Graham, a sergeant at Jefferson C.I. “Closing the facility puts my career at risk and my whole way of life at risk. I want to thank the County Board for standing up to this sneak attack against the hardworking families of this community.”
The county board’s resolution stated that closing Jefferson Correctional Institution would cause significant damage. “The loss of jobs and the impact on the local economy and community will be substantial, estimated to have a $19 million impact on local economic activity and uprooting longtime residents who must move elsewhere to find new jobs,” the resolution read.
Bobbi Carroll, a Jefferson correctional officer, said, “Closing Jefferson will cost me my job. I have ties to this community and I can’t afford to move somewhere else in Florida. It just breaks my heart to think how this will destroy our way of life.”
The County Board stated that the decision to close the facility failed to recognize that Jefferson C.I. performs unique services. The resolutions states, “the Jefferson Correctional Institution has significant unrecognized “Special Attributes” in that (1) it is the state’s largest “Psyche 3” unit and the “go to” unit for prisoners on psychotropic drugs, and (2) in spite of its high risk inmates, it is the only state prison facility to have never called out a rapid response team, a tribute to the unique staff culture at Jefferson Correctional.”
“Rural Florida has suffered enough in this recession, and the last thing the state should do is to cause more pain by rushing to close its correctional facilities,” said Ken Wood, Acting President of Teamster Local 2011, which represents 20,000 Florida Department of Corrections officers.
The plans include closures of the New River Correctional in Raiford, Jefferson Correctional in Monticello, Demilly Correctional Institute in Polk City, Gainesville C.I., Indian River C.I. in Vero Beach, and the women’s prisons Broward C.I. in Fort Lauderdale and Hillsborough C.I. in Riverview near Tampa.
The department also plans to close work camps in Gadsden, Washington and Hendry counties and the Levy forestry camp.
For more information, visit http://fdocteamsters.org.
Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, go to www.teamster.org or follow us on Twitter @TeamsterPower.
Read the resolution here.
Correctional Officers Say Prison Proposals Will Devastate Their Communities
January 18, 2012(TALLAHASSEE, Fla.) — Correctional officers and other prison workers today said proposals to privatize and close Florida corrections facilities will throw thousands of people out of work and endanger local communities. A dozen correctional officers converged on the Statehouse today to urge lawmakers to reject the plan.
Bill Curtis, a correctional officer with Charlotte C.I., said privatization of his facility would cost him his job, his insurance and possibly his wife’s life.
“It’s going to throw everyone out of work,” said Curtis. “I’m going to lose my insurance, and that’s important to me because my wife had a stroke. It’s a matter of life and death.”
Curtis says he doubts he could get another job because he’s 61 and likely to be discriminated against.
“This state prison system is running as lean as it can,” Curtis said. “When a private company comes in, they’ll cut quality and staff. They’ll take shortcuts to make money. The people working there will be less safe, the people incarcerated – they’re citizens too – will be less safe, and ultimately the community will be less safe.”
David Thomas is a lieutenant at the Hendry Work Camp in Immokalee, which is slated for closure. He and his wife both work for the state, so closing the camp would mean unemployment for both of them.
“With ties to the community we don’t have the opportunity or the funds to move to North Florida,” he said. Correctional officers will be given the opportunity to transfer, but Thomas said that option is impractical for most employees. He estimates between 700 and 1,000 people will be unemployed if the plan to close the prison facilities goes forward.
“Eighty-five people at Hendry, they don’t have a place to go,” Thomas said. “It’s just devastating.”
The plans include closures of the New River Correctional in Raiford, Jefferson Correctional in Monticello, Demilly Correctional Institute in Polk City, Gainesville C.I., Indian River C.I. in Vero Beach, and the women’s prisons Broward C.I. in Fort Lauderdale and Hillsborough C.I. in Riverview near Tampa.
The department also plans to close work camps in Gadsden, Washington and Hendry counties and the Levy forestry camp.
For more information, visit http://fdocteamsters.org.
Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, go to www.teamster.org or follow us on Twitter @TeamsterPower.
View Photos from the hearing, here.
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