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Post by Warren on Nov 19, 2008 9:15:31 GMT -5
I sent an email letter this morning to IUPA's Kathy Merritt, Vice Chairperson IUPA-Florida Local 6000 Officer/Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and to Al Shop, David Murrell and Jim Baiardi with the PBA, offering them a chance to "state their case" why correctional officers should switch to IUPA or stay with PBA. I await their response. Dear Sir,
My name is Lance Cooper. I recently retired as a captain with the Florida Department of Corrections. I created the Florida Correctional Officers Online forum in 2002 and am the owner and moderator of the board. Currently a hot topic is the PBA versus IUPA. There is a push on the board by members to vote out PBA and vote in IUPA. A lot of officers are fed up with PBA and looking to other options.I would like to invite you to write a "make your case" statement why they should keep PBA, that I would post in it's entirety on the PBA discussion thread. You can view this board at lrc30.proboards7.com/index and post your message yourself if you like. I would appreciate any input you might give.
Thank you
Lance Cooper |
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Post by Warren on Nov 19, 2008 17:14:03 GMT -5
IUPA Responds to request:
My name is Neil Mariotti and I have been a trooper with FHP since 1985. I started in Orange County and since 1987 I’ve been in the Palatka district of Troop G. When IUPA-FL Local 6000 was the collective bargaining unit for State Law Enforcement I was the FHP Board Member for FHP. I now serve as the Chairman of IUPA-FL Local 6000. I’ve been asked by IUPA to answer some questions about IUPA and its history as the SLEO bargaining unit.
To understand how bad things were before 2000, you have to have an understanding of our working conditions back then. Back then we worked a 28 day, 160 work period. ANY overtime that was earned in that period could be and was often off-set against ANY leave taken during that period. Even sick leave. When overtime was offered (ISLE) we had to work all of the 160 hours during the period! Any time off, even a sick day or family sick day meant you did not get your time and a half rate of pay if you work OT, just your flat pay rate. A good deal for the state, to say the least! Our holiday hours were another story. Think you earned that Christmas holiday? Maybe, unless you took ANY type of leave during that period. You called in sick? Well, don’t worry, we’ll use your Christmas holiday! That is just a few of the examples I can think of. IUPA change that through a new contract. We also used to be able to “bank” our holiday or as it’s called now our special comp. time. Come retirement time you could sell it back. Not under PBA. They negotiated that benefit away in the ‘90’s and sought nothing in return. IUPA took that case all the way to the Supreme Court in FL. to attempt to re-gain that benefit, but the Court ruled in favor of the state. Now we have a 240 cap on how much special comp. time we can bank thanks to the PBA.
IUPA’s biggest accomplishment has been in the area of the contract. Since 2000, IUPA held management to the Federal Fair Labor and Standards Act, they got rid of the 28 period. We now work a 40 hour work week. Now, you can plan your OT on just 5 work days, not 20! They made management adhere to the collective bargaining agreement! They were quick to file grievances and made management adhere to agreements.
On the subject of pay. .
In 2000 we received and 8% across the board pay increase in addition to a 3% retirement benefit buyback. In 2001, 2002 and 2003, we received cost of living adjustments. In 2004 we received a 5% across the board pay increase when everyone else in state government got a one-time $1,000.00 bonus! In 2006 we got a 3.6% cost of living increase.
IUPA sponsored and passed a patrol car insurance bill. It used to be if you hit a deer and totaled your car during off-duty employment, YOU could be held responsible for any monetary damages! Now, it’s covered! I know of a few troopers who “bought the car”! Now they don’t have that to worry about.
Ask yourself this, what unit is my management in favor of me electing? Ours was in favor of PBA even though by law members not in the collective bargaining are not supposed to show any favoritism to any unit. Did FHP management show support for PBA? You bet they did! Did that influence the vote of younger troopers who were not familiar with PBA? You figure it out.
In 2006 PBA challenged IUPA for control of the bargaining unit. In order to get votes they used then Col. Christopher Knight to push for troopers to vote for then in blatant disregard for Florida law. He would use any gathering of troopers in Tallahassee or in the field to “encourage” them to vote for PBA. PBA also promised that if voted in they would push for a separate bargaining unit for FHP. The Colonel and PBA said that if it came through, all our pay problems would be solved since the other agencies would no longer be “dragging us down.” They then promised that after the separate unit was established we would be able to vote on who we wanted to represent us. Well, the units passed and guess what? PBA wrote the bill so THEY would be our bargaining agent for the next three years. So much for us being able to decide. Col. Knight later resigned in disgrace when it was discovered he made up documents during an FDLE investigation in the firing of a trooper.
Keeping PBA would be like sentencing yourself to more of the same. Investigate and learn.
Neil Mariotti
Chairman, IUPA Local 6000 AFL-CIO
Please do not post here. This thread is only for their responses. All other posts will be deleted.
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Post by Warren on Dec 3, 2008 8:34:07 GMT -5
PBA Will Not Respond
Surprised? I'm not.
Well I guess it's official. PBA will has not responded to my request to address concerns by members on this board. Al Shop, David Murrell and Jim Baiardi with the PBA, were all sent emails on November 19. They have not responded and it appears obvious they will not. After all why should they. They think there is nothing we can. This is typical of PBA. I would have thought that at least Baiardi would have had the balls to respond and respond to his fellow officers. It is obvious that PBA. I for one think PBA should be voted out just to show them we do have clout and they need to pay attention to our needs. IUPA may not be the best, but maybe giving them a try, will wake up PBA and make them change their ways and bring us something to the table next time they want us back. Just my opinion.
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Post by brucifer on Dec 3, 2008 10:13:26 GMT -5
Lance, You said it all. The only vote PBA will get from me is a NO.
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Post by screwielewie on Dec 3, 2008 18:09:58 GMT -5
Lance, You said it all. The only vote PBA will get from me is a NO. I'll second that. We need to tell others to do the same or it's going to be the SOS all over again. |
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Post by philip on Dec 3, 2008 18:40:07 GMT -5
Hey Lance, I think you gave all parties a chance to respond! The door was left open and only the folks from IUPA answered. I thank you for bring this issue up and I as a PBA member will vote no to the new contract....  |
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Post by philip on Dec 11, 2008 20:04:49 GMT -5
These are the folks that have let all the members down. E-mail them...
Chapter President
Richard Gordon, CP Specialist in the 06-A Pinellas Park Office
e-mail: rgordon@flcpochapter.org
Senior Vice President
Mark Alfieri, CP Specialist in the 08-3 Gainesville West office
e-mail: malfieri@flcpochapter.org
phone: (352) 281-6223
Vice President
Tammy Marcus, Supervisor in the 11-0 Miami Office
e-mail:tmarcus@flcpochapter.org
Secretary-Treasurer
Nathan Vreeland CPSO in the 15-0 West Palm Beach Office
e-mail: nvreeland@flcpochapter.org
Northwest Region Vice President
Ronald Wilson CP Specialist in the 012 Crestview Office
e-mail: rwilson@flcpochapter.org
Northeast Region Vice President
Kimber Heddon, CPSO in the 08-3 Gainesville West Office
e-mail:kheddon@flcpochapter.org
Central Region Vice President
Robert S. Burns CP Specialist in the 18-6 Sanford Office
e-mail: rburns@flcpochapter.org
photo coming soon
Southwest Region Vice President
Richard Vasconi
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Post by screwielewie on Dec 18, 2008 20:49:34 GMT -5
Hey Lance, I think you gave all parties a chance to respond! The door was left open and only the folks from IUPA answered. I thank you for bring this issue up and I as a PBA member will vote no to the new contract.... That makes 2 of us. I noticed your CPO listing we are going to have to list the Corrections staff for failure as well. |
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Post by philip on Dec 30, 2008 19:20:08 GMT -5
Very true. I think the folks on the corrections side need to post the links. We all know it is led by Jim. He has failed all on the prison side.
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Post by screwielewie on Jan 8, 2009 21:38:57 GMT -5
Looking forward to the PERC hearing in February. I am going to try and attend this. As far as I am concerned the entire CBA arrangement the last election was a farce. Maybe if we get it done right this time we will all be better off.
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