PBA Calls For New Union Election For Corrections Officers

July 11, 2016

A battle over which union should represent the state’s corrections officers moved to a new phase Friday, with the Florida Police Benevolent Association requesting an election against the Teamsters. The PBA, which was ousted by the Teamsters as the officers’ representative in 2011, filed an election petition containing more than 6,000 signatures with the Florida Public Employees Relations Committee.

“In a matter of just six weeks, we collected more than enough petitions from officers in every corner of the state,” said Matt Puckett, executive director of the PBA, in a statement announcing the move. “They expressed frustration with the Teamsters’ lack of leadership and poor organization.”

The battle comes as the Department of Corrections has struggled to cope with reports of inmate deaths and brutality by prison guards, allegations of cover-ups and corruption, and low morale and high turnover among workers.

Since her appointment more than a year ago, Corrections Secretary Julie Jones — the fifth agency chief in six years — has continued the housecleaning crusade launched by her predecessor, Michael Crews.

Corrections officers have also done without pay raises over the last several years, something that helped lead to the PBA’s defeat in 2011 after 30 years of the group representing the state’s prison and probation officers.

by The News Service of Florida

Comments

4 Responses to “PBA Calls For New Union Election For Corrections Officers”

  1. Bob C. on July 14th, 2016 7:00 am

    @ Thomas Moore

    Exactly, whenever I hear of our governor and others “Cutting Taxes” my first thought is, What are WE going to do Without?

    Want high quality employees who are happy with their jobs, pay them a decent salary and provide benefits for them and families.

    BOCC and others in ‘Leadership’ just stall around and go to impasse and avoid giving raises. Time for new leaders in the county.

  2. Thomas Moore on July 14th, 2016 5:47 am

    State and local first responders don’t often see a pay raise because that would involve either taking money from another fund or raising taxes. We all know (or should) that Escambia County is currently still at the same tax rate since 1997. I’m sorry but there has to be a time when taxes need to be raised to support Government. So Ill pose this question/statement. If you’re opposed to taxes being raised to combat inflation and give our first responders raises, would you be working at the same company since 1997 without a raise? Essentially it’s the same thing. You are asking local Government to operate at 1997 standards and that would be like your employers asking YOU to operate your life at 1997 standards. Ignore the price of basic goods and the cost of living.

  3. Bob C. on July 11th, 2016 6:08 am

    Reading this reminds me of seeing where the Salary Increases for officers has been hung up for some reason over the past few years.
    Not sure the deputies have gotten much of a raise, maybe not even a COLA increase.
    Everyone deserves a living wage and especially our First Responders who put their lives on the line for our safety.
    Not sure who regulates your pay, benefits and other compensations.
    Maybe they could have been doing more for you.
    Thank You for ALL you do for US.

  4. c..w. on July 11th, 2016 4:25 am

    It seems like a waste of the CO time and money to belong to a union that can’t/won’t secure a cost of living raise for over 7 years. Correction Officers are paid well below the poverty line. When they can and do make more on welfare, they quit. Unfair wages means more officers leave and new hires have to be trained at a cost of over
    $3000.00. The powers that be are screwing the officers and the taxpayers. It must stop.

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