Thursday, July 24, 2008
Information is circulating regarding the impending Executive Order from the Governor, which reportedly will be signed next week. News reports indicate we will be receiving federal minimum wage and that all overtime will cease. Additionally, there will be restricted use of state owned vehicles by some staff.
Having noted the above scenarios, the implications to DAPO are not clear. For those agents working in areas with high caseloads, you will need to request clarification from your supervisor. If you cannot receive overtime and work needs to be done, you need to let your supervisor know (daily if necessary) that essential work is not getting done. If you cannot get your board reports done, home visits accomplished, etc. you must just do your required hours and go home. Do not be insubordinate if ordered to do something after your work day or work week ends, but put ALL time worked on your 998.
I hope to get information from CCPOA tomorrow regarding this Executive Order. If you have current questions or problems, call or email your local reps or me.
REGION I:
Dave MacIlvaine
Terry Gibbs
REGION II:
Irma Dominicci
Edgar Hampton
REGION III:
Diane Boudreaux
Debbie Sallie
REGION IV:
Tifani LaDuke
Mark Valdez
There are a lot of “unknowns” at this point, so be patient until we can get and disseminate more information. I will try to update this blog as often as new information is available.
EOTS were moving forward this week based on the May EOT selections, until the impending Executive Order, which apparently stopped all moves. Everyone that was personally contacted, offered and accepted a job offer by today (7/24/08) will be allowed to move. Otherwise, once again there is apparently another hard freeze. EOTs should resume once we have a budget.
You all should have been getting trained on DECS and therefore, seeing the impact associated with this process. It is labor intensive on cases that have disabilities and require special accommodations. Please do your best to keep track of the cases with significant increased workload and get me information substantiating the extra work. I want to be able to provide the Director with specific cases to show him how much extra is associated with this process.
Next week there will be two negotiating tables. One is for workload issues of Parole Agent IIs in Parole Service Centers. Any agent in those facilities that would like to provide issues for the table, please contact me.
The other table is for Mandatory Use of the Computer for Parole Agents. While many agents are using their computers regularly, I am concerned that it is management’s intent to, again, require more rote data entry to be done by agents. As we continue to get more and more duties in the office, it becomes very difficult to be a field agent and supervise parolees in the field.
The Parole Agent II Supervisory positions are moving forward unabated. As vacancies become available in field units, they are being advertised as Supervisory, not Specialist. The list is very limited. Unless you are already on the Supervisory list, you are not eligible for the position. CCPOA has still not yet been noticed on this change. DAPO will be removing significant numbers from our bargaining unit by converting PA II Specialists with PA II Supervisors. BU 6 does not represent PA II Supervisors. They are excluded/salaried employees that are not eligible for OT. They also receive 1% less seniority pay at the top of the range. We have still not yet received a duty statement for this position. Previously all PA II Supervisors were in subunits where there was no PA III. The next test for PA II Supervisors will be sometime at the end of the year.
We still have no future academies scheduled. Since the legislature has not made decisions on Summary Parole, Earned Discharge and Direct Discharge, we do not know if parole agent positions will be lost. The Director is waiting to see what will occur in the legislature to determine if we will lose parole agent positions. Unfortunately for those units with high caseloads, there is not immediate relief in sight.