Thursday, July 24, 2008

/in /by

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.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

/in /by

EOT moves are still frozen.  Hopefully, this will be resolved by the end of the month.  Negotiations were going on at CCPOA last week regarding the closure of the two DJJ facilities.  There appear to be minimal actual layoffs, so I anticipate that the May EOT moves will occur without any problems.  After that, the third quarter EOT moves should follow.  Make sure you resubmit your EOT, which started over July 1st.

DECS is being implemented at this time.  The PAAC negotiation team members: Rochel Pendleton, Rafael Romero, Edgar Hampton and I met with management on July 1st and 2nd.  This is not NEGOTIATIONS, by any stretch of the imagination.  We were repeatedly told that there were no issues and the policy is already complete and ready to be distributed.  This was contrary to what Director Hoffman had told me.  I believed August 1st was the implementation date, based on completion of “negotiations”.  However, we were told at the table that as soon as your supervisor “trained” you it was implemented.  The training is inadequate at best.  I reviewed the policy and the attached documents.  They were contradictory and different than what previous meetings with DAPO revealed that the policy would be.  The amount of work associated with this policy is extensive, especially for those agents who deal with non-English speaking parolees, physically disabled, EOP/CCCMS and other ADA impacted parolees.

Mandatory use of the computer will be negotiated on July 31st.  Having said that, I was told by the state labor representative last week that we are already required to use computers.  Based on that statement and the current position of labor relations/negotiations, it is doubtful we will work out this issue in any sort of amicable situation.  Negotiations, as we previously have known them, do not exist.  There is absolutely no intention, on the part of management, to discuss or come to agreement on any topics.

Once you know you are retiring, be sure to complete the paperwork to get your retired ID and CCW.   You should do this at least 90 days in advance so you can expect to get it on the day you retire.

You are all aware of the newspaper article relative to the parolee working as an intern at the CCPOA legislative office funded by your CCPOA dues.  A special State Board meeting was held on Sunday June 29th in Sacramento.   It was a very frustrating meeting. I stated that I believed the process of hiring a parolee to work at our legislative office was inappropriate.  I was present for at least one meeting with the parolee and was never told of his status as a parolee.  I was only told that he was a “CCPOA” intern.  We have been advised that the investigation is closed and that neither Mike Jimenez nor any other CCPOA employee were or will be questioned.  The Inspector General questioned some of our members, but at this time it appears that there will be no further investigation into this matter. 

I have been trying unsuccessfully to meet with CCPOA President Mike Jimenez to ensure that PAAC has input on the direction we will be taking regarding legislation.  It is doubtful that will ever occur.

GPS pilot programs are being conducted in San Diego, Sacramento and Fresno.  There are caseload specs that are being followed by those units just for this program.  After 90 days, the program will be evaluated for appropriate workload.  It is important that those agents involved in this program keep us advised as to the workload viability.  We are still waiting for the release of the sex offender transient policy. 

Please let me know what questions or concerns that you have and want addressed. Your local representatives can address the issues in your region and/or bring them to the Director’s meetings.

Our PAAC CCPOA Field Representative is Phil Auzins.  He will be handling our negotiations and issues within our chapter.

The next PAAC meeting is this weekend, July 12, at the Spring Hill Suites Marriot in Fresno.  Director Tom Hoffman will be there.