Refusal of Official Time

[Southernguardian]

I was just wondering if anyone else out there is haveing the same problem we are haveing here at Coleman with the stewards that are custody officers getting Official Time.

Management here at Coleman is refusing official time to custody officers using the excuse of custody being short staffed. They are also using the same excuse to not allow custody officers to go to stewards training or attend the district meetings. In my opinion they are dictating to the local who can and can not attend training and represent the local..

I was just wondering if any of the other locals out there are experiancing similar issues and how wide spread this may be..

[GUNNER]

Originally Posted by Southernguardian

I was just wondering if anyone else out there is haveing the same problem we are haveing here at Coleman with the stewards that are custody officers getting Official Time.

Management here at Coleman is refusing official time to custody officers using the excuse of custody being short staffed. They are also using the same excuse to not allow custody officers to go to stewards training or attend the district meetings. In my opinion they are dictating to the local who can and can not attend training and represent the local..

I was just wondering if any of the other locals out there are experiancing similar issues and how wide spread this may be..

No problem here, our union guys dont even work their post anymore. They stay on union time.

[Crosstimbers Okie]

We haven't experienced that at Leavenworth. I'm in Custody and I've spend about 2 1/2 weeks on Official Time in the past 14 months as a Steward.

It does sound like management there is involving itself in internal union business whether that is actually the intention or not.

Has anyone considered a grievance or ULP?

[SeaLom94]

Originally Posted by Southernguardian

I was just wondering if anyone else out there is haveing the same problem we are haveing here at Coleman with the stewards that are custody officers getting Official Time.

Management here at Coleman is refusing official time to custody officers using the excuse of custody being short staffed. They are also using the same excuse to not allow custody officers to go to stewards training or attend the district meetings. In my opinion they are dictating to the local who can and can not attend training and represent the local..

I was just wondering if any of the other locals out there are experiancing similar issues and how wide spread this may be..

They tried that here. We fixed it quick. Since then it hasn't been a problem.

[gijanetexas]

You can always bombard them with official time requests for every grievance, every meeting (even the training meetings, every single department's weekly/monthly meetings, Affirmative Action, anytime someone has beef with their supervisor - anything and everything, stop using the phone to discuss issues and problems with management - do it all face to face) and get the message across that they should play nice or they will loose a lot of man hours towards the union serving the bargaining unit.

They would prefer you guys to write grievances or handle things over the phone on your post on the sly or off duty on your own dime, rather than have lots of stewards and E-Board members on official time.

The Master lists every situation for which you may need official time, so try to use as many as possible until they catch on.

Make all you offical time requests in e-mail, that will also annoy them greatly. And you have proof if they don't approve it or don't open it.

Also, e-mail the Warden about particular situations so you can keep them in the loop.

So when you file a grievance and go to arbitration you have the goods on them.

[Crosstimbers Okie]

Definitely keep the warden in the loop. Legally, the warden is responsible. And if the warden is always kept informed, the warden cant later claim not to know.

Groupwise is a wonderful tool.

[Tinkplink]

Originally Posted by Southernguardian

I was just wondering if anyone else out there is haveing the same problem we are haveing here at Coleman with the stewards that are custody officers getting Official Time.

Management here at Coleman is refusing official time to custody officers using the excuse of custody being short staffed. They are also using the same excuse to not allow custody officers to go to stewards training or attend the district meetings. In my opinion they are dictating to the local who can and can not attend training and represent the local..

I was just wondering if any of the other locals out there are experiancing similar issues and how wide spread this may be..

I am kinda of curious, which would be priorty, the security and safe running of the institution or giving official time for the union? I am not for or against either way, I was just curious as to everyones perspective on this issue.

[Crosstimbers Okie]

Well, back in 1998, March 8th specifically, Federal Bureau of Prisons representatives signed a contract with Council of Prison Locals representatives. In this contract the two parties agreed to do certain things in certain ways. That contract is called the Master Agreement.

I don't know what your views are concerning the sanctity of contract, but I'm all ears.

[gijanetexas]

Originally Posted by Tinkplink

I am kinda of curious, which would be priorty, the security and safe running of the institution or giving official time for the union? I am not for or against either way, I was just curious as to everyones perspective on this issue.

They always have someone who can relieve the union official on D/W, even if it is a supervisor, SIS tech, department head, AW, or the Warden.

If they can pull correctional officers for secret squirrel missions, have supervisors spend all day doing correctional workers golf tournaments, have time for attendance at Affirmative Action lunch and learns, pull staff for true colors training, then they can and should relieve the union official.

Just my thoughts...

[Crosstimbers Okie]

I'm still waiting to hear about the sanctity of contract and all that. Is this suddenly an unpopular topic?