union dues paying members

Greetings all,

It seems that most of us are dues paying members. However there are a few who take it upon to burden the rest of us to carry them upon our backs. IT IS TIME TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND START PAYING! You know who you are and if you decide not to join well that is your right. However it is going to be well known and published who you are. I am tired of the union working hard for us and you reaping all the benefits. We must stand strong otherwise we will fail and the city will continue to dictate to us. We are not asking for anything that is not outrageous and most can see how the city thinks about us and how they are taking care of us.

To all of you who are paying members, THANKS for supporting.

[AFOR]

I am tired of the union working hard for us and you reaping all the benefits.

Which benefits, people have reaped, are you referring to?

AROF, how about asking some of the people who were involved in internal affairs investigations.
now you may be a stand up officer who doesnt get in trouble but you know as well as i do that anyone on the street can come and complain on you at any time.
im not saying that its always best that officers that are involved in i.a. after i.a. be kept around but i think you see what i mean.
as far as the benefits of the union wait until we ratify this contract which is actually our first contract that we actually asked for something.
ask pcso about their union. oh thats right they dont have one and they necer get raises. only their admin get raises. also ask pcso about their unfair complaint process where your are guilty until proven innocent.

[AFOR]

We are all frustrated, and should recognize that decisions made by admin tend to make us fight amongst ourselves. Most of us want the same things. I want everyone to be treated equally and fairly in administrative investigations. And I want enough officers on the street to get the job done, and get it done safely. I don't speak for anyone, just myself. When the question of the Union first came up we were told that things would change. We were told that officers would be treated equally. That was years ago, and it hasn't happened yet. We have two officers who are riding the SDO because of ongoing investigations. Is that how everyone is treated, or were these two singled out? Love these two or detest them, but the treatment is not equal to others, and it can happen to anyone. The decision to put these two on the desk and make manpower suffer even more was not an IA decision, it was an administrative one. They just decided to do it and did it. There are no guidelines or parameters for this, it was just done.

Our manpower level is at a critical point. But this is not being addressed. All we have been told by the Union is to just wait and see what they do if someone gets hurt. What happened to the media events or press conferences we were told would take place to assist us? Or the picketing? Why does someone need to get hurt first? And to prove how out of touch staff is we are being told to come up with projects in our areas. Our manpower has been stripped because of specialty units, who are not allowed to assist us. And we are the ones having to come up with the projects. All because the numbers show that we’re not busy enough throughout the day. This is where we need the help. The citizens are being cheated because admin can find no way to count patrol time.

If we are going to “Stand Strong”, we need to recognize who the enemy is. Don’t get mad at the NLOs or the NET Team. They are not the ones who decide what their priorities are. Admin decides that for them. And if admin can use that to get us divided and fighting amongst ourselves then they win twice. Admin has no loyalty to patrol, mainly because they were never in patrol. No one up there making decisions for patrol has answered a call in almost twenty years.

Patrol Officers, back each other up, know where each other is at and what type of call everyone is at. I don’t want to wait until someone gets hurt. I want us to band together with the purpose of keeping each other safe. We are the only ones out there where the meat and the heat hit the street.

I'd like to see an actual specific list here of what the union has done for us. How many times have you called and gotten the "Let me call you back" answer?

Anyone have any specific points to offer?

[AFOR]

I have tried contacting the PBA in the past. The only response I ever got was "Wait to see what the City or Dept does to the Officer, then the PBA can appeal". That is about the same as "Let's wait until someone gets hurt because of manpower". So I don't contact them anymore.

I would also like to see a list of what's been accomplished.

im with you AFOR, id like to see some accomplishments from the union.
although i do belive that the contract will be a big step in the right direction.
i think some people are looking for miracles and it aint going to happen until we get the right city commissioners in there and get the old school boys out.
i think some picketing at the city managers house would assist in the attitude of the city.
of the people who have been to the negotiations, how many people are actually turning out to see what goes on?
is the union really fighting for us in the negotiations?
THE MAIN THING WE AS OFFICERS NEED TO REALIZE IS THAT IF WE DONT LIKE THE CONTRACT, DO NOT VOTE FOR IT. MAKE THE UNION GO BACK AND FIGHT FOR US. THEY DO GET OUR MONEY YOU KNOW, MAKE THEM EARN IT.

"If we keep together we shall be safe, and when error is so apparent as to become visible to the majority, they will correct it."
Thomas Jefferson

Mr. Jefferson was absolutely right when he said those words more than two hundred years ago. An election is coming very soon and a majority of Tampa Police Officers can correct year’s of errors in a single vote. Very simply stated, these are the errors:

Secret meetings in violation of the WCFPBA Constitution and By-laws

Back door deals for an Executive Director position meant to be a golden parachute that combining retirement & the new salary would equal $140,000.00 yearly for that position.

A $25,000.00 annual stipend for the president of the PBA to simply manage day to day business.

A part time secretary making over $58,000.00 yearly and provided a take home car driven daily to Pinellas County.

TPD Officers paying the highest union dues in three counties.

Unbridled spending of our dues.

The consistent withholding of vital information from the PBA President to the Tampa Police Chapter Board of Directors.

Endorsements of politicians with questionable character.

Low quality flyers substituting for “The Badge & Labor,” union newspaper that we use to receive and deserve.


Very simply stated these are the corrections that you will see immediately:

All notices of meetings posted on the WCFPBA Web Site as required by the constitution and By-Laws.

No stipend for the president or any other position at the Tampa Police Chapter.

A full time administrator chosen for their work ethic and ability, (They will need to provide their own transportation!)

A dues study to level the playing field of one price for the same service we provide all members.

Any spending over $1,000.00 WILL require board approval.

Constant and consistent information being sent to the board of directors about all PBA business.

Endorsements of all candidates completed only within the rules and guidelines of the WCFPBA constitution and by-laws.

This most important election will be on Tuesday & Wednesday October 16 & 17, 2007.

You will be able to correct the errors of the past and bring sweeping changes for the future.

You will also receive an immediate steering committee that includes our candidates who cannot run at this time, as well as any Tampa Police Officer who wants to be a part of positive change in the way we do business. This group will sit on committees, do research and help implement policies and plans of action on every subject that is brought before the Tampa Police Chapter Board of the PBA.

ELECT:

Greg Stout for President
Pat Lynch for Senior Vice-President
Jimmy Meier for Second Vice-President
Chip DeBlock for Secretary

Until next time,


Greg Stout

their about to show one of better as well as a popular officer the door, month's short of his vesting date for fitness issues. anyone seen staff III ''walking'' around lately. is that fair? when is his fitness for duty. where is the equal treatment. too many chief's and not enough indian's. i'm certain the union will take care of this one, watch and wait. you or i could be next. ''there ir something rotten in denmark.'' a famous author once wrote. ''there is something rotten at 219 north massachusetts!''

[AFOR]

I didn't hear about that. Which officer are they showing the door? It is absolutely unfair that Staff III is unfit to even work the SDO, but he is limping around the office everyday. Is he really that bad off, or is he laughing at us? Which would be worse? Why are there so many different sets of rules? If the rules are important, why don't they have to follow the same ones that we do? You need a set of wings and a jetpack to fly above the level of hypocrisy at LPD. Either that, or a really bad limp.