08-19-2009, 06:08 PM
Dozens of posts like this one...do your research, we don't need PBA, look into another union!
To my brothers and sisters in green, I can't believe what I'm reading in the NewsPress about you guys wanting to become members of the Professional Bowler's Association union! You guys are absolutely crazy if you decide to join this union. I'm all for supporting your effort to become unionized, but your joining the wrong union. Pendergrass is the worst union president we have had in a long time at FMPD. This guy isn't going to do anything for you ,unless there's some type of financial gain for himself. Do you really think Cecil is going to fight for you against Sheriff Scott. Scott and Pendergrass are buddies, who hang out together at Republican luncheons, and fundraising golf tournaments. Here are some of the facts about the PBA: 1) our union board has three Sgts on it there's only five titled positions on the board, no street cops allowed. They refuse to put their positions up for a vote, even though 80% of the officers that work here now never voted for these members to be on the board. Do you think a Union board made up of three supervisor's are going to put their neck on the line against the Chief for the average Joe and Jane street cop? 2) Cecil's been president since 2004 , his term was supposed to be up in 2008 ,and due to his retirement, his spot was to be open for a new vote. Cecil however conducted some back handed deal with the higher ups of the PBA in Tallahassee , which allowed him to extend his rule until 2012! Sounds like Communism to me? Cecil's been challenged on this web-site to place all union positions up for a new vote, but refuses to do it , because he knows he will lose! 3)During the 2004 elections if word got out that you were going to vote for someone other than Cecil, mysteriously many members were not mailed a ballot to vote in the election. The second part of this is that the ballots were counted in Tallahassee and the only members allowed to witness the ballot counting were members that voted for Cecil. 4) Listen all this crap the Ferrante's were doing to you guys, happens here on a weekly basis and is never challenged by the PBA. The bottom line is whether you have a union or not, if your not in the good old boy network, Sheriff Scott or in our case Chief Baker is going to fire you if they can pin the smallest little policy violation on you. Your chances at winning the lottery are higher than you keeping your job. The Chief and his GOB's here at FMPD remove cops from specialty units, and place them back to the road with no legitimate reasoning all the time. The PBA does nothing about it! The "Guest" asked about bad experiences with the PBA, where do I start? This is a list of what bad PBA union representation does for FMPD officers?
Dental insurance doubled in cost, Health insurance tripled in cost, we wear outdated vests, still wearing polyester uniforms, officers drive 2001 Crown Vic's with over 120.000 miles, some have no shotguns in the patrol cars, pay for your own duty boots, some cops have to work without lap tops, we're going to have two citizens review boards,over the last 4 years street cops got 3% raises , while Sgt's to chief received 10% to 17% raises, one Lt. and three Sgts to oversee seven patrol units during a 12 hour shift, 80 hour work week rule,if you work over time during the eighty hour work week and have to use a comp day for a unforeseen family emergency all your overtime is considered straight time, lateral movement within the department limited, education requirements for us ,but the chief has some of his administration working right now with nothing more than a high school diploma, anonymous complaints all turn into I.A.'s without no repercussion for false accusations , a mayor and city manager who want to turn our pension into a 401K plan, and I can go on and on. You guys need to do real research before joining this union, ask yourself why so many of our officers go to LCSO .
Listen if our union is so great, we welcome deputy's to come on over and apply with us. We have 40 spots open , and there's a reason for it .( LEFT OVER BAD MANAGEMENT FROM THE HILTON DAYS & A BAD UNION) I personally would head for the FOP if your going to join any union. My view's on this post represent many experiences dealing with the PBA, and I and all the other FMPD officers have more to gain than lose by LCSO deputies joining the PBA. FMPD street cops would join the FOP tomorrow , if they were confident the GOB's at FMPD wouldn't try dirty techniques to fire them. I wish all of the deputies a lot of luck, and hope you select a union that best fits your desire for fair and just representation against corrupt upper management.
To my brothers and sisters in green, I can't believe what I'm reading in the NewsPress about you guys wanting to become members of the Professional Bowler's Association union! You guys are absolutely crazy if you decide to join this union. I'm all for supporting your effort to become unionized, but your joining the wrong union. Pendergrass is the worst union president we have had in a long time at FMPD. This guy isn't going to do anything for you ,unless there's some type of financial gain for himself. Do you really think Cecil is going to fight for you against Sheriff Scott. Scott and Pendergrass are buddies, who hang out together at Republican luncheons, and fundraising golf tournaments. Here are some of the facts about the PBA: 1) our union board has three Sgts on it there's only five titled positions on the board, no street cops allowed. They refuse to put their positions up for a vote, even though 80% of the officers that work here now never voted for these members to be on the board. Do you think a Union board made up of three supervisor's are going to put their neck on the line against the Chief for the average Joe and Jane street cop? 2) Cecil's been president since 2004 , his term was supposed to be up in 2008 ,and due to his retirement, his spot was to be open for a new vote. Cecil however conducted some back handed deal with the higher ups of the PBA in Tallahassee , which allowed him to extend his rule until 2012! Sounds like Communism to me? Cecil's been challenged on this web-site to place all union positions up for a new vote, but refuses to do it , because he knows he will lose! 3)During the 2004 elections if word got out that you were going to vote for someone other than Cecil, mysteriously many members were not mailed a ballot to vote in the election. The second part of this is that the ballots were counted in Tallahassee and the only members allowed to witness the ballot counting were members that voted for Cecil. 4) Listen all this crap the Ferrante's were doing to you guys, happens here on a weekly basis and is never challenged by the PBA. The bottom line is whether you have a union or not, if your not in the good old boy network, Sheriff Scott or in our case Chief Baker is going to fire you if they can pin the smallest little policy violation on you. Your chances at winning the lottery are higher than you keeping your job. The Chief and his GOB's here at FMPD remove cops from specialty units, and place them back to the road with no legitimate reasoning all the time. The PBA does nothing about it! The "Guest" asked about bad experiences with the PBA, where do I start? This is a list of what bad PBA union representation does for FMPD officers?
Dental insurance doubled in cost, Health insurance tripled in cost, we wear outdated vests, still wearing polyester uniforms, officers drive 2001 Crown Vic's with over 120.000 miles, some have no shotguns in the patrol cars, pay for your own duty boots, some cops have to work without lap tops, we're going to have two citizens review boards,over the last 4 years street cops got 3% raises , while Sgt's to chief received 10% to 17% raises, one Lt. and three Sgts to oversee seven patrol units during a 12 hour shift, 80 hour work week rule,if you work over time during the eighty hour work week and have to use a comp day for a unforeseen family emergency all your overtime is considered straight time, lateral movement within the department limited, education requirements for us ,but the chief has some of his administration working right now with nothing more than a high school diploma, anonymous complaints all turn into I.A.'s without no repercussion for false accusations , a mayor and city manager who want to turn our pension into a 401K plan, and I can go on and on. You guys need to do real research before joining this union, ask yourself why so many of our officers go to LCSO .
Listen if our union is so great, we welcome deputy's to come on over and apply with us. We have 40 spots open , and there's a reason for it .( LEFT OVER BAD MANAGEMENT FROM THE HILTON DAYS & A BAD UNION) I personally would head for the FOP if your going to join any union. My view's on this post represent many experiences dealing with the PBA, and I and all the other FMPD officers have more to gain than lose by LCSO deputies joining the PBA. FMPD street cops would join the FOP tomorrow , if they were confident the GOB's at FMPD wouldn't try dirty techniques to fire them. I wish all of the deputies a lot of luck, and hope you select a union that best fits your desire for fair and just representation against corrupt upper management.