Well Done PBA?

[CPT Aubrey]

The legislative session is almost over.

Thank, God!

Just a reminder where we came from and where we’re headed- and I’ll try to give credit where credit is due.

On a state wide basis, PBA did all right. Why? Because, this legislative session hit them where their bread is surely buttered- The Correctional Officer. They fought like hell to preserve CO jobs, and were half-way decent. Kudos!

What forced them into this position? Well, early on when Probation Officers understood they had been and were sacrificial PBA lambs, guys like me started to pay attention. Back in August-September, as soon as DOC submitted its “budget exercise” eliminating all regular probation officers (2,400 if I remember correctly and about the same number needed to staff the privatization effort), the call was sounded.

Some good soul provided the info to Bill Cotterell and of course it turned out to be a “mistake” that was almost immediately retracted. But, we know it was no mistake. They were hoping no one would notice. They (Central Ofifce and PBA) were hoping we would be dumb enough to take it in the shorts again.

Did our illustrious chapter have anything to do with it? Maybe, but doubtful.

We’ve done pretty well this year- no loses except of course all of the vacant position losses which we've lost every year since 2001. No live bodies if of course you don’t count the DCA’s who took it in the shorts and DRD’s who took a promotion. How convenient is that?

I congratulate PBA on a job well done looking after CO’s.

And next year?

They’ll do the same thing and it’s blood letting time. No more room for PBA to hide. They will support the majority (CO) and sacrifice the minority (CPO).

It’s as clear as the nose on your face.

And Central Office? Correctional Officer votes matters more. 25,000 versus 3,200 plus family and relatives..

Why in the heck do you thing they picked a milk toast to head CC, why did they demote the position to almost Bureau Chief status, and why place another milk toast (some guy by the name of Davidson) over CC and over OIT?

For his leadership acumen?

Because there is some commonality between the two functions?

Hardly.

Can’t wait until next budget exercise.

Thanks PBA for fighting the good fight. It is a disgrace that not every single CO/CPO/LEO is not a member our union. Just think how much power they would have if there was a 100% memebership. But, unfortuanately there are many who just ride PBA's coat-tails w/o being a member. Shameful!

[CPT Aubrey]

No. Sorry. PBA in a lot of ways, reflects the free market system.

People are not stupid.

They pay for a service.

If you don't deliver, they quit paying dues.

If you paly politics by sacrificing a minority membership for a majority membership?

Pretty soon the majority understands you're out for a pay check, have no principles and they will quit paying too.

CPT- I'm waiting for you to print your prediction you posted at the beginning of the session to I can look back and compare. I will get back in the PBA when we have actual leadership. Until then I will save my money and gamble against a lawsuit.

[CPT Aubrey]

I don’t know, Stupid. Not sure I predicted a lot for this session except that an attempt would be made to eliminate more probation officer positions with an effort to save CO positions. I thought there was a chance a move would be made to privatize some portion of us.

So, some came true. They did try to eliminate all of regular probation in an attempt to save CO positions. I believe they knew cuts were coming. The initial 10% budget exercise was a failure. What was interesting was the replacement “exercise” mirrors precisely what’s happened and they supposedly came up with that alternative within days of the Tallahassee Democrat editorial.

If we hadn’t made a stink in August-September, I firmly believe you would have no regular probation officers on 1 July 2010.

The privatization effort? I think the chance is still there….

Next year?

I think they will be a lot more subtle. I think they got blind sided by the new budget requirements passed last year that require them to publish on the Florida Fiscal portal.

They may try the same tactic eliminating all if not most regular probation officers in their budget exercise, then sell it as an absolute worse case scenario to save face. But, I don’t think so. If it were me and the shoe on the other foot, my 10% budget exercise would include equitable cuts to both sides, then work to sell out the politically weaker of the two.

PBA may even publicly jump on the band wagon, while selling us out behind the scenes with a nod and a wink from the PBA president while the CPO chapter guys are kept in total darkness.

The bad thing about next year? The stimulus money runs out. The good news? It’s not an election year so taxes may be on the table. If I heard right, they have also created a reserve fund this year.

If it comes, look for it in last minute amendments and or bills that don’t go through the committee process. Alexander used this tactic successfully to pass the opening of Blackwater. It avoids totally, the sunshine.

He’s pretty darn slick-super intelligent and a fine public speaker. I did not see his feathers ruffled once..

See if PBA targets him when he’s up for re-election. Shoot, after he publicly screwed them this year, they sung his praises while looking like ineffectual jerks.

Don’t know, stupid. Nostredamus I ain’t.

So I guess we cant expect raises again next year. Yes you can all laugh at me for even thinking such a thing!

[CPT Aubrey]

Raises? We don't need no ****in raises. "The Treasure of the Sierra Madres,"

I'll take a little leadership over raises any day.

Cost of living in Florida went up as followed

2005 = 2.3

2006= 3.8

2007= 2.7

2008= 3.1

2009= 3.5

Our raise in the last five years= 0.0

So, why are we thanking pba?????

Sure glad I never wasted my money on those losers! Pisst, I am in my last year of drop. I will have 33 years total when I walk out the door. I never gave pba a dime.

You should be proud of yourself for not supporting the union that tries its best to help us. You should be proud of yourself for riding the coattails of others and getting a free ride. Now, let the door hit you where the god lord split you. Retire, you fossil! :snicker:

Let me dumb this down for you. Every year that you do not get a raise and the cost of living goes up, you take a pay cut. Now why would any sane person throw money into a system that loses it? If you pay $30 dollars a month for 30 years and I get the same thing, who is wasting money?

DUH

[CPT Aubrey]

Why for crying out loud would I support a union who has been supporting CPO cuts as a means of saving CO positions

Raises?

I want a raise. All state employees want a raise. But, it ain't going to happen.

I would rather have no raise and a job.

PBA has been making that particulary difficult for probation officers. And while they're doing the best they can to sell us out, they tell us we should continue to pay dues.

What's wrong with this picture?

Nothing. Keep sending your dues and they will screw you over. It seems there are a couple of folks here who have no problems taking their money and throwing it away. We all know pba is a waste of money. That guy Phil has been telling us that fact for over a year now. When he said quit, I dropped pba in a heart beat.

:roll: :roll: That is why CO's get less pay and less CAD than CPO's even though in many other states they make more than probation.

[CPT Aubrey]

I love it. PBA supporters like the above point to pay. Why are CO's paid less? They have a high school edication or a GED equivalent. CAD? It's based on base pay.

I've heard it all. Pay raises, high risk, etc. Some PBA arguements have merit.

But, not one CO person, not one PBA official has ever, will ever admitt they have been cutting probation officer positions or transferring positions to proctect the prison side of the house for at least the last 10 years.

It is a fundamental fact.

It is true. It is not in dispute.

And next year when the possiblity of cuts become greater, CPO's will again be asked to bend over.

CPT- Why do people fail to see the point over and over. We constantly get screwed by the prison side. Ever see the cars that the wardens drive compared to our CA's. We a but a mere afterthought to the CO side. Starting CO's may make less than us but go up the steps and you will see how it changes dramatically. They have always been in high risk, unlike CPO's and get state housing and the like. But, money isn't worth working with a guy who barely graduated high school who is in charge of 1,000 + employees and million of dollars worth of assets and trying to make him/her look good. Red headed step child is what CC is. I know for a fact that the PBA will sell us out because their bread & butter is with the CO's not us. The sooner our administration and PBA leaders get this the better off we will be. Alfieri will never gewt this. You have to have worked on the prison side to really understand this.

Raises? We don't need no ****in raises. "The Treasure of the Sierra Madres,"

I'll take a little leadership over raises any day.

Actually it was " Badges? We don't need no stinkin badges!"

[CPT Aubrey]

Good one! Haha ha.

At the rate we're going, we don't need those either....

hahahahahahahahahaha

[CPT Aubrey]

Here is what I would ask our CPO Chapter to do- Find a sympathetic Republican Legislator and have them introduce a bill to make us a separate agency.

If they do this, and legitimately fight for it, I will rejoin. Hell, I'll even stand out side multiple offices with a placard that boldly states: PBA Does Care. Join Me!"

I can already read the BS that's coming- why we should stay under Corrections affording us the protection of Correctional Officer power.

Darn, I thought that was what a union was all about. They represent all of state law enforcement to include Sheriffs, police et al. UNION! STRENGTH IN NUMBERS.

As if they couldn't support us if we were our own agency. Why is that? Cause we are convenient butt boys. Bend over CC.

My forecast has changed. The oil spill will cause a shift in state revenues brought about by tourism. How dramatic is anyone's guess. Regardless, more job losses, more unemployed, more pressure on general revenue.

If we don't do something dramatic, we could be screwed and tatooed.

Ah, well. What's new?

Here is what I would ask our CPO Chapter to do- Find a sympathetic Republican Legislator and have them introduce a bill to make us a separate agency.

If they do this, and legitimately fight for it, I will rejoin. Hell, I'll even stand out side multiple offices with a placard that boldly states: PBA Does Care. Join Me!"

I can already read the BS that's coming- why we should stay under Corrections affording us the protection of Correctional Officer power.

Darn, I thought that was what a union was all about. They represent all of state law enforcement to include Sheriffs, police et al. UNION! STRENGTH IN NUMBERS.

As if they couldn't support us if we were our own agency. Why is that? Cause we are convenient butt boys. Bend over CC.

My forecast has changed. The oil spill will cause a shift in state revenues brought about by tourism. How dramatic is anyone's guess. Regardless, more job losses, more unemployed, more pressure on general revenue.

If we don't do something dramatic, we could be screwed and tatooed.

Ah, well. What's new?

:roll: So we can get results like FWC etc...

Hey Guest? Why not just call it Correctional Officers Benevolent Association (COBA) instead of PBA? FWC, FDLE, CC have all gotten the shatft lately.

Or maybe FWC needs to start there own probation arm. Maybe they can be called Probation Fishery Officers. Then they can use them to cushion cuts to FWC officers just like Corrections.