Originally Posted by ;1237601
We are very much apart of FHP. We are truely the first responders! There is no credit given to us. We may be appreciated and loved by co-workers, supervisors and our troopers but at the end of the day we get no love from the state. NO APPRECIATION from the state what-so-ever!
With that said, I want you to know that I LOVE my job. When I took this job I knew what i was getting into. I gladly signed the paper stating that I was aware that I would receive an annual review (RAPP) but I would not receive a raise. I was hopeful that things would change for us. I work with people who have been waiting for change for 30 years. I was still hopeful. I didn't care because I finally found something that I was good at. I could see myself retiring in 30years from FHP.
Since Electra ran off Chris Knight, I feel like no one has our back. Who is there for us. Chris stood up for FHP and lead by example. Now I feel like our A@@e@ hanging in the wind and our supervisors heads are on a chopping block. I am not speaking for anyone else, but I feel VERY UNAPPRECIATED by the state.
For example, the Shift Commander program. Our shift commanders are irreplaceable. They take alot of burden off of our shoulders. At least ours do. People that have been here for a while remember when there were no Shift Commanders. Well, I think abolishing this program is a bad idea. First of all, we handle more and more stuff on the highways these days. Think of how many S22's we handle on a weekly basis. Forget that, on a daily basis. Today, I have handled 3 so far, just for my console. This isn't 1976 it's 2008, and stuff goes down hill in a hurry. In our comm center our Shift Commanders are the ones who give out THI case numbers for the Turnpike. We are our own calltakers, dispatchers, teletypes, and sometimes even supervisors. When I (we)have a S7, I have more responsibilities. Now, I have to get up from my console to go and find a THI case number, answer calls from the media as well as whiny people stuck in traffic because the road is shutdown. And did I mention I have to Alpha page the brass? Ummm yup thats right. So again I ask, who is there for us? The ones I feel sorry for are the supervisors, because they are not "Career Service" employees. So what happens to them when they screw up? And they are asking us to do more with no pay increase. What a joke.
Although I think it's a slap in the face, I'm glad our troopers got a small raise. Maybe just maybe a few good ones will stay. As for the dispatchers, I don't feel as fortuante for them. I see more and more great dispatchers heading for the door. I think they see the ones who have been here for more than 20 years and know that change will never come.
Did you hear they are doing away with uniforms? Yup that's right! They are working on a dress code for us right now. But as far as I know, because my Captain told me, we will be wearing business attire. Collared shirts and dress pants. And who is going to pay for this? Ummm, we are. Right after they take our uniform allowance away. I asked if we could still wear our uniform shirts. The answer...."NO." Nice, right? I can barely make it on the salary that I get now and you want me to buy my own clothes....good luck on that. I can barely afford goceries toward the end of the month. I know I'm not the only one out there.
Now, the topper on the cake is, we just had an open advertisement. We hired several DL people. When January rolls around they will have more seniority than me. And a ton of other people too. How is it, that you move between state agencies and are allowed to keep your seniority? Please explain that one to me. Ok, ok , I know how it works but I think that's ridiculous. If you move agencies, you should NOT keep your seniority. You should not have more seniority than someone who has 5 years on and has paid their dues. Your time should start when you begin employment with that agency.
I have 2 friends that transferred to other comm centers in the state. They trained in a comm center where they earned CAD pay. They lost it when they transferred. That is something that needs to be looked at. They earned it, they should keep it. Just like Troop E has shift differential. Where is it for the rest of us. They talk about how we are a para military organization then they should make it consistent for all of us. I'm not saying Miami doesn't deserve it, but we don't?
Last year I had a call from one of our lovely legislators, who was traveling the turnpike. He shall remane nameless. Just know HE is from South Florida. I distinctly remember that we had 4 people working that day, on a 7 day stretch, with no DOS and a Shift Commander that came out to help answer phones because we were so busy. I answered the phone only to find myself being yelled at by one of our precious legislators. He yelled that it took too long to answer the phone. I tried to explain that we were very busy and short handed. He continued to yell at me about a piece of tire debris that was already called in by about 500 hundred other people. In the end I was polite and did my job. However, he didn't let it go and asked to speak to my supervisor. I told him that he could speak to my Lt. because there was no supervisor available. He wanted to complain on me. Was he kidding? I think not. He was dead serious. Lt. took care of the complaint and told him to write his Govenor. The irony is I provided great customer service and still had a complaint. From a legislator no less. It shows just how much they appreciate us.
Now do you see why I feel like I do? I challenge anyone from Tallahassee to come and sit with me for an entire 8 hour shift. I challenge any of them to come and answer phones for an entire 8 hour shift. During hurricanes and brush fires that are out of control. I challenge them to be on the other end of the phone because a loved one wants to know where their loved one is. I want them to be here to answer media questions when you have a fatality. I dare them to come in and do the job we do on a daily basis for one shift. I guarentee they will look differently at us.
And as for that Captain who thinks that dispatchers are not apart of the highway patrol,he should come in and work a shift for us! He couldn't do, I guarentee it! He should remember the next time he is getting his rump kicked on the side of the road who really has his back. WE DO...BECAUSE WE ROCK!
Love and best wishes go out to all of you, no matter what agency you work for, who put up with jerks like that on a daily basis. He isn't why we do this job!