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Sunset Review for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Begins / Your Input Needed Austin, Texas The Texas Legislature is needing employee's input on the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for its Sunset Review of the agency. Below is a link for a confidential survey to be submitted regarding employees needs and to assist in improving work condition in the agency. Please answer the questions accurate and articulate your points. These survey will be read by member of the Texas Legislature. Click Here to Take this Survey WHAT'S NEXT FOR TDCJ?????????? Austin, Texas Now that the Legislative Special Session is over with TDCJ employees can breath a little easier. Out of all the public employees groups, TDCJ Employees faired the best. There will be no furloughs or any reduction in pay. RIFs will be a minimum of 104 Unit based classification jobs, with most already frozen. Our insurance is still in place without the projected $300 increase for most employees. How did we do it?? Unlike other public employees groups who tried to fight the legislature on their no new taxes and budget cutting ideals, we realized this would be a losing situation. Some Republicans in the last several years have abandoned their Republican views and have taken a Social Libertarian approach. Instead of managing Government more efficiently, they have chosen to take a wrecking ball to it. This radical ideology is being spread through the Tea Party and is being financed by billionaires such as oil tycoon David Koch who ran against Ronald Reagan as a Libertarian in 1980 because he thought Reagan was not conservative enough. The Tea Party is a dangerous addition to the Republican Party and their rise mirrors the same type of popular rise of social fascism in Nazi Germany. With a Republican super majority in the Texas House we chose to make suggestions on where to cut the pork instead of letting other radical groups decide. We also pushed for an increase in benefits such as a two year lapse of comp time instead of one year, at no cost to the taxpayers. Knowing the operations of TDCJ we were qualified on knowing where and how to make the cuts unlike other radical right wing groups who will be back in 2013. Make no mistake that 2011 was the year public employees faced an organized attack on their pay and benefits. Privatization was widely pushed all over the United States. Tea Party Representative Erwin Cain attempted to introduce an amendment to privatize TDCJ State Jails and Transportation with no proof of saving or increase in security. His attempt failed on the House floor. By making on amendment on the House Floor, Cain attempted to bypass the traditional public testimony and sneak this legislation into law. Representative Tan Parker (R / Flower Mound) also introduced legislation that would censor public employee blogs such as this one. Censorship is clearly the worse form of tyranny. In 2013 we project that the super majority of Republicans in Texas will disappear due to redistricting and the increased populations in Democratic based areas. Polls are showing there maybe some backlash from minority groups on Republicans due to their attacks on Hispanic groups with Arizona types of legislation. The Republican's Voter ID Bill will most likely disenfranchise elderly voters who are less opt to have State identifications such as driver's licenses or may have expired identifications cards. Making enemies in politics is no way to conduct business or win over the hearts of the people. Increase in local property appraisals and taxes will also help disenfranchise voters. You can blame Obama for it, but the only problem he is not in charge of the property taxes here in Texas. Texas had a super majority of Republicans and their 10th amendments rights as gladly exemplified by Rick Perry. With less Republicans in the House this will mean less power for the radical Tea Party members. The only problem we see in 2013 is NO MONEY. Financial Problems for the State of Texas 2013. 1. ERS is only 80 percent solvent by the best estimates. 2. The 82nd Legislature delayed payments to school districts and other funds creating an estimated 6 to 10 billion dollar deficit. 3. Rising cost and social problems due to low wage employment will plague the state. 4. Cutting state services will make it harder for businesses to operate in Texas. Fewer state employees in licensing offices creates red tape that can slow down businesses. Businesses rely on State Government for services just like people do. Loss of services will only slow down business production. If businesses wanted less government services, cheap labor, and no taxes they would move to Somalia. 5. Less education services will lead to more unskilled labor. Businesses are in need of skilled labor. Less skilled labor means less taxes being generated. TDCJ State Jails & Transportation in Danger of Privatization Austin, Texas TDCJ State Jails and TDCJ Transportation Division are in danger of Privatization from an amendment to be added to House Bill 3386. Rep Jerry Madden and Rep Erwin Cain are currently trying to support a privatization amendment on this bill that would privatize all TDCJ State Jail and the entire TDCJ transportation division. A House Floor Amendment failed during HB 1 debate. See article from the Texas Tribune. Click Here Legislative update 03-25-2011 Austin, Texas Texas House Bill 1 (House Appropriations Bill) will now fund the 7% pay for correctional officers that was received last legislative session. The career ladder will also be unfrozen as the legislature received information that TDCJ may face a massive employee turnover if enacted. Even in the worst recession since the great depression Texas Correctional Officer turnover rates are above the Legislative target rate of 18 %. At this time the rates are ranging 21% and up. Employees Retirement System (ERS) will remain under funded. As of now the fund is only 80% solvent. The annuity is in danger of being underfunded this session as the budget looks to cut employee and state contributions under the matching 6% margin. State employees will see a 25% drop in their insurance benefit funding. As of now employee co-pay will go up 20% for the first $5,000 of the benefit, 10% $5,000 to $50,000, and 5% for $50,000. Under this health care plan the average state employee will face bankruptcy is serious hospitalization is required. A USA Today article this month revealed that Texas ranks last in employee benefits. Click Here for USA Today Article Texas Employees need to take it and SHUT UP!!!!!!!! Some Republican politicians believe that Texas employees are too powerful and graciously over paid. Representative Tan Parker (Flower Mound / R) has filed a bill that would make blogs such as this one ILLEGAL. Nathaniel is a corporate vice- president who lives in a $400,000 home in Argyle, Texas. I can see why a man like this would be scared of correctional employees group blogging about him. House Bill 2986 will making communications such as this one illegal. 2011 82nd Legislative Session will be a Bloodbath for State Employees Austin, Texas Under the guidance of Senator Tommy Williams (R / The Woodlands) and Warren Chisum (R /Pampa), the Texas Conservative Coalition is after state employee's pay and benefits. In Senate Bill 1 under Article V, both a roll back of the 2010 and 2011 pay raise is in place, which may make TDCJ Correctional Officers the lowest paid in the United States. Texas Correctional Employees have one of the highest turnover rates in the United States. A reduction in the Texas Employee's Retirement System funding would force ERS for the first time to impose a $125 monthly premium from State Employees and retirees on basic health insurance. Texas has one of the lowest paid correctional officer's salary states in the United States, ranking 47 in the nation on the state correctional officer pay scale. This session some rich uncaring legislators wish to balance the state budget on the backs of underpaid state employees, while increasing the prison population, creating more work for TDCJ Employees. The average correctional officer stands to lose over $300 per month from their paycheck if some of the Texas Republican leadership has its ways. TDCJ EMPLOYEES MAY GO ON STRIKE BY QUITTING!!!!!!!!!! ERS Facing a Budget Short Fall on Health Insurance Austin, Texas - The combination of rising health care costs and tight budgets have left Texas facing a health care funding gap that will affect your health insurance benefits. ERS forecasted an increase in health care costs of about 8 percent for 2010-11, and received funding for a 6.5 percent increase. Recent trends, however, indicate that health care costs are increasing at about 9 percent. The health plan, at current benefit levels, faces a funding gap of about $181 million in Fiscal Year 2010. A contingency fund will be used to cover the funding gap. In FY11, however, the plan is projected to be $250 million short, and with only $102 million left in the contingency fund, the plan will have to save money. In addition to these projections, state leaders recently asked agencies to submit ways to lower state spending. This could affect state funding for the insurance program. Options to save the plan money include increasing copayments, deductibles, coinsurance, and contributions for members and dependents. Editorial Note: Perry claims to have a balanced state budget. 08-10-2009 Correctional Positions Reclassified Correctional Employee Career Step Adjustment This step adjustment will be active September 1, 2009 and will be reflected on the October 2009 pay check. CO I, CO II, CO III, CO IV, and CO V 3.35% Sergeant 4.91% Lieutenant 6.50% Captain 8.12% Major 8.12% LM IV 6.87% FSM IV 8.10% TDCJ contraband will be an issue in the Governor's race, Kay Bailey Hutchinson is attacking Perry on his ability the control contraband (Dallas Morning News) Welcome TDCJ's new Correctional Institutional Division Director Rick Thaler. Click Here to Comment Officers and Inmates Forced to Sweat it Out ( Houston Chronicle) Prison guard shortage eases (Statesman / National AP) Representative Riddle named by Texas Monthly as one of Texas's worst legislators (Chair of the Criminal Justice Appropriations Select Committee) Legislative Update Last Updated 06-22-2009 Officer pay raise and information 3.5% Effective September 2009 3.5% Effective September 2010 All other state employees will not see their $1,000 bonus due to ruling made by conference committee on Wednesday 05-20-09. The Committee has now reversed their plan and now is offering an $800 bonus for all other state employees. ERS employee contributions will go up due to House Bill 2559. The bill matches State employee contributions with employer (State) contributions up to 6.5 percent. Employees currently contribute 6 percent of their salary into a retirement account and the State contributes 6.45 percent. The bill creates a new 0.5 percent contribution to the LECOS fund for LECOS members only. Pay Raise Conference Committee Members: Senators Ogden - College Station (R)Chair steve.ogden@senate.state.tx.us P.O. Box 12068 Capitol Station Austin, Texas 78711 (512) 463-0105 (512) 463-5713 (fax) Shapiro - Plano (R) florence.shapiro@senate.state.tx.us P.O. Box 12068 Capitol Station Austin, Texas 78711 Phone (512) 463-0108 Fax (512) 463-7579 Williams - The Woodlands (R) tommy.williams@senate.state.tx.us P.O. Box 12068 Capitol Station Austin, Texas 78711 (512) 463-0104 (512) 463-6373 fax West - Dallas (D) royce.west@senate.state.tx.us P.O. Box 12068 Capitol Station Austin, Texas 78711 (512) 463-0123 (512) 463-0299 fax Hinojosa McAllen (D) juan.hinojosa@senate.state.tx.us P.O. Box 12068 Capitol Station Austin, Texas 78711 (512) 463-0120 Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, chair jim.pitts@house.state.tx.us Room CAP 1W.2 P.O. Box 2910 Austin, TX 78768 (512) 463-0516 (512) 463-1051 Fax Reps. Richard Raymond, D-Laredo richard.raymond@house.state.tx.us Room 1W.4, Capitol Building Austin, TX 78701 (512) 463-0558 (512) 463-6296 Fax Ruth Jones McClendon, D-San Antonio ruth.mcclendon@house.state.tx.us Room 4N.4, Capitol Building Austin, TX 78701 (512) 463-0708 (512) 463-7071 Fax John Otto, R-Dayton john.otto@house.state.tx.us Room E2.906, Capitol Extension Austin, TX 78701 (512) 463-0570 (512) 463-0315 Fax John Zerwas, R-Houston. john.zerwas@house.state.tx.us Room EXT E2.316 P.O. Box 2910 Austin, TX 78768 (512) 463-0657 (512) 236-0713 Fax (888) 827-1560 Toll Free Correctional Bills and Legislative Update 06-22-09: SB 10 - Senate Bill 10 will result in health care benefits loss. SB 10 died on the Major House Calendar 05-28-2009!!!!!!!! This bill was opposed by AFSCME. HB 3106 Hazardous Duty Pay for Non uniform employees SB 2304 Passed the Senate. Passed House Corrections Committee. Died in Calendars 05-31-09. HB 3497 Career ladder for Industries & Maintenance 05-14-2009 Died in the House General Calendar. HB 518 Tuition reimbursement VETOED BY Perry!!!!!!!! Passed the State Legislature. Governor Rick Perry's vetoes the bill. HB 1914 Abolishing PIE oversight committee (Stops Industries Privatization) Passed the State Legislature. Senate adopts conference committee. Signed into law!!!!!!!! This controversial bill was pushed by AFSCME and opposed by the private prison industry and the agency. This bill helps protect TDCJ industry jobs and free-world employees who had to compete against PIE programs. The House and Senate each gave final approval to HB 1914, a measure by Rep. Jim McReynolds, D-Lufkin, and Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, which would abolish the Private Sector Prison Industries Oversight Authority and impose some requirements on businesses looking to operate under the federal Prison Industries Enhancement program aimed at preventing unfair competition with free-world businesses. The measure had the endorsement of the United Labor Legislative Committee. It now goes to Gov. Rick Perry for a final decision on passage into law. The only member of the conference committee to refuse to sign the final version was Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, who opposed the measure on the Senate floor. The final vote in the Senate was 26-5, while the House voted for the bill 143-0. Under the bill, regulation of private prison industries programs will revert to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The bill states: “The Board shall ensure that private sector prison industries programs are operated under this subchapter in a manner that is designed to avoid the loss of existing jobs for employees in this state who are not incarcerated or imprisoned.” Overtime Cited as Problem at TDCJ Prisons and MHMR State Schools (Maybe a pay raise isn't a bad ideal????) TDCJ Employees rally in Austin for better pay (Statesman) FCC Gives TDCJ Green Light on Cellphone Jamming Testing Direct Trailer Contract Cancelled 2008 Study to Texas Legislative Interim Committee Political Support for TDCJ Pay Raises May Rest on One Man Texas Department of Criminal Justice Under Statewide Lockdown for Smuggled Cell Phone on Death Row Inmate Escapes from Springfellow Unit Rec Yard Inmate Murdered at the TDCJ Clements Unit TDCJ Violence increases as staffing decreases Pay Raises for New Officers Not Enough Governor is Warned about TDCJ Prison Staffing Crisis Staffing a problem or crisis??? (Austin Statesman) Dallas Morning News reports assaults on TDCJ officer and staff have doubled in the last 5 years!!!!!!! A candle light vigal was held October 10, 2007 to honor Officer Susan Canfield as well as other officers who have lost their life. 2007 TDCJ Employee Disciplinary Statistics Links of Interest AFSCME Correctional Employees Council 7 Texas Correctional Association Click here to go to the Official TDCJ Agency Site Texas Legislator Online Texas Governor's Office Voter Information TDCJ Union .com Blog / News Grits For Breakfast Texas Prison Bidness Private Prison Information Message Board American Correctional Association Facts |
