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| Photo credit Northampton County |
There is another class in training.
“We cannot express enough our deep gratitude to these fine men and women who have chosen to
protect the health and safety of their fellow officers and the inmates they watch over,.”said Executive Lamont McClure.
I'd say there are some ways to express that gratitude. For one thing, they start at lower salaries ($18 per hour) than in either Lehigh ($21 per hour) or Monroe ($20 per hour) County. Also, there is a serious salary compression problem. Officers who have been there for years are paid little more than new officers. This problem existed long before McClure became Executive, and it also exists at the Juvenile Justice Center, Gracedale and among Deputy Sheriffs. It bothers long-time employees to see new hires making nearly as much as they do. McClure has plans to address this issue, but I did not talk to him or anyone in the administration because contract negotiations are underway, and they are confidential.
These new officers do help address another longstanding and very demoralizing problem - mandated overtime. Corrections Director James Kostura has been making a noble effort to fill positions, but as fast as they are being trained, that's how fast they leave. From what I've been told, six are planning to quit right now. These staff shortages hit hardest on weekends and holidays. One officer tells me the past nine years, she's celebrated Thanksgiving with her family just once.
One officer who recently quit is going to college. He was missing classes because of the mandated overtime, and asked to have his schedule changed so he could at least make his classes. His immediate superiors refused. Instead of filing a grievance so that Kostura or someone else would know there's a problem, the guard just quit. Shortly after he left, these very same superiors posted a list for guards who might want shift changes. Obviously their decision was really boneheaded. It is also totally contrary to a county government that encourages education.
Mandated overtime at a jail is a nightmare. You are cut off from the outside world, unable to bring a cell phone into your job. Most of us are glued to our phones, but corrections officers must leave the facility to check messages during breaks that only last ten minutes. By the time they step outside, they must return.
In addition, officers who are mandated get to eat food prepared by the very people they guard in the cafeteria, and for free.
I think I'd pass.
Judges stopped eating food prepared by the inmates years ago.
When officers are mandated, the county should supply them with beverages and meals prepared on the outside or at least allow them to send a runner for takeout.
The guards are know to complain and for years. No one twisted anyone's arm to take the job. Also the problems with the pay of longtime employees is the fault of the employees. Different administrations have tried to address it but the employees and their unions fight it every time. They wants all money for everyone.
ReplyDeleteHopefully you will serve some cheese with all the whine.
The only one I see whining is you
ReplyDeleteIf these people were not complaining then you know something is wrong. That place has always been a pit of moaning and groaning. Do your homework O'Hare.
ReplyDeleteMany very fine employees have been hired at this facility over the years. Poster 1:17 has a point. I always thought that this is where the Sheriff’s deputies should start their chain of events. Some people won’t like this idea.But, to get to know inmates and how they have nothing to do but work the system ,should be done early under controlled conditions. Within the walls provides a safer place to make mistakes in the learning curve. Practice of this be done 300 times in my humble opinion before a feel for things get better. Just the task of applying handcuffs properly ,indexing ,with double locks can lead to a surprised outcome ,and it’s better that issue is learned there ,than in the back of sheriffs car during a transport. Escaping and getting ahold of a firearm is bad news. Encounters with mental issues are a crap shoot. Their job can be dangerous. Good luck to all of them ,the COs deserve respect for this occupation.
ReplyDeleteThere are MAJOR problems with the salaries of MOST County employees. A study needs to be done again BUT THIS TIME PAY WHAT THE SALARY STUDY REFLECTS!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe officers at the prison are being mandated at 40+ per yr.Ive worked there for 17+ years and the # of officers needed are way off. The # we are allowed was the same # as when we only had 2 buildings. We now have 4. Do the math. Also the starting pay is not that high as said (18) it's a lot lower. There is the problem. We are losing people because of above reasons. This has been going on like this for well over 6yrs. No one cares because it's a money issue but unfortunately for us it will eventually end in someone getting hurt or killed
ReplyDelete"If these people were not complaining then you know something is wrong. That place has always been a pit of moaning and groaning. Do your homework O'Hare."
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous Asshole, Let me say this again. The only one complaining is you. You hate government workers and if truth be told, likely hate everyone. I am relating conditions under which guards work and the chief problems: low pay, salary compression and mandated overtime.
"o one cares because it's a money issue but unfortunately for us it will eventually end in someone getting hurt or killed"
ReplyDeleteIf no one cares, I would not be writing a story. Also, if you want to say that the starting pay is a lot lower than what i have, please correct me, but tell us what it is. I believe the chief problem, if I were limited to one, is the salary compression. A low starting salary would not bother me if I knew that my wages were going up over time. I would then be more likely to stay in my job.
Bernie I just brewed a nice batch of pruno in my cell, the staff here is a joke most were velcro shoes.
ReplyDeleteSent from my keister Samsung Galaxy 8
Bernie this has been a problem for the past 20 years and it most likely will never get resolved
ReplyDeleteBernie the officer who left because of classes went to Mr. Kostura and Mrs. McDonald for a shift change. He was one of several dozen who were placed on 3rd and had no opportunity to go to 2nd shift until after he left. He made the correct choice leaving to further his education. Had he not left he would have had to push his education off another 6 months. At least 2 classes were rewarded with 2nd shift right out of the academy while people on 3rd shift who'd been hired as early as last summer never got a chance to bid on going to 2nd shift. The boneheaded move would have been sticking around.
ReplyDeleteQuote of the day
ReplyDelete"I was born without knowing why, I have lived without knowing why, and I'am dying without knowing why or how".
Pierre Gassendi (French philosopher, priest,astronomer, and mathematician)
Sounds like all the county workers that voted for McClown thinking they were getting a big fat raise are not happy campers. Too bad! Get to work, Slackers!
ReplyDeleteStarting pay $16.60 hr / $34532.32 a year
ReplyDeleteThank you.
ReplyDelete12:10, this was a bone-headed move, and if kostura is responsible, shame on him. It is totally contrary to a county that encourages education.
ReplyDeleteBernie , I got something you should know. I’ll stop at the guys office we both know and love. So stop soon . I’ll get there by Friday .
ReplyDeleteDeal.
ReplyDeleteNot nearly enough money to babysit those animals!
ReplyDeleteStarting pay is, as stated above, $16.60 per hour for Corrections. Add 911 to the list of jobs where experienced make barely more than newbies and our county makes much less than surrounding counties - so guess where people like to go once they are trained on our county's dime. Many people in these job categories are so stressed out and then they are taking on part-time jobs if they can manage - some of them have several part-time jobs just to make ends meet. It just is not right. I know several county employees whom I count as dear friends and I don't know how they do it. It truly saddens me and I wish someone would do something.
ReplyDeleteAs Nazareth Area School District salaries are totally RIDICULOUS, County workers are paid SHIT. A janitor at Nazareth Area School District makes more than a County employee that needs a degree!
ReplyDeleteThought the County Executive was going to take care of the employees. Just another political lie to get elected.
Give him time. He will do the right thing.
ReplyDeleteHow much sick time and family leave has been used this year. I am sure that this leads to a lot of mandates also.
ReplyDeleteYou might think so but you'd be wrong. I was surprised to learn just this past weekend that guards get only three sick days per year. So that's not the reason for the mandates. The reason is that COs leave.
ReplyDeleteI am a little concerned about how few sick days are permitted. Right now, a lot f guards are getting ill at other jails.
https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/All-Pennsylvania-Prisons-Locked-Down-State-Says-492011741.html
Pathetic....3 sicks days a year won't even cover the flu if you get it.
ReplyDelete"When you look seriously at Republicans, it’s pretty clear what they’re fighting for. They want safer borders, a stronger Department of Defense, and true freedom of speech. When you look at Democrats, it isn’t clear what they want other than to impeach President Trump."
ReplyDeleteActually, your comment is inaccurate. You are fighting for everything that Authoritarian Donald Trump tells you. You are no longer Republicans or conservatives; you are authoritarians. Donald Trump wants a parade, but does not want stronger defense. He has cancelled several military exercises aimed at training troops, and plans to cancel more. You do not believe in free speech and have actively worked at dismantling a free press. You only support the free speech rights of Alex Jones. Trump was more than willing to block twitter uses that are critical of him, but loves the idea of slowing down the Internet for sites that fail to pay a premium to ISPs. You support free speech so long as it is racist, xenophobic or in support of Authoritarian Donald Trump.
Good job Bernie your the only one who has the guts to tell it like it is
ReplyDeleteBernie I do believe they get more than three sick days a year. The three days are not true. I do believe what they’re saying is you get three sick occurrences for the year and then you go into the mode. Sick time I do believe is accumulated At one day per month and those days can be accumulated over the years that you work there.
ReplyDeleteThe mandates are the officer's union's fault. They refuse to change the schedule to rectify the overtime which would solve the mandates. Blame them. Its the money hungry individuals who don't want to give up the overtime which hurts the rest of the officers who don't want the overtime. Union? I think not.
ReplyDeleteBy working all that overtime you can build yourself up one hell of a pension. But that’s right nobody looks down the road for their future.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the current complement on how many officers work there now.
ReplyDeleteAbout 180 correction officers. They say we need 206. Not true last contract with Keen his #s were 233. Also our over time for a week before sick time is used is over 100
ReplyDeleteyes
ReplyDelete