Michael Russ, a NorCo corrections officer, spoke at last night's meeting of Northampton County Council, to address three topics.
First, he contends the county is violating the Home Rule Charter by refusing to allow corrections officers to bid on other county jobs. I agree. My own reading of the Home Rule Charter and Administrative Code is to encourage hiring from within and establishing a meritocracy instead of a culture in which who you know matters more than what you know. That matter is currently being grieved.
Second, he discussed the scheduling changes urged by the county. "There's nothing wrong with our schedule at the jail," he insists. "If it doesn't look like it's working now, it's for other reasons." He complained about being compelled to discuss this in the middle of a contract. There I think he's wrong. The most recent arbitration panel ordered the county and corrections officers to negotiate a new schedule. If they are unable to do this, an arbitration panel is going to do it for them.
Third, he took issue with Council member Ken Kraft's assertion at a meeting two weeks ago that they were being fed "sob stories." He pointed out that the CO whose wife passed away from cancer and who has a differently abled child is his friend. I'd agree that Kraft should have shown a lot more sensitivity than he did, but compassion is one of Kraft's many shortcomings. It's why I like him.
In any event, I hope that I will be able to present the perspective of corrections officers soon. For the most part, these are very dedicated workers who came to work every day during the pandemic. They also have saved the lives of several suicidal inmates.
65 comments:
Hey, if you don't like it, become a longshoreman. They're rolling in dough.
Kraft is nothing but McClures faithful pet on council. You love all things McClure, so you love Kraft. Makes sense. You also hate the CO's so I doubt they will get a fair shake form you. Kraft out and out lied for his boss, and it is sad you find him snarking on a man whose wife died of cancer is endearing. This crew is mean and cruel.
The dude admitted Krafty was right. The most recent contract is “fair” and they lost a step by going to arbitration. Watch the YouTube not the TikTok.
The mandates are too much, but our schedule is “just fine.” Are you kidding me ? Of course, since we r always talkin’ Lehigh Co. - they don’t get every other weekend off in Lehigh Co. That’s the real cause of the mandates. Norco guards get every other weekend off. Maybe that needs to change.
Kraft thinks he's the next executive. It's why he scoops poop for McClure. He doesn't represent working people. Like elitist McClure, he resents and despises them for not being satisfied with crumbs from the table. Both are heartless and horrible human beings.
We need John Brown to figure this mess out. A couple of 0-1-0 contracts and some co-insurance will get everybody straight.
5:38, Ken Kraft will never be Exec. If he ran anywhere outside the Democratic enclave of Bethlehem, he would be crushed. He would not even make it out of a primary. The public countywide is NOT going to vote for someone who resigned from council to work at the jail for 5 years and get a pension, and then quit that job to run again for the position he abandoned. They are not going to vote for a guy who insults everyone and tried to pack council with a rubber stamp to replace Zrinski, and then got caught misrepresenting what happened at Council to the court. He might actually be more unpopular than me. But he wants to be council President, complains about it incessantly, and hates being upstaged by a woman.
Do you make him pay for you to cover his mandates, or is a widower where you draw the line ?
To stop the mandates we must eliminate every other weekend off.
Do you actually think the general public knows anything about Ken and his history on the council? I bet if I asked 100 random residents in this county to name just one commissioner, 90% could not. I bet 70% couldn’t name the county executive. Only the small amount of people who follow this blog know anything about county government. Sad but true, because we all know how very exciting it is, especially with the players now who make it all worthwhile.
To eliminate the mandates you need to staff the place. Its like having a V8 engine with only 4 sparkplugs in it and saying the engine doesn't work and needs to be changed. Why don't they just staff the place. Because they can't. 65 officers short. It's not the schedule
He actually proved that Kraft was wrong because Kraft went on a little rant two weeks ago at county Council stating that the corrections officers would be four or five steps higher than what they are now if they had taken the contracts the county offered. However, it was pointed out at the meeting yesterday that the corrections officers would actually only be possibly one step higher, and that most of the time they went to binding arbitration, they actually made out better than what the county offered. So if anything, he actually proved that Ken craft is a liar.
If this so called schedule creates ot and the county wants to change it why can’t more pay be offered seems like McClure wants it all
Ken Kraft stated two weeks ago at county council that the COs would be 4-5 steps higher if they would have accepted the contracts the county offered. It was pointed that they in fact would possibly be only one step higher and that lost step was from 3 contracts ago. If anything he proved Ken Kraft is a liar and has no clue what goes on when it comes to NCP
Question. Can they take weekends off? That can challenge overtime also. Can keep every other then more easily when no weekend vacations only switches without overtime incurred
I think your paragraph about the schedule is wrong or was misinterpreted. It seemed to me like he was saying that the Officers did sit down and discuss schedule changes And they could not agree on a new schedule change. He claimed as a result of this, HR retaliated by reinterpreting things in the contract to mean different things in the middle of the contract. Which makes sense to me just look at what McClure did when he didn’t get his health center.
Low staffing levels is what's causing all the mandates, let's talk about that. 212 is considered fully staffed, we are in the 150's
Kraft is an asshole. The poor guy that lost his wife would be justified in having a little chat with him. He’s a punk.
10:46, I published these assuming that "little chat" meant just that. If it meant more, you are a thug.
8:03, I agree very few people know anything about Kraft or most of these people. But if he runs for Exec, it all comes out, the bad and the good. He has never faced a county-wide challenge.
Where did the 400 go ?
They get every other weekend off. It’s the main driver of mandates. End that. End the mandates.
Nobody is having a chat with Kraft. He can tornado kick you in the head before you’re within. 3 feet of him. Keep it civil please.
Then the schedule position numbers are wrong or unfilled. They should get every other weekend off unless it's a 12 hour shift. Then schedule needs to be designed to cover shifts it's quite simple
I would never advocate violence. I would confront him though. People like that are usually cowards and sing a different tune when confronted. Have some compassion for your fellow human being.
Why are the guards demanding AFSCME members leave AFSCME for other County jobs ? Doesn’t make any sense.
Kraft plays at Mr. Tough guy but has an ego as fragile as a creampuff. He is a big baby. He screams about rules but attacks and interrupts any who say what he or his boss Mclure don't like. He should never have been elected to county council as he is unable to vote his conscience only his instructions. He and the entire McClure crowd run the county like McClure's personal company. He lied about the CO's but that is what his assignment was. Poor Kenny does not understand that he will never be executive. Just like his idol McClure snubbed him for a cabinet position, the heir apparent is Barron. God save the Northampton County.
Advice to all corrections officers, and I am on your side.
Ever heard of Family Medical Leave.
Go to your physician and explain all the mandates are affecting your personal well being and I believe he/she will have no issue in signing the paperwork for your entitled leave. You can use this intermittently as well - 12 weeks worth.
County cannot deny or retaliate.
Surprised your union leaders didn’t suggest this
I’m concerned you might have been oxygen deprived ?
Do you charge the widower to cover his mandates or do you have a Get Out Of Jail Free card when you find your conscience ?
More pay on top of the Pay For Mandates scheme ?
There are plenty of people that help people out in there. You sound like one of McClure’s henchmen by saying this. Generalizing and punish the masses for the actions of few. Is this maybe one of McClure’s Labor relations officers posting this? Or detectives? Which is it?
They are not. They are stating that they should not be cast aside because of their membership in a particular bargaining unit. It violates HRC and policy.
@1250 sounds like some more admin BS. Why don’t you mention the 30-40% staffing shortage that’s been a constant for the last couple years?? Maybe it’s time the people responsible for staffing ALL county positions are held accountable for their shortcomings. Stop blaming the employees for your inability to do your job.
You in here Krafty? Seems like a lot of comments coming from a county Admin/HR perspective, or just serving their BS lines. Why don’t you tell them how you went from council to the jail (on an appointment from the exec) just long enough so you could collect a county pension? Oh and the part how you got ran out for some shady $h!t…just to go back to council to serve McClure. Don’t you ever get tired of being someone’s lapdog? Next time you are going to try to serve the county taxpayers lies about employees, maybe try mustering up the courage to do it to the faces of the employees at least. You are a coward and a tool, being used by those you worship. Trust me, when you have served your purpose, you too will be cast aside. Wake up and form your own thoughts and opinions for once.
They are denying that already. And the feds have the paperwork . Will see
@822 maybe you should ask the HR labor relations officers and prison admin if it was a problem when they were officers. They paid to get out of their mandates too. It’s just now that they are failing to staff the place, they are looking for something/someone else to blame for their failures. Smoke and mirrors.
Maybe Ken can take some more pictures on his phone??
They probably didn’t because it’s potentially a crime. It might be Theft of Honest Services ?
How much do you charge to work a new CO’s mandate ?
Nothing. Just like mentioned before. Stop trying to blanket punish the masses for the actions of few.
Hey why don't you ask the 2 labor relations HR ppl ,the deputy warden and the captains what they paid or got paid to work ppl mandates!!! Be careful when you throw rocks in glass houses
@1042 I can only assume that this is the same person posting this over and over as their response to everything. This leads me to believe that you have the reading and comprehension level of a toddler… or, you are just plain ignorant. This is an unfair generalization of an entire workforce based on the actions of few.
Nothing is wrong w/ the schedule. Administration can't hire new employees/keep them. This has been the case since they built the 1st new section. They built 2 new building and council only approved a 1 3rd of the COs needed to run them. You want to fix the hiring process, pay them.
Good idea. I wonder, did they also engage in a scheme to discourage the taking of voluntary overtime, so that the Pay for Mandates scheme could continue to thrive ?
Oh NO!!! We have the paperwork of the officers that went home FMLA. And the HR department and Administration is coming after them. As the supervisors were told by administration we are at war with the officers.
Had a administratior flat out day I don't care what the CBA reads. We are doing what we want. The Excutive has their back HR has their back and they are doing it with a smile.
Look at the home rule charter violation the COS brought to the attention of the council. But nothing will be done.
Who was making comments when that officer was speaking??? That sounded more like a GAGGLE!!!! Who was it Bernie? I saw the officer turn around and ask if someone had something to say???
Your answer is 100% YES. If they would staff the place even get close to staffing the place the mandates would dry up and ppl would take the volunteer OT. I know ppl that worked there when ppl would fight for OT. But when you have anywhere from 140 to 190 OTs a WEEK why take one when you're going to get mandated.
You have more OT then officers.
It's like giving gas and matches to an arsonist and say I had nothing to do with that fire....that's how foolish the HR and administrators are.
Cool. You agree the practice of requiring CO’s to pay you to work their mandates violates County policy ?
He's the last thing you need, he was awful for all!
K. Shultz is a retired CO and occasionally posts here using his own name. After he did so today, someone who is obviously allied with the administration attacked him but I decline to publish it unless this person identifies himself. Sculyz is neither an elected official nor a policy setter. He is a retired county employee. Though I may disagree with some of his points, he deserves a ton of respect as a person who served this county for many years. The personal attack is where Lamont goes wrong. People do not always agree with him even when he is correct. I am sure that can be frustrating when you have thoroughly researched an issue, but the worst thing his team can do is be combative. This has happened on all levels of county government and is a poor way to govern.
4:35, No way Steve Barron runs for Exec. He is a cabinet official and would have to take a major pay cut, something I don't see him doing. Nor should he.
11:37, I am sorry. I watched from YouTube and do not know who was making comments or if they were intended to disrupt the speaker.
Can you show the " Requirment" . Or is it a choice??? Sounds like the person can say no??? Right??
BO, at 9:30. You are so in love with McClure, even your criticism is laced with praise. You assume he is always correct, and his research is perfect. It is not. He and his team have not been truthful on many occasions. One of his and his gang's tricks is lying by omission. You hear what supports his cause but not things that do not. People can give you examples but one, you would not believe it and two, they fear you would tell McClure, Barron or another of the thugs and life would be hell.
Examples of something, Council passed an ordinance last year for some college reimbursement. Never implemented. When asked weeks back, McClure said it was hard and he would have the HR chief address council on it. As you would write, Crickets! If Keegan is so concerned about money and the county policy as she claims on her self-righteous Tik Tok, maybe she should put some attention on the failure of the executive to follow a lawful ordinance, as she does on attacking Hefner for him.
It is obvious he has assigned a few people to read every post on your blog and almost immediately reply to any criticism of him. Maybe you should bring that up as you have done with others. This is a mean and vindictive administration that has no regard for democratic principles of government. He worked to get rid of Houck, he is working to get rid of Greene and you know he is currently orchestrating attacks on certain council members who do not follow his orders. That is why he intends to oust them with his own handpicked ticket. He wants full control with no questions asked by anyone. Home rule has failed and instead of three commissioners we have one. Hail McClure, you know what happened to the Roman republic.
To the disgruntled CO's in Norco...come work in Lehigh, yeah the weekends are a killer for most, you can bid quickly and move up to a permanent weekend or partial weekend off...there are a ton of retirements right now and the time is right. You will get paid more too.
"Council passed an ordinance last year for some college reimbursement. Never implemented."
Actually Council adopted a 2024 budget amendment that set aside $500,000 for an employee student loan repayment program as a recruitment and retention incentive. It appears in the Human Resources operating budget as a miscellaneous employee benefit. It sounds like the administration and/or new Council has deliberately chosen not to implement the program. You need to raise the issue now because Mr. McClure is proposing to cut it from the 2025 budget.
Couple of thoughts. Barron is many things, but a thug is not one of them. Goths and Visigoths ?
If the County is not allowing employees with approved FMLA to utilize this benefit, I suggest to
Contact your County Council representative
Contact your State Representative
Contact your Senate representative
Get everyone involved. While the paperwork may be with the Feds, the more players in the game will hopefully get someone who will do the right thing and help.
Whether you like them or not, Scott Parsons and Susan Wild helped me in the past when I reached out to them.
Mental health is real and the County recognizes it in the formation of Mental Health Court
If mandates are affecting one’s mental wellbeing and the County is interfering in the approval of this benefit, it is a hypocrite and needs to end.
Paying to cover mandates is nothing new and should not even be something the County should be concerned with.
It appears the County is grasping at straws.
From one CO to another, Kraft needs a blanket party
Ken Kraft is council representative. Lol.
It is all McClure buddies. They don't care about the COS. Trust me.
There was a CO who took his life on New years eve. Not one administrator came in to see how the staff was. It was a holiday for them. They weren't gonna miss out on a day off.
Someone asked who was making comments while the officer was speaking?? I spoke to the officer. It was the county executive. Making comments. That is who he turned and looked at and asked him if he had something to say...
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