10/1/08 LABOR MANAGEMENT

Present:  Comm. Harold Clarke , Dep. Comm.Ronald Duval, Dep. Comm.Veronica Madden, Dep. Comm. James Bender, OER Jeff Bolger, Director Karen Hetherson,  Director William Dupre, Director Diane Silva

• 1. Compas - President Cutting submitted a Demand to Bargain to Commissioner Harold Clarke.

President Cutting stated that the info that we got from PCC is that it is taking 2 hours per inmate.  7-8 yrs ago when we brought this up we had no idea that this would be the impact.  We were worried about privatization and since then we have gotten many extra duties - duties that we did not have when we agreed to this.  Dep. Comm. Duval stated "you asked for it and I told you before to tell us what you have that you are not supposed to do.  Your workload hasn't been changed, the process has been changed."  Diane Silva will meet with you privately to roll out the whole Compas system.  It will assist us in case management and is a tremendous opportunity.  Some of the duties will be streamlined.

Diane Silva stated that staff at PCC have been doing great.  She is aware of the time issue and she thinks it is coming from the CRPU piece.  She states that by testing it at PCC, they are almost treating it as a reception site which is different from what they are used to.  Usually the vast majority of the criminal history is already compiled before an inmate gets to PCC.  Largely, it will be done at the reception site and that portion will populate at all subsequent institutions.  She states that the Risk/Needs takes factors that relate to risk to recidivate and risk of violence and customized it to MA.  First it identifies medium to high risk and then if then a needs assessment will be completed on those inmates scoring medium or high on the risk.  She states that the needs will pinpoint on a scale and determine programming.  John Cunningham asked if when Walpole becomes the reception center and they therefore need to do full boards, would the Compas be done at MCI CJ or at the receiving site?  Diane Silva stated the risk would be done at the reception site.  All the CPO would need to do would be to click a button to calculate the risk and then the program plan would come from the receiving institution.

Laurel Donnelly asked if we are going to have all the programs that they will be assessed for available.  Diane Silva stated that we can create more programs once we see the true needs of the offender.  Ernie Wessell stated that a lot of money and effort has been spent but asked what incentive there is for the inmate to participate in programming.  Dep. Comm Veronica Madden stated that that is where the skills that the membership has to motivate and explain how going to programs will help them in the community.  Certainly goodtime is a motivation but the motivational interview techniques are needed.  Sometimes you need to balance what you want the inmate to do and what the inmate is willing to do.  We will also try and engage the families.  We have had feedback that families want to be involved.

• 2. Transfer MOU and Swap Agreement- Jeff Bolger gave the MOU and Swap Agreement to President Cutting to review. President asked why they chose not to modify the agreement to allow more than 1 swap? Dep. Comm Ron Duval stated that they didn't choose, they want President to review it. "If you want to change it, put something on the table." President Cutting stated "so our reward for reducing sick time is what?" Ron Duval stated that in general, he does not see a need to change the number of swaps. He has heard no complaints about the current system. Laurel Donnelly stated that she thinks there have been issues that management has not heard about. We keep hearing about the "other bargaining units" when are you going to recognize our unit as a separate entity? Dep. Comm Ron Duval stated that once they soften up the process, it is hard to reign it back in again. He then stated, "I understand how you feel and if you put something on the table we will consider it. We have made a policy decision not to approve 2 swaps.

3.         Alternative Work Schedules - Dep. Comm Ron Duval stated that they have reviewed the workgroup's findings and they will get back to us.  President Cutting asked if the union could see the findings of the workgroup.  Comm. Harold Clarke stated that that is an internal document.  President asked if we could get a timeframe for getting back to us.  There are requests that have been sitting on Supt's desks for over 5 weeks.  Dep. Comm Ron Duval stated that they did not ask Supt's to not act, they asked them not to change their practice. Whatever we agree to will be agency-wide.

4.         CPO Vacancies   -  President Cutting stated that it was mentioned at the staffing meeting that there were 13 vacancies.  Do you know where they are?  Can you email me the vacancies?  Karen Hetherson stated she would.  Ron Duval stated that there are 19 scheduled to enter the academy on Monday.  President asked when the PDCU staffing study would be completed.  Veronica Madden stated that she believes that there are 2 more institutions to do (Shattuck and Old Colony).  After that they will review the PDCU's findings and then they will discuss them with the union.

• 5. Sex Offender Unit - President Cutting asked what management was going to do about the CPOA/B from that unit who took a SMCC promotion but was allowed to stay in the Sex Offender Unit. Dep. Comm Ron Duval stated that that decision would stand. Veronica Madden stated that the Sex Offender Unit is now under Carol Mici. ( President Cutting has submitted to the IBCO Attorney an Unfair Labor Practice Charge for review. The Charge will be filed shortly.)

• 6. Demotions - Officers transferring from CO to CPO have taken a cut in pay and it is being referred to as a demotion. Jeff Bolger and Karen Hetherson stated that that is in the collective bargaining agreement. Dep. Comm Ron Duval stated that if the agency has latitude in that area, he would like to talk about it. President Cutting stated that given the requirements for a CPO (requiring 2 yrs experience or a degree) and the fact that there are no requirements for a CO, it seems wrong.

• 7. Parole - Harold Clarke stated that there is a meeting with Parole that is tentatively scheduled for 10/9/08 at 9am. President Cutting and Laurel Donnelly will be attending.

• 8. Recruit Training - Dep. Comm Ron Duval stated that there has been conversation with respect to continuing firearms training for CPOs. Ammunition has gone up and in the last class there was a CPO who could not pass. According to the requirements that person should have been fired. Since CPOs don't carry firearms, that would be foolish to do. There is a need for more CPO duties in the academy. Bill Dupre stated that they are developing that module now. This is going to be the first class without firearms training. CPOs are better served to have training that relates to their job duties. President Cutting stated that the union would like to see firearms training stay. In the Civil Service job specs one of the requirements is the ability to get a firearms license. It will also be more difficult for CPOs who transition to Cos. Veronica Madden stated that she has an issue with training a CPO on something because they might become a CO. As far as eligibility requirements it says ability to obtain, you don't have to be trained to be eligible. But that being said, if you didn't meet the requirements, you probably would not meet the hiring requirements either. Bill Dupre stated that CPOs will never handle a firearm, they will never fire one, why train them? Harold Clarke stated that one of the biggest downfalls has been that people don't want to change. We are not going to do something just because. There has to be a good reason.

• 9. Inservice training - There is an 8 hour course on use of force that includes a hands on component. The rest was classroom learning based on the new regs. We decided for CPOs that we would do a modified program on use of force (8 hrs). We didn't include defensive tactics. We included case management. President Cutting stated that the union's objection is that there have been multiple reports of us being involved in incidents and if we saw an incident and didn't respond, we would be suspended and it does say that we have to be trained in use of force. Ron Duval stated that yes there is a possibility that we might be involved in an incident but asked what the probability is. Is it needed annually? President Cutting said that it is. Bill Dupre stated that there is usually such a small number of CPOs in the class anyway that they could adjust to give the CPOs hands on. Is the union satisfied with that? President Cutting asked Bill Dupre to show him what he was going to do and then he would decide.

• NO MEETING SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER - DOC STATES SCHEDULING CONFLICTS