Pension Change Announcements to be made today

Governor Quinn will be making his proposed changes to the State Retirement Systems public today. We are not certain how specific he will be in what he announces today. However, there is a working group of Legislators and Unions that have been meeting with each other and the Governor's office and NO AGREEMENT HAS BEEN MADE. We do not understand why he is making this announcement today because the Committee that he assigned to meet with the Unions has not reached an agreement with the Unions. Do not be alarmed at this point.

REMEMBER- THE STATE CONSTITUTION DOES NOT ALLOW FOR LESSENING THE BENEFITS. ANY CHANGES MADE MUST BE CONSITUTIONAL.

NO PENSION CHANGES MAY BE MADE WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY!

THE PROBLEM WITH THE PENSION SYSTEM HAS BEEN CAUSED BY THE STATE'S FAILURE TO MAKE PAYMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW!

ANY CHANGES MADE TO THE PENSION SYSTEM THAT ARE NOT DEEMED CONSTITUTIONAL WILL BE CHALLENGED BY THIS UNION AS WELL AS THE OTHER UNIONS.

The purpose of this email to keep everyone informed. We are constantly working behind the scenes and on the front lines to protect your rights.

 

Written Testimony - Closure of Dwight Correctional Center

March 27, 2012

Senator Jeffrey Schoenberg

Representative Patricia Bellock

Co-Chairs

Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability

703 Stratton Office Building

Springfield, IL 62706

Re:       Written Testimony- Closure of Dwight Correctional Center

Dear Senator Schoenberg and Representative Bellock,

Please accept this communication as my submission of written testimony on the above referenced closure which will be heard by the Commission on April 4, 2012. The proposed closure of Dwight Correctional Center is of great concern to Laborers’ International Union of North America, Local 2002, Illinois State Employees Association and the Union members, employees at the facility who will be laid off or transferred.

It is on behalf of all of the affected employees at Dwight Correctional Center that we urge this Commission not to support the closure of this facility. Dwight currently houses female inmates in a maximum security level facility. The inmates at Dwight are those that create a serious safety issue to the employees and inmates at the other two (2) female correctional facilities. Dwight is a place to send the most serious of female offenders. Besides that, there are only three (3) female institutions in total. According to Department of Corrections’ plan, they intend to move the female inmate population from Dwight and put them in Logan Correctional Center, currently a male institution and move the male population to Lincoln Correctional Center. However, Lincoln currently houses female inmates which would mean that the females currently at Lincoln would all have to be relocated between Logan and Decatur Correctional Center. The entire female inmate population, approximately 2700, in the State would be divided between two institutions. This is terribly problematic. Furthermore, Lincoln Correctional Center cannot house all of the inmates from Logan Correctional Center which means the overabundance would have to be distributed amongst the other already overpopulated male facilities.

In addition to the reasons stated above, staff at Logan Correctional Center, which is currently housing male inmates, would have to go through a series of training as the training for male facilities and female facilities is extensively different. There is also the additional cost to Logan which is not now equipped to house female offenders. Logan’s budget would need to increase substantially to accommodate the incoming female population.

Furthermore, Dwight Correctional Center has a large medical center, hospice and a mental health facility to service the large population of female inmates. They also have staff and training in place for those offerings. The same is not true at Logan Correctional Center. Logan does not have hospice or a mental health facility and does not have contracts in place and staff to deal with the issues of hospice and mental health.

By closing Dwight Correctional Center, the Agency will now only have two facilities between which they can transfer female inmates. Currently, when a problem arises with a female inmate they are immediately transferred to another female institution. If the female inmate is involved in a problem at that institution there is currently a third option. In addition, for all female inmates there is the threat of going to Dwight, the only maximum security facility for female inmates. Like Tamms Correctional Center, Dwight is often used as a deterrent for female inmates who would likely otherwise create safety issues but for the threat of a maximum security setting.

Dwight Correctional Center is vital to the employees across the State whose daily safety is at risk, especially with options- only two female institutions- are so limited. It is imperative that this Commission think first of the safety of the employees and the inmates across the State of Illinois. We implore you on behalf of the employees across the State not to support the closure of Dwight Correctional Center.

Sincerely,

Steve Ruiz

President, LIUNA, Local 2002, ISEA

Cc:          COGFA Members and  Dan Long, Executive Director, COGFA

Written Testimony - Closure of Tamms Correctional Center

March 27, 2012

Senator Jeffrey Schoenberg

Representative Patricia Bellock

Co-Chairs

Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability

703 Stratton Office Building

Springfield, IL 62706

Re:       Written Testimony- Closure of Tamms Correctional Center

Dear Senator Schoenberg and Representative Bellock,

Please accept this communication as my submission of written testimony on the above referenced closure which will be heard by the Commission on April 2, 2012. The proposed closure of Tamms Correctional Center is of great concern to Laborers’ International Union of North America, Local 2002, Illinois State Employees Association and the Union members, employees at the facility who will be laid off or transferred as well as the employees at other institutions where the population of Tamms will be absorbed.

It is on behalf of all of the affected employees at Tamms Correctional Center that we urge this Commission not to support the closure of this facility. Tamms was built with a specific need in mind- to house inmates that provided a serious safety issue to the employees and inmates at other correctional facilities. To every end possible, Tamms is fully accomplishing its intended purpose. Tamms is a place to send the most dangerous of inmates- inmates who posed risks to other inmates and employees at other institutions. No other facility has the means to accomplish the same level of security that Tamms was specifically assigned to These inmates are responsible for destruction of State property, injuries and deaths to other inmates, and injuries to employees working within other institutions. Tamms is the only Super-Max facility in the State. Besides housing the most dangerous of inmates it is also an effective deterrent for other inmates across the State. The very threat of being removed to Tamms has the ability to deter dangerous behavior from other inmates. When those threats are ineffective then Tamms becomes the institution that provides the relief of safety issues for other institutions.

By closing Tamms Correctional Center, the State will not only be removing the most effective deterrent to attacks and destruction of property in other institutions, but it will also be releasing the most deadly and formidable inmates back into those institutions. These inmates will be released back into inmate populations where they have already proven their capacity for menace and destruction. The safety of other inmates and especially for the employees that are charged with the duty of daily dealings with the inmates will be in great peril due to the lack of deterrent and the addition of these deadly inmates into the population. The inmates who were previously on death row are housed at Tamms.

Tamms is also located in an already severely economically depressed area. By closing this facility the State would be slashing approximately 300 jobs resulting in an uprising of unemployment in an area where jobs are already scarce. In such a time as this it is critical that employers such as the State find other ways to cut costs, not by cutting jobs. It is vital to this State that jobs are saved, not eradicated.

Former Government officials, former Agency officials, and politicians have spoken out against the closure of Tamms as well. They are right. The closure of Tamms would be detrimental to the community in Southern Illinois, the employees and inmates across the State of Illinois and the State itself.

Tamms Correctional Center is vital to the employees across the State whose daily safety is at risk when such abhorrent and heinous criminals are amongst their institutional populations- just ask the employees who were there before Tamms was built. It is imperative that this Commission think first of the safety of the employees and the inmates across the State of Illinois. We implore you on behalf of the employees across the State not to support the closure of Tamms Correctional Center.

Sincerely,

Steve Ruiz

President, LIUNA, Local 2002, ISEA

Cc:          COGFA Members

                Dan Long, Executive Director, COGFA

Written Testimony - Closure of IYC Joliet Correctional Center

March 27, 2012

Senator Jeffrey Schoenberg

Representative Patricia Bellock

Co-Chairs

Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability

703 Stratton Office Building

Springfield, IL 62706

Re:       Written Testimony- Closure of IYC Joliet Correctional Center

Dear Senator Schoenberg and Representative Bellock,

Please accept this communication as my submission of written testimony on the above referenced closure which will be heard by the Commission on April 4, 2012. The proposed closure of IYC Joliet is of great concern to Laborers’ International Union of North America, Local 2002, Illinois State Employees Association and the Union members, employees at the facility who will be laid off or transferred.

It is on behalf of all of the affected employees at IYC Joliet that we urge this Commission not to support the closure of this facility. IYC Joliet currently houses the most at-risk and oldest youth offenders in the State. These are also the offenders with the most long term and repeated criminology in the State. However, IYC Joliet has been an active leader and has efficiently promoted and advanced pro-active measures to reduce recidivism, youth on youth assaults, and youth on employee assaults. Through the exceptional work of the employees at IYC Joliet they have also seen fewer incidences requiring use of force, use of restraints, and use of confinement. Bottom line- IYC Joliet is getting the job done and accomplishing the real goals of the Agency.

By closing IYC Joliet, the Agency will have to distribute the offenders back into other youth centers from where they have likely been taken due to escalated incidences. The strides that IYC Joliet employees will have made with this special group of youth will be diminished with their return to centers with other offenders that they may have had issues within the past.

It is imperative to vote against the closure of this youth center where they are specialized in taking care of the most dangerous youth offenders, striving toward turning around the future of this special group of youths. IYC Joliet is vital to the Agency because of its special strategies and efforts designed specifically with this particular group of youths in mind. It is of the utmost importance that this Commission consider first of the safety of the employees and the youth offenders across the State of Illinois. We implore you on behalf of the employees across the State not to support the closure of IYC Joliet Correctional Center.

Sincerely,

Steve Ruiz

President, LIUNA, Local 2002, ISEA

Cc:          COGFA Members

                Dan Long, Executive Director, COGFA

Lawsuit, Negotiations, Closures, and Pension Reform Update

WAGE INCREASE LAWSUITS PENDING

The lawsuits filed on behalf of our bargaining unit employees affected by the State's decision to refuse to implement wage increases are still pending as of this time. When the Court decides the outcome on one case before them it will ultimately affect all other cases. As soon as anything is ruled upon we will notify you via email, this website, and our Facebook page. Please be sure to check all resources available.

We also have a pending Unfair Labor Practice before the Illinois Labor Relations Board. In December of last year the State filed a Motion to Defer the unfair labor practice to the grievance-arbitration process. For many reasons, including that one grievance has gone through arbitration and the State refused to comply with the Arbitrator's decision, we objected to the Motion. We are awaiting a ruling by the ILRB on the Motion. The Board had previously filed a complaint for hearing and we anticipate that when the ILRB finally rules that it will move forward with a hearing. We will announce the Administrative Law Judge's decision on the Motion on this website, via email, and on our Facebook page. Please check all resources.

NEGOTIATION DATES ARE SET

Our staff attorney has been working on proposals for the various bargaining units based upon issues that arose via grievances through out the existing contract terms as well as based upon feed back received from contract survey forms submitted by bargaining unit members. If you have any additional issues you wish for us to address during contract negotiations, please email us at isealaborerslocal2002@gmail.com and put in the subject line "Proposal Suggestions".

We are also working on putting together a negotiations committee for the various bargaining units. If you are interested in participating, please contact us via our email address and put in the subject line "Negotiations Committee" and your respective bargaining unit number: DNR employees- RC-104; CMS Auto Shop supervisors and Dept of Ag Meat and Poultry Inspector Supervisors- VR-106; all other employees (DOC, ISP, DJJ, IDFPR, DHS, Dept. of Revenue, etc.)- VR-704.

VR-704 Negotiation Dates: April 17-18, 2012- at these initial meetings we will be submitting our proposals and explanations but there will be no negotiating at those meetings. Therefore, our staff attorney and Vice-President will attend to present our proposals and answer questions. The next scheduled sessions will involve the negotiation team.

VR-706 Negotiation Date: April 24, 2012

RC-104 Negotiation Date: We have offered dates and are working on finalizing the first session.

Please check back for updates. As the negotiations get under way we will be utilizing this website, Facebook, and email to keep you updated on the status of negotiations.

FACILITY CLOSURES UPDATE: HEARING DATES

Following is a list of hearings set by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA)

Tamms C.C.- April 2, 2012, 12pm, Shawnee Community College, Ullin, IL
IYC Joliet- April 4, 2012, 10am, Joliet Community College
Dwight C.C.- April 4, 2012, 4pm, Dwight High School

We will keep you updated as we learn more information. As you may already know it has been announced that the following facilities will be closed on the corresponding dates:

DOC- Tamms C.C. and Dwight C.C.- August 31, 2012
DJJ- IYC Murphysboro and IYC Joliet- July 31, 2012

Please contact your local representatives to get these closures stopped. We must all band together to support one another in such times. If you need information on how to locate your State representatives, please contact us at our email address: isealaborerslocal2002@gmail.com

Please keep checking back for new updates.

PENSION REFORM UPDATE:

At this time we are aware of nothing new being introduced or proposed regarding legislation that would change the pension structure for State of Illinois employees. When we do receive an update we will announce it on this website, the Facebook page and via email.


PLEASE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION CURRENT WITH US. WE SEND EMAILS TO OUR MEMBERS TO NOTIFY THEM OF IMPORTANT MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS AND OTHER ANNOUNCEMENT THAT AFFECT YOU.

If you are not receiving our emails please email us at isealaborerslocal2002@gmail.com and put in the subject line "Information Update" so we can be sure we have all of your current contact information. If you are on Facebook, please like our page from the link on this website and follow us.

Closures Announced for DOC and DJJ

We were notified by Central Management Services that the Governor would be announcing closures that will affect some of our members in Department of Corrections and Deparment of Juvenile Justice. Within DOC, the State has determined to close Tamms Correctional Center and Dwight Correctional Center. Within DJJ, the State has determined to close IYC Joliet and IYC Murphysboro.

We fully intend to fight these closures and in the event that the closures move forward we will strive to ensure that no one is laid off. In the event of closure we will enter into negotiations with the State regarding the effects on the bargaining unit, layoff plans, and the possibility of transfers to other facilities. As you may be aware, we have had vacancies posted throughout the State that may be an option for those possibly affected.

It is our hope to stop these closures. You can help start the fight by contacting your local legislators to voice your opposition to these closures. We will do everything we can on this end to fight these closures and possible layoffs of our bargaining unit members.

Membership Meeting

ISEA, Laborers' Local 2002 will hold a quarterly meeting open to all members in good standing on Saturday, February 25th at 11am. The meeting will be held at the ISEA Office located at 2945 Stanton, Suite A Springfield, IL 62703. If you have any questions or need directions, please contact the office at 217-585-0802. We hope to see you there!

ISEA, Laborers' Local 2002 Board & Staff