Employee Union: Low Prison Pay Jeopardizes Security
Leaders of the state’s prison employee union say that officials are leaving Texas prisons dangerously understaffed. On Wednesday, they renewed calls for better pay, noting that the holiday season is a particularly dangerous time in Texas prisons.
Prison officials agreed that staffing problems exist in particular units, but said that the facilities are secure.
“What has happened over the past several years is the Legislature hasn't kept up with cost of living for correctional officers,” said Lance Lowry, president of the Texas chapter of the American Federation of State County Municipal Employees, which represents prison workers.
The Texas ...
Comments (12)
Lori Trammell via Texas Tribune on Facebook
A lot of truck drivers looking for work....those with jobs haven't had a raise in a long time...all have seen income decrease .. Boo hoo. Public sector workers need to realize how sheltered they have been to the ecomonic realities.
Kat Lawson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
AFSCME is under the communist umbrella of AFL-CIO. Your site is down for maintenance so I cannot read the article. My guess is they'll be striking soon. They have international 'solidarity' agreements with other unions, who will strike, as well!
http://www.aflcio.org/About/AFL-CIO-Unions
Stanley Moore via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Being a member of the AFL-CIO doesn't make one a communist. Nor is the organization communist.
You are one ignorant person. Try reading a book or a newspaper.
Lori Trammell via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Strike. Remember the air traffic controllers? This would be a good time. Lots of folks looking for work and want to work.
Greg Ellis via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Comparing pay for prison workers to truck drivers is just ignorant. But if enough people leave the job at the prison because of low pay they will have to raise it; staying at the job and complaining just proves you aren't worth the money they are already paying!
Susie Martinez-Dominguez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Amazing how many experts who've never walked in these shoes are out on the Internet scene...
Anya Khan
Stanley, but the AFL-CIO is destorying businesses
Kat, your use of the distressed flag is tacky and wrong
Sam Davis via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Kat, you must work hard to be that ignorant and uninformed. It couldn't happen by accident. Thank God for all unions have done for real workers.
Bill Eaves via Texas Tribune on Facebook
You have to compete.....you can't fault a person for taking a better paying job.......
sally brown
I do believe in pay raises, but I also know this probably will not happen,and any raise will be taken by federal taxes and insurance a known fact by my past experience. The Legislature meets this year, I suggest changing pay to twice a month, offering during "turn out" counceling on budget management,
being able to carry over from year to year holiday and comp. time. When a person works as public employee,it is automatic you hold two jobs or have a spouse working receiving pay weekly or twice amonth.All State Agencies hurt for employees. The prison system probably has the youngest, and to retain these young employees,these suggestions should at least be tried and given a chance. If you question officers who quit why most say the rank,look at managment, your Wardens and their management style.So many areas to assess.
Matt Taylor
This article has been linked on thejavelina.com
David Spratt
If the private sector pays better,, then why belong to a union? Does not seem it is doing them much good ,, but then again if they joined the ranks of the drivers they ought to know the rules for working are what the company tells you they are. There is no union steward to cry to. The " Higher pay" they are talking about also requires many more hrs of work.
The majority people working in the oil and gas business work a minimum of 12 hrs per day and quite a few work 15 hrs or more. This is the standard for the industry.
Drivers routinely work 70 hrs a week or very close to it to earn slightly above the maximum pay mentioned in the article.
The grass is always greener elsewhere ,, until you get there and find out it is just about the same as where you came from. Realize that most of the people paying your salaries have not had raises either,most have seen their income decline, and many of them are unemployed. Go to Austin and get in line, it looks to be getting longer by the day.
Maybe striking is the answer?
Did not work out to well for the Twinkie bakers, but maybe you will have better luck?