It’s been a busy year of bargaining with the Department of Corrections. In addition to ongoing negotiations over your 2015-2017 collective bargaining agreement, your Union has filed demands to bargain over a number of important issues that impact Teamsters at the DOC.

FILING A DEMAND TO BARGAIN

Your Union can issue a demand to bargain whenever the Department contemplates making changes to your wages, hours, or working conditions. So if you suspect changes are being made without the Union’s knowledge, be sure to inform your Business Representative immediately.  This holds true for Teamsters in other sectors as well.

To initiate bargaining, we follow a standard procedure as outlined in the contract. Once we learn of the Department’s intent to make changes, your Union has 21 days to file a demand to bargain. The Department must respond to our request by scheduling a time to meet, also within 21 days.

The following represents a partial list of demands to bargain filed by your Union this year. All issues below have led to extensive bargaining with the Department:

• Classification Counselors working out of class - statewide
• Roster management policy - statewide
• Specialized units staffing policy - MCC
• Regionalized pharmacy proposal - statewide
• Closed loop food service and food factory - CRCC
• Custody staff working as paint supervisors - CBCC
• The reallocation of Psychologist positions - MCC
• Issues related to e-cigarettes - WSP
• The opening of the 256-bed Williams Unit - WSP
• IMU polo shirts - AHCC, CBCC, MCC, SCCC, WCC, WSP

Again, if you are uncertain if an issue at your facility warrants a demand to bargain, contact your Business Representative. It’s likely that if it is an issue for you, members elsewhere in the State may be affected as well.

For updates on many of the issues listed in this article, visit the DOC facility news section of your Union's website.