Union leaders say cuts could affect security

May 2, 2008 (Orient) - Union members who work in the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction today participated in the 2008 Ronald C. Marshall Award ceremony recognizing correctional employees statewide.

Ironically, the annual awards ceremony takes place just weeks after the announcement that 701 employees would be laid off in DR&C.
 
“Union members appreciate the recognition DR&C employees receive during this week for performing some of the state’s most dangerous work, however, we feel that the appreciation should be shown not only in words but in deeds,” said Corrections Assembly President Charlie Williamson, a union leader with the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association.
 
Top union officials employed in DR&C are indicating that front line employees are shouldering the unfair burden of cuts in order to shore up a state budget shortfall and maintain a bloated management structure, which could put security at risk.
 
Statewide, approximately 300 of those positions will come from the prisons’ rank and file who are members of OCSEA and include such security positions as Sergeants and Training Officers. Also included in the list of jobs being cut are Secretaries, Food Service Workers, Health and Safety Coordinators and others.
 
While the state claimed they were approaching the cuts in such a way as to improve efficiency and protect safety and security, the union feels the cuts were done to protect the management structure. In many cases the duties of the lower paid bargaining unit members were moved to higher paid management positions.
 
The union was unhappy with the number of cuts being directed at front line staff, particularly those that could affect security, including health and safety and training officers as well as others that provide important services to operate the facility.

“We are finding that there are a number of positions being eliminated that are raising concerns about health and safety. Frankly, we were surprised by both the numbers and the potential impact,” said OCSEA Executive Director Andy Douglas.
 
In spite of these concerns, the union hopes that the numbers of employees that will ultimately be affected by the cuts will be minimal.

However, there are still a lot of questions concerning how many vacancies DR&C management intends to fill that could reduce the numbers affected.

See Related

Members to protest prison job cuts outside of BeCI

Agreement signed to save jobs in DR&C

Layoff Resources

State Budget