Letter from the President Options

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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT


Dear Members,

As you look across the state at our pay and benefits you are correct if you say we are doing well compared to some other counties and even other states. Nobody blames you for not thinking about the future. Today is hard enough to deal with, right?

Well, the future is at the door. You will blink your eyes and those babies you are holding will be wearing caps and gowns and will be getting married. The days go by in a blur and as you are working and keeping our citizens safe, the world outside is constantly changing and the local politics will be changing as well.

We are all justifiably proud of our rankings as a well paid department but we are one sheriff election, one court term, and one stiff political wind away from being on the other end of the pay scale. Politicians come and go. What is up one day is down the next. We need to take the time to think about the future and what it means to our families.

Some of the old folks used to say they were one paycheck from homelessness and I assure you that the economy is slowing, unemployment is growing (84,000 jobs lost last week) and you and I are at the mercy of a good sheriff and a benevolent commissioner's court. Just up the road the McLennan County Commissioners have already privatized one jail and voted to privatize another jail that is being built. CLEAT has managed to come in where there was no union at all and save 250 jobs. We could be next. We currently have no employment rights that would give us a place at the table with the political decision makers in the future. Whether it is next year or two years from now, we need to make sure we are treated fairly and equitably in the workplace. Collective bargaining is the only avenue for us to protect ourselves and our families.

The TCSOA board has voted to pursue collective bargaining to protect our jobs and our families future. Over the years our association has spent valuable time trying to gain meet and confer rights to no avail. We need to use the heavy voter turnout this November to make sure that the issue of collective bargaining gets on the ballot for next year.

The political winds are blowing hard and one thing we do know—there will be a heavy voter turnout this presidential year. So, regardless of which way you decide to vote this election is our best chance to get the signatures to get collective bargaining on the ballot and make history in Travis County. We have two weeks to get 1000 more signatures.

All over the state counties officers are taking advantage of collective bargaining. El Paso Co. recently signed a 5-year contract. Jefferson Co. officers received a 32% raise and Nueces Co. recently finished their first contract. We need collective bargaining here!




President
James Hodge
president@tcsoa.org

This post has been edited by TCSOA Web Administrator: Nov 13 2008, 06:33 AM