Oklahoma Corrections Professionals

In recent weeks the legislature has begun to consider a one-time, $750 bonus for state employees.  The Oklahoma Corrections Professionals applauds those lawmakers who acknowledge that Oklahoma’s public servants have gone far too long without an increase in pay.  We frequently hear them touting a desire to run our state agencies like private businesses: efficient, outcome-oriented, with maximum productivity as a goal.  Considering the double-digit cuts in agency budgets in recent years, it is fair to say that the vast majority of agencies have tightened their belts to the very last notch.  We’re functioning at lower staffing levels and higher productivity per worker than ever before.  If the goal was to shrink government - mission accomplished!

Now that we are clawing our way out of the economic depression and revenues are rising, albeit slowly, in the right direction, it is time to consider how to responsibly use these new resources.  Enter the one-time $750 “bonus” for those employees who weathered the storm, avoided the layoffs and mandatory retirements, endured the furloughs, and now have a larger workload than anyone in their position ever.  OCP STRONGLY URGES OUR LAWMAKERS TO ADOPT THE FOLLOWING FISCAL POLICIES:

1) Make the $750 Bonus a Permanent Raise

Things are looking up in this state.  If Oklahoma can financially afford the $750 per state employee this year, it will be in an even better position to afford it next year and the year after that.  If we can acknowledge that our state employees work hard enough to deserve an addition to their paycheck this year, they’ll deserve it just as much next year.  And if we aspire to mirror the private sector, we must admit that few companies would maintain a quality workforce today if all they had offered their employees since 2006 was a one-time $750 bonus and no actual pay raise.

2) Show Our Gratitude: Give the Bonus to Those Who Furloughed

The budget cuts were so detrimental to several agencies that our state used employees’ paychecks to pay its bills.  When the state hires you, you are told what you’ll be paid.  It’s not a great salary, but it’s supposed to be a dependable one, at the least.   In the past three years, Oklahoma reneged on some of those agreements.  Many employees were doing the same work they had always done, and, in fact, even more considering staffing decreases, but their employers told them they had to relinquish part of their paychecks in order to pay the agency’s bills.  The Pardon and Parole Board, Department of Corrections, Department of Libraries, and even the employees of the Senate all faced this ultimatum in the past three years: take a cut in pay or try to find work elsewhere.  Many refused and sought other employment or retired earlier than planned.  Many denied the state’s request for more work, more overtime, and less pay.  But those who did stay are our state’s most devoted public servants.  They not only helped us weather the horrible budget crisis, they helped us come out on the other side a leaner, more efficient state.  Now that the crisis is behind us, we should convey our gratitude.  THIS is the type of gratitude that should be expressed with a one-time bonus.  OCP implores our lawmakers to thank any state employee who endured months of slashed paychecks with a one-time $500 bonus.  It won’t make up for the thousands of dollars their families were forced to do without, but it will be an admirable showing of our gratitude for their devotion to our state. 

One of OCP’s missions is to improve the working conditions of the corrections field.  To that end, we compiled a list of the most frequently requested policy changes suggested by our members and submitted it to agency leadership.  We have begun meetings to discuss these suggestions with DOC decision-makers with the hope of making progress on those issues we can all agree would be beneficial.  If you would like to get involved in this process, serve on an advisory committee to help work toward accomplishing any of these goals, or just give us your opinion or recommendations, contact OCP today!

Oklahoma Corrections Professionals, the association representing Department of Corrections and Pardon and Parole Board employees since 2008, is speaking up regarding the OKC Fox25 reports on employee misconduct within Joseph Harp Correctional Center.  OCP neither condones nor defends the actions of those who succumb to the many temptations placed upon correctional staff on a daily basis but wants to remind the public that the vast majority of staff, both at Joseph Harp Correctional Center and statewide, are dedicated to their mission of protecting the public.

OCP President David Ramsey said “Although this is not at all a regular occurrence, staff do sometimes fall prey to offender games, tricks and manipulations.  As long as there is any human element involved these incidents will unfortunately continue to occur.”  Founder and board member William Weldon further stated, “You have to keep in mind the type of people this agency is tasked with supervising.  It shouldn’t be a surprise that crimes are sometimes committed in prisons, but we devote every day to ensuring they occur as seldom as possible.”

There are many factors, both internal and external, that can lead to staff being compromised. Internal factors may be as simple as staff supervising some of the most manipulative people on earth.  Another factor is that with severely understaffed facilities, and cutbacks in the area of agency training, new employees are sometimes placed on the job for months before they ever receive essential training.  External factors relate to DOC staff being some of the lowest paid state employees in the nation.  With no pay raises since 2006, then a full year of furloughs in FY11, the vulnerability of some staff due to personal financial hardships is increased.  While this is no excuse for breaking the law, it is a factor that can’t be ignored.  A scandal such as this one might lead one to surmise that hiring standards for employees in this field should be raised to ensure the most qualified individuals are chosen.  This is a proposition that OCP supports, but again, with the present pay scale and staffing levels, the agency doesn’t necessarily have that luxury. 

Amanda Ewing, OCP Executive Director, aptly compared corrections to utilities.  “No one worries about the electricity or water until you turn it on and it doesn’t work.  It is the same with corrections.  If there are no escapes, riots or news of correctional staff gone bad, corrections is out of sight and out of mind. We need to quit waiting for problems to occur before we take the necessary measures to prevent them.”  Even during Governor Fallin’s State of the State address yesterday she addressed the need for more State Troopers, but Correctional Officers in facilities already staffed below 69% was unfortunately not mentioned.

OCP hopes to provide a reminder that in the midst of this scandal, nobody is discussing the amount of time the vast majority of those in corrections field are doing the right thing (i.e., preventing escapes, quelling disturbances, discovering contraband and filing felony charges, etc.).  OCP and the employees of the DOC support the efforts to discover and prosecute those rare few who are breaking the law and creating a less safe environment for everyone. 

Last week, the U.S. 10^th Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in OCP v. Jackson, the case that will determine whether the 2,000 member requirement for payroll deduction is constitutional.  The hearing went very well, but it could be up to five months before the court issues its decision.  In the meantime, OCP must narrow its focus to make the most of the resources we have.  We have temporarily suspended the legal representation program for employee grievances. When we win the case and voluntary payroll deduction is reinstated, we’ll be back up to full-speed.

In the meantime, know that this legislative session OCP will continue to be present at the Capitol fighting for you.  There are MANY bills that will affect you this session and we’ll be sure the legislators know where you stand on them.  A legislative update outlining bills you’ll want to watch is coming soon. 

Thank you to the loyal members who continue to support this association with your monthly dues.  It is because of you that we have the resources to continue advocating for corrections employees this year.  

To sign up to pay your membership dues using our secure online system click on the tab on the left that says "Pay Dues With Paypal", or you can mail your check to OCP at P.O. Box 57652, Oklahoma City, OK 73157. 

It's true. OCP may be in its final days of existence. As it stands now, we only have days left until your association is no longer. Since we dropped below 2,000 members and lost payroll deduction, we stopped receiving membership dues in October. Dues are the means by which we fight for pay raises and better retirement at the Capitol, keep communications open state-wide via the website, emails, and newsletters, employ staff to negotiate with agency leadership to improve working conditions, and provide legal representation to those employees with legitimate grievances.

This is it. If you want an association representing only you and doing all of those things and more, then we need you now.

 There are two things you can do to keep OCP alive:

 1)   Continue paying your membership dues by either using the “Pay Dues with Paypal” link to the left, or mail them to P.O. Box 57652, Oklahoma City, OK 73157. OCP still has a lawsuit pending claiming that the 2,000-member requirement is unconstitutional. But the decision on that case won't be made until next summer and OCP won't be around then unless our members show their support by continuing to make financial contributions.

 2)   SIGN UP A NEW MEMBER!  If every OCP member would recruit one person to join the association, we would not have to worry about the 2,000-member requirement.  To help with recruitment, we are offering a "SAVE OCP" membership rate of $2.50 per month to those people who aren't currently members but are willing to get on board to reinstate our payroll deduction. Your $2.50 dues will go entirely to the memorial foundation and while you won't get all of the benefits of full membership, you'll ensure the association stays alive. Click herefor the online membership application or find it using the “Become a Member” link on the left of this page.