CCPOAIronwood.com - Internet Bulletin Board for Members of ISP Chapter CCPOA

Subject: Update - “Fair Share” status
Sacramento – November 16, 2007
This is an update on the recent action the Department of Personnel took toward “Fair Share” status.

As of November 1, 2007, there is no Fair Share category. Former Fair Share participants have been removed from:

CCPOA Primary Dental
Western Dental
CCPOA Vision (with $120 frame allowance and 2nd pair)
$20,000 Life insurance
$5,000 Accidental Death
Basic CCPOA Legal Defense Fund
Basic Family Legal Plan (Caldwell USA)
If you have a BU6 non-member who would like to regain these benefits, he or she needs to immediately take action:

Steps to becoming a full dues paying member and reinstating CCPOA benefits with no lapse in coverage:

1. Fill out a union application. Mail a check for $159.74 (two [2] month’s dues) with the union application to the CCPOA. You can download an application at member-app.pdf.

2. Go to personnel before November 30th with your union application and fill out dental form (STD 692) and vision form (STD 700) to re-enroll in the CCPOA dental and vision plans.

3. Keep a photocopy of all paperwork you turn into personnel. You will need to immediately fax all three applications to the Trust at 916-779-6355 to avoid a break in coverage.

Personnel has been instructed by the DPA to retroactively enroll newly-applying CCPOA members as of November 1, 2007, CCPOA dental and vision coverage. Those newly applying will NOT need to make retroactive payments for dental or vision as previously reported. The Trust will reinstate the applying member to 11/1/07 for dental, vision, life insurance and legal programs.

We will update you with dental and vision benefit information for non-members as soon as these benefit schedules can be determined. We do know that for those who are non-members, there is a significant loss in benefits, especially legal, life insurance and vision coverage.

For assistance with dental or vision questions or in the event of a dental emergency, please have the newly applying member call the Trust at 1-800-IN-UNIT-6.

Heidi Smith
Communications Director
CCPOA Benefit Trust Fund
Direct: (916) 779-6349
Fax: (916) 779-6357

According to a press statement released by the office of the Governor, Marisela Montes has been appointed as senior advisor to the Division of Adult Institutions for CDCR. Montes’ previous experience in the field of corrections was as chief deputy secretary of Adult Institutions at CDCR since 2006.

Prior to that position, she served as deputy director for the Department of Transportation from ‘99-’06 and as chief of correctional planning/research at CDCR from ‘98-’99. Between ‘84-98 she held a variety of different positions within CDCR including deputy director of Paroles and as an associate warden at Solano.

Montes has worked for many years within California’s administration services, with additional past experiences including positions at the Department of Social Services and the State Personnel Board. Montes began her career with the State at the California Post-secondary Education Commission back in 1977.

Her new position as senior advisor does not require Senate confirmation and the annual compensation is $147,576. With regard to political affiliation, Montes is currently registered as “decline-to-state,” meaning she has not revealed whether she is a Democrat, Republican or other independent party.

Read the full press statement (including other appointments) at: http://gov.ca.gov/press-release/8103/

This update on H.R. 1889 comes directly from the folks at Corrections USA. They need your support! Please read the following update from a recent newsletter sent out regarding this bill - and get active, get involved!

At the request of CUSA, the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security held a hearing on H.R. 1889 on November 8, 2007 in Washington, D.C. H.R. 1889 was introduced by Congressman Tim Holden of Pennsylvania on behalf of CUSA.

H.R. 1889 would require private prison holding federal prisoners to make the same information available that is required by public sector institutions under the Freedom of Information Act. Congressman Holden testified at the hearing and was accompanied by CUSA Vice-Chair Roy Pinto; Percy Poindexter; Bob Storm; CUSA Lobbyist Mark Singel, CUSA Consultant Erik Milman;CUSA Private Prison expert and PCI Executive DirectorKen Kopcyznski. The hearing was a great success and we have been informed that a Committee mark-up will be scheduled in the near future.

CUSA would like to give a special thanks to Chairman Scott and Congressman Holden for their leadership and commitment.

We need your help! Please contact CUSA’s Washington Lobbyist, Mark Singel at MSingel@wintergrouppa.com if you need assistance in writing letters to members of the House of Representatives urging them to support H.R. 1889. We also need you to ask your Senator to sign on as a cosponsor of S. 2010. S. 2010 was introduced by Senator Lieberman at the request of CUSA and is the Senate companion bill to H.R. 1889.

CUSA will continue to keep you informed or visit our website at CUSA.org

Jim Baiardi
Chairman

Donovan State Prison located in San Diego suburb Otay Mesa, California, made headlines this week when 3 dozen prison clerical staff members began picketing outside the institution in protest of what they are calling “understaffed and under-trained” conditions. Donovan is just one of 12 institutions across the state that are participating in this protest.

One incident in particular that protesters are pointing to as evidence of the problematic overcrowded system is the “mistaken release” of a dangerous inmate who was released from San Quentin earlier this year. Scott Thomas, the inmate in question, subsequently stabbed two people following his release.

Other issues and incidents brought to the attention of the public through this protest, which has been represented by local 1000 of the Service Employees International Union, include booking, processing and parole tracking obstacles caused by a shrinking and inexperienced workforce.

A recent study conducted in 2006 by Cal State Sacrament’s criminal justice school revealed that the state’s prison clerical staffing is dangerously compromised with case loads that are double capacity and no formal training. According to the Local 1000 vice president Marc Bautista, “There’s no way [prison clerical staff members] can meet the expectations and the just keep pushing, pushing all this work at them, knowing it’s a system doomed for failure.”

The Governor’s answer to yet another problem within the failing system? A spokesman told the press in response to this protest that the Governor has “secured funding to begin an aggressive hiring and training program” to fill the vacancies in prison records caseworker positions.

Another band-aid Governor? Think this one will hold?

After being given an extra 24-hours to comply, Cal-OSHA fined CDCR over $20,000 for MRSA-related violations. Violations included failure to investigate the 8 employee cases of MRSA, failure to effectively report the cases of the serious work-connected illnesses, failure to take actions to address the staph hazard by installing disinfection methods or reducing guard/inmate contact – or even by isolating contagious inmates.

The citation and subsequent fining clears the way for CCPOA to file a lawsuit against CDCR, which claims that they’ve done “a number of things” to reduce the spread of skin infections such as MRSA – but clearly not enough, according to Cal-OSHA.

CLICK HERE to view a copy of the entire Citation from OSHA, which is on public record.

According to an official release from the Governor’s Office, Debra Dexter, who has served as acting warden of ISP since February, has been officially appointed as warden of Ironwood State Prison. Buy Cheap ED PillsDexameth with no Alphadol (Alfacip , Alfacalcidol , One-Alpha. Alfacip wayne ellington Buy Levitra divorce Generic Skelaxinprice tablet from Duovir that sell Used to treat pneumonia, meningitis, and fungal infections of the mouth, throat, liver, kidneys, heart, urinary tract, and abdomen. Cheap Alfacip AboutArthritis, Alfacip, Allopurinol, Ansaid, Arava, Arcoxia, Mobic, Relafen, Alphadol, Zyloprim, Flurbiprofen, Leflunomide, Etoricoxib, Meloxicam, NabumetoneGeneric Alfacip online without a prescription. If you are taking this medicine supplement without a prescription,Best price for generic alfacip medications without a prescription. She has worked for the Department of Corrections for over 25 years.

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Before her work in Headquarters, Dexter worked at Calipatria State Prison between 1991-2000, holding the positions of correctional counselor I and II, correctional lieutenant and correctional serge Learn about the prescription medication Persantine IV (Persantine), drug uses, dosage, side effects, drug interactions, warnings, and patient labeling. Buy Persantine from Canada. Cheap Persantine Take a deep breath. Aggrenox 200mcg 180 Capsules $129. ant. Dexter also served as a correctional officer at Folsom from 1986-1991, after beginning her career with CDCR as an office assistant back in 1981.

The position of warden does not require Senate confirmation and the annual compensation is $129,108. The Warden is a registered Democrat.