Judging from the vote for SWFD commissioners I think people are not comfortable with the foxes guarding the henhouse.:shock:
Walton Deputies To Unionize.
- Thread starter Bob Wells
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To Sheriff-Elect Mike Adkinson Jr.
And also to our new President Barack Obama
While I am pro union, and always will be, I wish Sheriff Adkinson the best and hope he can make this department all it can be, regardless of how the union vote goes.
I wish Trooper Griffith the best, and hope he will continue to be an inspiring precense to law enforcement in Walton County.
Back to business......Glenn Hess....new State Attorney for the 14th circuit to the east of us. A good man. Endorsed by the Police Benevolent Association and aggresively campaigned for. When a candidate backs law enforcement through the PBA, they return the favor with money for an aggressive campaign and an endorsement.
The PBA endorsed Danny Griffith for Sheriff, but did not aggressively campaign for him. Once the union is in place, we WILL be more aggressive politically in this county. The PBA has millions of dollars to assist pro-police politicians secure offices at the local, state and federal levels. On the other end of the spectrum...the PBA WILL agresively oppose anti-police politicians and legislation. The more officers involved in the PBA locally, the more the State Office of the PBA takes notice.
VOTE PBA!
Where do these millions of dollars come from? Dues from members who struggle to make ends meet. It would seem more prudent economically to give the new guy a chance before you invest that kind of money.
To Sheriff-Elect Mike Adkinson Jr.
And also to our new President Barack Obama
While I am pro union, and always will be, I wish Sheriff Adkinson the best and hope he can make this department all it can be, regardless of how the union vote goes.
I wish Trooper Griffith the best, and hope he will continue to be an inspiring precense to law enforcement in Walton County.
Back to business......Glenn Hess....new State Attorney for the 14th circuit to the east of us. A good man. Endorsed by the Police Benevolent Association and aggresively campaigned for. When a candidate backs law enforcement through the PBA, they return the favor with money for an aggressive campaign and an endorsement.
The PBA endorsed Danny Griffith for Sheriff, but did not aggressively campaign for him. Once the union is in place, we WILL be more aggressive politically in this county. The PBA has millions of dollars to assist pro-police politicians secure offices at the local, state and federal levels. On the other end of the spectrum...the PBA WILL agresively oppose anti-police politicians and legislation. The more officers involved in the PBA locally, the more the State Office of the PBA takes notice.
VOTE PBA!
Looks to me that Mike didnt need the PBA to win this election, and I doubt he will 4 years from now...
Where do these millions of dollars come from? Dues from members who struggle to make ends meet. It would seem more prudent economically to give the new guy a chance before you invest that kind of money.
IDELWIND I AGREE....
Cracks me up, PRO POLICE... how can he say that just because they are not about getting in a union right now that RJ backs, that they are not pro police.. Vote againt PBA... GIVE MIKE A CHANCE... HE DESERVES THAT....
ff2 you agree that they should hold of on doing the contract, but its kinda hard to vote yes on this union when the PBA rep that talked to our group clearly stated to us, and i quote "we are pushing this to get done before Jan 1st." Now come on... what would you do ? Doesnt that scream shady as heck to you... This is the MAIN reason that most deputies are weary of this union. Not because they dont want one, we just dont want RJ having anything to do with the contract, and that is FAIR... I can agree that chances are that it wont happen before the first, but as shady as things have been around this PBA doings, I dont trust it.. I just wish they would of waited to start the whole blue card issue when Mike came in who CLEARLY stated he would not have shot it down, if its what the deputies wanted. I am all about self protection. I realize he may be the best sheriff in the world, but he may not always be the sheriff, I simply dont want RJ to have any doings in the contract, and thats what the PBA rep Mayo stated to our group.... And if your going to start a union and do it in the best interest of all deputies, then why not have a meeting. Pass out blue cards to ALL deputies.. Talk to them ALL. Tell them ALL what it is about, not just select few like what was done. Simply put it was done so wrong that it has made too many too scared to trust.
I think that given the chance the new guy will do right by the deputies with or without a union. Of course it is not my career.
It definitely should be held up until after January.
It definitely should be held up until after January.
Just FYI.
WCSO unionization still moving forward
By ALICIA LEONARD
The vice president of the Northwest Florida Chapter of the Police Benevolent Association (NWFPBA), Alan Miller, spoke with the Defuniak Herald this week about the controversy surrounding the possible unionization of the Walton County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) during the last weeks of outgoing Sheriff Ralph Johnson's term.
Miller spoke on where the union process was and how the new sheriff might be involved with the process. "There are two separate issues. Joining is as simple as filling out and sending in a application. To start collective bargaining process, members of the department in question request us to come and get blue cards signed. A blue card is a form that is required by Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC) to establish that there is enough interest to warrant an election. By signing a card, they are saying that they would like to bring it to a vote to have collective bargaining or not."
Miller continued, "We have had more than enough respond that they are interested in the union. The cards they signed that signaled their interest are now in the hands of PERC. They decide how the different levels are set up between supervisors, employees, rank and file, as such, as well as oversee the election on whether or not to unionize."
Miller said that a deputy may want to be a part of the union for "job security and legal protection. We have been able as a group to assist many officers with disciplinary problems, officer-involved shootings, in-custody deaths. Many times, the officers involved in these situations is forgotten about. We provide him or her with an attorney, staff rep and many times members of our NWFPBA board respond to assure that all officers involved are okay and that their Police Officer Bill of Rights are not violated. By saying 'job protection,' when writing a contract, you are able to include checks and balances that level the playing filed for both the employee and the sheriff."
Many have feared that the involvement of the union would hamper a newly-elected sheriff, but Miller said that this was not the purpose of the union. "We would welcome the involvement of the newly-elected sheriff. We don't know how long it will take to get everything lined up for the vote, so, we hope that the new sheriff can be a part of the process."
Miller laid to rest the question of who approached the NWFPBA about possibly moving to union status. Miller said that deputies from the WCSO first approached the union. He said the rumors that Sheriff Ralph Johnson approached him are "not true," but that Johnson seems "agreeable" to the idea.
Democratic candidate Danny Griffith has been endorsed by the NWFPBA. Miller said the choice to endorse was due to the fact that, "Danny has had a great career has a trooper and has been a member of the PBA for many years. He contacted us and we were proud to help him with a endorsement."
Miller said the cost of being a member of the union will be $34 per month and he plans on meeting with the WCSO deputies in a few weeks. "We are not coming in and asking for outrageous salaries or anything like that," Miller continued. "We are community-based and our members are a part of the community. We just want to be able to provide them with a little security."
WCSO unionization still moving forward
By ALICIA LEONARD
The vice president of the Northwest Florida Chapter of the Police Benevolent Association (NWFPBA), Alan Miller, spoke with the Defuniak Herald this week about the controversy surrounding the possible unionization of the Walton County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) during the last weeks of outgoing Sheriff Ralph Johnson's term.
Miller spoke on where the union process was and how the new sheriff might be involved with the process. "There are two separate issues. Joining is as simple as filling out and sending in a application. To start collective bargaining process, members of the department in question request us to come and get blue cards signed. A blue card is a form that is required by Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC) to establish that there is enough interest to warrant an election. By signing a card, they are saying that they would like to bring it to a vote to have collective bargaining or not."
Miller continued, "We have had more than enough respond that they are interested in the union. The cards they signed that signaled their interest are now in the hands of PERC. They decide how the different levels are set up between supervisors, employees, rank and file, as such, as well as oversee the election on whether or not to unionize."
Miller said that a deputy may want to be a part of the union for "job security and legal protection. We have been able as a group to assist many officers with disciplinary problems, officer-involved shootings, in-custody deaths. Many times, the officers involved in these situations is forgotten about. We provide him or her with an attorney, staff rep and many times members of our NWFPBA board respond to assure that all officers involved are okay and that their Police Officer Bill of Rights are not violated. By saying 'job protection,' when writing a contract, you are able to include checks and balances that level the playing filed for both the employee and the sheriff."
Many have feared that the involvement of the union would hamper a newly-elected sheriff, but Miller said that this was not the purpose of the union. "We would welcome the involvement of the newly-elected sheriff. We don't know how long it will take to get everything lined up for the vote, so, we hope that the new sheriff can be a part of the process."
Miller laid to rest the question of who approached the NWFPBA about possibly moving to union status. Miller said that deputies from the WCSO first approached the union. He said the rumors that Sheriff Ralph Johnson approached him are "not true," but that Johnson seems "agreeable" to the idea.
Democratic candidate Danny Griffith has been endorsed by the NWFPBA. Miller said the choice to endorse was due to the fact that, "Danny has had a great career has a trooper and has been a member of the PBA for many years. He contacted us and we were proud to help him with a endorsement."
Miller said the cost of being a member of the union will be $34 per month and he plans on meeting with the WCSO deputies in a few weeks. "We are not coming in and asking for outrageous salaries or anything like that," Miller continued. "We are community-based and our members are a part of the community. We just want to be able to provide them with a little security."
Not True?
Who approached PBA? If it was an employee (notice, I did not say "deputy", thus implying a supervisor...), who was it? I bet it was someone very, very close to Ralph;-). Someone who'd do his bidding for him, even if it meant stabbing a fellow officer between the shoulder blades (We do know what you've done...). That narrows the list down a bit, doesn't it folks?
Who approached PBA? If it was an employee (notice, I did not say "deputy", thus implying a supervisor...), who was it? I bet it was someone very, very close to Ralph;-). Someone who'd do his bidding for him, even if it meant stabbing a fellow officer between the shoulder blades (We do know what you've done...). That narrows the list down a bit, doesn't it folks?
Who approached PBA? If it was an employee (notice, I did not say "deputy", thus implying a supervisor...), who was it? I bet it was someone very, very close to Ralph;-). Someone who'd do his bidding for him, even if it meant stabbing a fellow officer between the shoulder blades (We do know what you've done...). That narrows the list down a bit, doesn't it folks?
Mr. Miller responded in the article that is was more than one, as such, he used the term Deputies.
B.s.
OK, thanks for that info. "Deputies" is a catch all word. I still bet my money on my hunch. But, I've been wrong before... rarely.
Mr. Miller responded in the article that is was more than one, as such, he used the term Deputies.
OK, thanks for that info. "Deputies" is a catch all word. I still bet my money on my hunch. But, I've been wrong before... rarely.