Board Members
				Charles Davis
				Mike Eivens-Proxy
				Leslie Lentz
				Ralph Ray
				Karey Wilkinson
				Sonny Carothers
				Pam Hand
				John Roberts Secretary/Treasurer
				Eric Palmer
				Nancy Linear
				Dwayne Hart
				Keith Walburn
				Kim Ferguson
				Danny Patterson-Proxy
				Ed Tourville President
				R.D. Bell
				Terry Dare-Proxy
				Charles Payne
				Jim Darling Vice-President
				Vacant
				Vacant

Legislative Update
By Cynthia Gross    Thu, February 4, 2010

In response to interest expressed by our members, we are posting a list of bills being proposed by MoCOA during the current legislative session. In addition, we are posting the names of the legislators supporting our cause by sponsoring these proposed bills. As the bills progress through the House and Senate, we will post further information.

HB 1597: This is legislation proposed to make starting salaries for state corrections officers 75% of that earned by a post probation Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper 1st Class. If enacted into law, this should automatically provide raises for corrections officers each time state troopers are awarded a pay raise. This bill is being sponsored by our long time supporter Representative Bill Deeken of Jefferson City.

HB Number Pending: This proposed legislation would make it a Class D Felony for an inmate to provide false information against a corrections staff member which could lead to the employee being implicated in a crime. This legislation is being sponsored by first term Representative Linda Fischer of Bonne Terre, member of Corrections and Public Institutions Committee.

HB Number pending: This legislation would extend the allowed recovery time due to a work related injury from six months to one year, allowing DOC employees to retain employment for up to one full year. This is sponsored by Representative Chris Molendorp of Belton, member of Corrections and Public Institutions Committee.
[This legislation is currently on hold pending consideration by the department to address this in policy rather than through law.]

HB 1598: This bill would prevent DOC from forcing officers to “burn” comp time during the same week in which it is earned. Currently, many institutions are using this tactic to prevent officers from obtaining the time and one half to which they are entitled. This bill is also being sponsored by Representative Bill Deeken of Jefferson City.

These are the bills on which we and your lobbyists have been working during the past several months. While many other ideas have been proposed in addition to these, at this time we feel this selection has the most support and the best chance of becoming state law. Thank you for your ideas and input. If you would like to help your Association continue to make strides which improve salaries, benefits and working conditions, we urge you to contact your Senators and Representatives and ask for their support on these bills.  If you have any questions, please call us toll free at 866-346-6262.

Gary Gross, Executive Director
Missouri Corrections Officers Association

Suspension of Deferred Compensation Match
By Cynthia Gross    Thu, February 4, 2010

Yesterday, February 3, 2010, we became aware of the state’s intention to suspend the matching funds, or “employer incentive” portion of the State of Missouri’s Deferred Compensation Plan for all state employees. This means while you will still be allowed to contribute a portion of your salary to a savings plan for retirement, the state will not be matching any portion of your contribution. At this point, the cut is effective beginning with the March 31, 2010 paychecks and running until June 30, 2010. It has not been decided if this will be temporary or if it will continue through next year’s budget (FY2011).
This decision was made by the Office of Administration’s Division of Budget and Planning which works directly under Governor Jay Nixon. The reason cited for the cut was, “…expenditure restrictions necessary to balance the state budget.” We fully understand the severe budget constraints faced by the State of Missouri during these most challenging economic times. However, we feel there are other areas of the state budget which could be curtailed without denying state workers this very important benefit. For this reason we are diligently working with Missouri’s Senators and Representatives in an attempt to restore this portion of our compensation package.
If you have any questions or concerns, we urge you to contact Governor Jay Nixon at 573-751-3222 (phone), 573-751-1495(fax) or visit his website at   http://governor.mo.gov/. If visiting the website, go to the bottom and click on the CONTACT US tab to voice your opinion. It may also be helpful to contact your Senator and Representative regarding this matter.
As always, if you need to speak to us directly, please call toll free at 866-346-6262.

Gary Gross, Executive Director
Missouri Corrections Officers Association

Interviews For Job Bids
By Cynthia Gross    Mon, June 15, 2009

Recently we have received calls from NECC and ERDCC concerning interviews being conducted for bid positions held by Corrections Officers. We believe this practice to be in violation of the agreement between MOCOA and the Department of Corrections. The agreement (Article 8) is very clear as to the criteria for which the bidding process is supposed to be followed. Nowhere in that agreement is there any form of interview process mentioned. The agreement states the jobs will be posted and bid on by officers and awarded on (A) Seniority, (B) the ability to perform the duties of the posted position and (C) the performance appraisal. This issue is currently being challenged by this office through the grievance process as well as communications with Central Office. Anyone wanting to file on this practice regarding having to interview for job bids please contact our office at 573-634-7951 and we will be happy to assist you in the process.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
By Cynthia Gross    Wed, April 22, 2009

The Missouri Corrections Association (MoCOA) announced today, April 21, 2009, they have filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cole County against the Missouri Department of Corrections. The suit, presented by MoCOA's attorney John Landwehr, of the Jefferson City law firm Cook, Vetter and Doerhoff, alleges the Department is in violation of the current Agreement entered into and ratified by the two parties on February 1, 2007.

The portion of the Agreement in dispute is Section 7.9 which states the Department will provide fourteen (14) days prior notice before scheduling mandatory compensatory time reduction. MoCOA contends the Department is routinely forcing officers to work beyond their regularly scheduled shifts due to staff shortages. While staff shortages at state prisons are an immediate threat to public security, it is understandable additional officers would be held over to compensate for the understaffing. However, the Department then compels these same officers to take an equal amount of time off during the same work week in order to avoid accumulation of overtime. This practice effectively eliminates any overtime to which they would otherwise be entitled.

Gary Gross, Executive Director of MoCOA, has brought this situation to the attention of the Director of the Division of Adult Institutions. The Director has denied MoCOA's demand the Department honor the terms of the Agreement.

MoCOA is recognized as the exclusive bargaining agent for the State's approximately 4,800 correctional custody staff (primarily Corrections I and Corrections Officers II) by the Missouri State Board of Mediation. This Agreement is pursuant to State Statues Section 105.500-105.530 RSMo and is available for viewing at www.mocoa.com.

For more information you may contact the Missouri Corrections Officers Association at 573-634-7951 during normal business hours.

OVERTIME ISSUES
By Cynthia Gross    Fri, March 20, 2009

Dear Members,

I am sure that most of you are aware of the Departments overtime issues regarding the payment of compensatory / overtime. The Department has now decided they will force employees to take time off during the same week the officer works in excess of their assigned shift in an attempt to avoid this time becoming overtime.

We at MOCOA feel this is a direct conflict with the Bargaining Unit Agreement between MOCOA and the Department of Corrections section 7.9. This section states "Employer will provide 14 days prior notice before scheduling mandatory compensatory time reduction".

Policy definition of compensatory time - a code 2 employee works in excess of an assigned daily shift, but has not physically worked in excess of 40 hours during a standard work week.

Anyone wishing to challenge being forced to work overtime and then being forced to take the time off in the same week to avoid this time becoming federal overtime should file their grievance based on the above information. If you need assistance please give us a call at 573-634-7951.

We have turned this issue over to our Association Attorney John Landwehr to address on our behalf.

Gary D. Gross