LIVE OAK COUNTY, Texas — One privilege of being an American is the right to speak your mind. A couple of Three Rivers Prison correctional officers are voicing their concerns with the president’s exclusion from Federal Labor Management Relations Programs executive order.
The executive order issued by President Donald Trump was signed on March 27th. It excludes federal agency unions, including those associated with the Bureau of Prisons, by removing collective bargaining rights for employees.
Caleb French and Justin Gonzalez are correctional officers at the Federal Correctional Institution Three Rivers. They are also with the Council of Prison Locals Union C-33.
French said the executive order from the president, “would take away the employees voice - in essence. Everything we do, everything that we've done is all taken away. All the agreements are taken away. Along with that we're one of the main ones that report the waste, fraud and abuse."
French has been a correctional officer for 13 years. He’s also the Council of Prison Local Union C-33 president.
"Imagine dedicating your career to public service, Law Enforcement and keeping prisons safe, only to have your voice in the workplace silenced overnight," French told KRIS 6 News. "That’s exactly what the Exclusions From Federal Labor Management Relations Programs Executive Order will do by eliminating collective bargaining for Federal Law Enforcement Officers in the Federal Bureau of Prisons.”
The correctional officers said unions work with prison management on safety procedures needed at prisons nationwide.
"So, there's a lot of procedures and practices and equipment that we've able to get because of the union,” French said.
The union works hand in hand with management, making sure the officers are treated fairly, schedules and hourly wages, and most importantly, safety and collective bargaining.
"Safety equipment. Things like - we got the vests. We've had officers in the line of duty killed. The vests, chemical agents, things that like that. That was all brought on from the union fighting for that,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez has been a correctional officer for nearly 15 years. He wanted job security and the prison is in his own backyard.
The officers told Neighborhood News reporter Melissa Trevino the prison employs about 250 people who live in Live Oak, Nueces, even as far as Bexar County.
"People that might have to find other jobs. Move away. Some people take the job here, they move here,” Gonzalez said.
Because the Bureau of Prisons is nationwide, Gonzalez said people could move to find a better job. He’s heard some employees talking about retirement.
If they move, Gonzalez said, the impact will be felt in the small towns that make up the county. Kids could be taken out of schools and small business could lose customers.
"It's hard to get people to work in a prison to begin with. Taking away all these agreements that we have that help benefit - not only - staff but management too. It's going to cause more shortages not only here but nationwide,” French said.
They have reached out to government representatives in hopes they can help.
These law enforcement officials said without a union umbrella, prison employees may get seriously hurt, physically and fiscally.
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