Posted on 04/21/2011 7:54:09 AM PDT by SmithL
Gov. Jerry Brown has axed cellphones, sold off state cars and canceled state swag orders.
Clearly, this is a governor who knows the value of symbolism. But did he miss an opportunity to score a few more points with the labor deal he closed last month with the state's correctional officers?
The contract – already controversial because it didn't hit savings targets that Brown agreed on with the Legislature – includes "fitness incentive pay." It's the kind of benefit that makes members of the public roll their eyes: an extra $780 to $1,560 a year for correctional officers who submit to a physical exam.
Then-Gov. Gray Davis first negotiated the payment as a substitute for what was called "bouncing for bucks," running and jumping tests to measure employee fitness.
CCPOA members with fewer than five years on the job received an extra $65 per month for passing the test. Their senior colleagues received $130 per month.
If correctional officers failed, they had 60 days to get in shape and try again.
Davis phased out the tests for CCPOA in 2002, replacing them with the annual medical exam. The pay stayed the same.
Bouncing for bucks was the norm in public safety for many years. Some union contracts still require it, including one now covering the state's game wardens and park rangers.
But many government agencies stopped the reviews because employees injured themselves either preparing for the tests or taking them. The California Highway Patrol, for example, used to test employees but stopped in the mid- 1990s for just those reasons. The state rolled the money into officers' base salary.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
yes, i listened to kfi am discuss what comrade brown gave the prison unions and it’s disgusting.
some will retire with payouts of a $100k from accumulated time off.
gov davis was unelected because of his gifts to the prison union.
schwartzpuker couldn’t deal with them.
Brown proudly gave the keys to the State to the Unions back in the ‘70’s. Today he is polishing the keys for them.
Heck, Lt. Gub. Gastric Nuisance is seriesly considering moving to Texas, things are going in the dumpster so fast out here.. (I wish.)
Voters won't take back the state even if you could get an initiative on the ballot.
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