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Prison Guards Seek Schwarzenegger Recall

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 10:17:43 PM EST
Tags: Arnold Schwarzenegger (all tags)
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The California Prison Guards Union is seeking to recall Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

It sounds like the guards want a pay raise. Gov. Arnie isn't fazed:

"I'm not going to get intimidated by those guys," Schwarzenegger told reporters in the Capitol on Monday after a ceremony honoring California's Olympic medalists. "The state should not spend more money than we take in, and their intimidation tactics will not make me change my mind whatsoever, because I happen to not represent the CCPOA. I represent the people of California."

The guards need a million signatures to get the recall on the ballot.

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    Prison Guards Seek Schwarzenegger Recall | 25 comments (25 topical)

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    I ain't signing it (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by coigue on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 10:24:33 PM EST
    Those guards have too much power and prisons have too much of the budget here as it is

    An abuse of the recall (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by shoephone on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 10:33:01 PM EST
    Recalls are for public officials that have violated serious ethical or legal codes. Not giving in to a union is no basis for a recall.

    tell that to gray davis (5.00 / 3) (#5)
    by ChuckieTomato on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 10:43:05 PM EST
    As if that wasn't an abuse of the recall by republicans and enron.

    Parent
    That was an abuse as well. n/t (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by shoephone on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 10:44:16 PM EST


    Parent
    Arnold and the prison guards (5.00 / 1) (#14)
    by domerdem on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 11:37:56 PM EST
    richly deserve each other

    well (none / 0) (#3)
    by AlSmith on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 10:40:23 PM EST

    Did the union spokesman really cite as a reason for the recall that there is a budget deficit and that the prison guards arent being paid enough? How can you reconcile those two things?

    Also it seems like the union has collected $4M too much from its members. If they are that concerned about their members financial well being their should rebate them the dues.

    That's what I was thinking (none / 0) (#7)
    by nycstray on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 10:46:17 PM EST
    they are going to spend 4mil to 'maybe' get pay raises when they get a new guy elected?

    Ok.

    Parent

    theyre getting minimum wage now (none / 0) (#23)
    by bigbay on Tue Sep 09, 2008 at 01:02:59 AM EST


    Parent
    CPOA bargaining unit is not theonly (none / 0) (#4)
    by oculus on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 10:42:18 PM EST
    one working for several years w/o a contract. They do have the most clout, though.

    This is True (none / 0) (#8)
    by Jane in CA on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 11:09:27 PM EST
    They do have the most clout, though.

    Just about the only thing I give Schwarzenegger credit for as governor is breaking the hold of the CPOA -- they still remain the strongest labor union in the state, but much of their power has diminished under this administration --that has a lot to do with the union's own overreaching, but Schwarzenegger took advantage of the situation very nicely to dilute their power.

    I am pro-union, by the way, but the CPOA was using its power to abuse prisoners and render the system unaccountable. There is a reason the California prison system is in receivership today.

     

    Parent

    The entire CA Dept. of Corrections (none / 0) (#10)
    by oculus on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 11:26:39 PM EST
    & Rehabilitaion is not under a federal court order.  The medical division is.  

    I don't agree the CPOA "was using its power to abuse prisoners."  Did definitely use its power to put a lid on accountability.  

    Parent

    Yes (none / 0) (#18)
    by Jane in CA on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 11:57:48 PM EST
    I should have noted that the receivership was due to the abysmal failure of the system to respond to prisoner's medical needs

    As to abuse of prisoners, you and I will simply have to agree to disagree on that issue, I think.

    Parent

    We'll probably have to agree to disagree (none / 0) (#19)
    by oculus on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 11:59:44 PM EST
    on the need for the receivership also.  I wish my HMO was a responsive to my every complaint as the medical system of CDCR usually, but not always, is.

    Parent
    I agree the CPOA is too big for their (none / 0) (#17)
    by hairspray on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 11:52:41 PM EST
    britches, but I think Arnold needs to go.  He used his popularity in a GOP led recall and now he is as bad as the man he replaced.  Our tax system needs to be redone.  We need to reinstate the license tax (on a more green level) and tax the weight of the cars with exceptions for some industries. Then we need to rework proposition 13 so that commercial interests pay their fair share.  (later the residential rates can be adjusted so that everyone pays equally rather than how long you have owned the house) and finally we need to charge an oil cap fee for all of the oil pulled out of our ground like the other oil producing states do. This is called tax reform and Arnold is a Republican and reneged on most of his promises. He wants to cut old and poor in his budget rather than take the courageous path and fix the system like he said he would. Additionally,  he did not take money out of politics, indeed he has made it worse. He needs to go.

    Parent
    Prop. 13 is probably still (none / 0) (#20)
    by oculus on Tue Sep 09, 2008 at 12:01:42 AM EST
    sacrosanct.  Despite the no-budget crisis, the Gov. seems to enjoy some bipartisan support.  

    Parent
    I read yesterday somewhere that (none / 0) (#25)
    by hairspray on Tue Sep 09, 2008 at 02:17:06 PM EST
    Schwarzenegger has about a 30% popularity these days.  Not too many democrats like him anymore with those numbers. As for proposition 13, no one has tried to sell the commercial taxation issue.  The governor should take that to the people.  We need a governor who explains the need for tax reform.  In the end it takes the pressure off the state with all of these parcel taxes and sales taxes.  But a Republican governor will not do that.  Arnold has made a few popular decisions on the environment and a few other things but they are not the big ticket items.

    Parent
    the prison guards (none / 0) (#9)
    by Turkana on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 11:10:10 PM EST
    are maybe california's most powerful special interest. they are largely responsible for california's prison building boom. they are not our friends.

    State sentencing laws applied by state (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by oculus on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 11:28:57 PM EST
    court judges to persons convicted of violating state law is responsible for the need for more space to house state inmates.  Plus court orders re overcrowding.  Well, plus parole violations resulting in return to state custody.  

    Parent
    prison guards also have lobbyists (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by ChuckieTomato on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 11:33:01 PM EST
    which is where this type of legislation originates.

    You can't blame one or the other, since both are responsible.

    Parent

    If there was a dirth of convicted, (none / 0) (#13)
    by oculus on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 11:35:53 PM EST
    sentenced-to-state prison inmates, no amount of CPOA lobbying would spring money from the Legislature for new prison beds.

    Parent
    Which came first? The law or the law breaker (none / 0) (#22)
    by ChuckieTomato on Tue Sep 09, 2008 at 12:58:19 AM EST
    There can't be a crime unless a law is violated. So there will never be a scarce supply of inmates.

    Thank you lobbyists.

    Parent

    Here are some stats to ponder (none / 0) (#15)
    by befuddledvoter on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 11:38:40 PM EST
    Roughly one out of 10 California prison guards was paid more than $100,000 last year, fueled largely by a jump in overtime.  That is about 2,400 guards.  Also, 1 in 5 guards at San Quentin made over $100,000 per year.  Data is from 2006.

    What do these guys want???  

    Note, the same problem in Mass.  We have the highest paid correctional officers in the country. They have one of the strongest and oldest unions in the state.  Now factor in their benefits and pensions and their pay is incredibly high.  They make more than most in the highest echelon of our Executive Branch.  Many make more than our judges.

    They always make more than any of the attorneys taking criminal or civil appointments on indigent cases and those attorneys get no benefits.

    What is wrong with this system????  Makes me furious!!  Let them try to recall their Governor.  CA should publish what the actual expense is per guard vs. any other group in the state.  I really doubt the citizens will be receptive.  If I were advising them, it would not be to be so public in this.    

    In part, I see it as the effect of (none / 0) (#16)
    by oculus on Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 11:51:22 PM EST
    where the state prisons are located.  For example, the only state prison in LA County is in Lancaster.  Many of the state prisons are in quite isolated areas of the state, such as Imperial County.  Even though the incoming correctional officer is likely to have a high school diploma and possibly some military experience, they are not highly-educated.  But, the union is strong and the areas are remote.  Most correctional officers are not originally from the community where there work place is located.  

    Parent
    With respect (none / 0) (#21)
    by Jane in CA on Tue Sep 09, 2008 at 12:09:20 AM EST
    I do not believe that the location argument is a strong one. If location was an issue, there would not be hundreds more aspiring state prison guards than there are jobs. In fact, one might look upon the location issue as a bonus -- you get paid the same amount whether you work at Folsom or Pelican Bay, but your salary goes much, much, much further in Pelican Bay than it does in the Sacramento area.  

    Anyway, it sounds as if this is personal and close to home for you, so I'm going to chill on my opinion out of respect for you.

    Parent

    Arnold should be president (none / 0) (#24)
    by diogenes on Tue Sep 09, 2008 at 10:17:28 AM EST
    Pass an amendment so that Arnold can run to be president.  It doesn't matter which party.

    Prison Guards Seek Schwarzenegger Recall | 25 comments (25 topical)

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