Full disclosure time: I am not a union member. There, I said it. I used to be a union member years ago and then for some long forgotten reason, I got ticked off and dumped them, never looking back. Am I against the union? Hell no! They have done some great things and they have some very talented and accomplished people involved with them. That said, I don't really have any desire to join up right now for a few reasons;
(A note before you read on.... Most of these issues I have with the union are from the "old guard" none of which remain in any position of power within the union now and these issues should not necessarily be reflective of the new board and leadership recently elected.)
The new union leadership has no proven track record yet. This new union association and board of directors is new. All of them are fresh faces with new ideas and I'm already impressed with what Ive seen in the direction and ambition departments, but lets see how they are doing say, a year from now after the new has worn off the job, the election is here, who they back etc.
(A note before you read on.... Most of these issues I have with the union are from the "old guard" none of which remain in any position of power within the union now and these issues should not necessarily be reflective of the new board and leadership recently elected.)
The new union leadership has no proven track record yet. This new union association and board of directors is new. All of them are fresh faces with new ideas and I'm already impressed with what Ive seen in the direction and ambition departments, but lets see how they are doing say, a year from now after the new has worn off the job, the election is here, who they back etc.
The PAC. I do not agree with the idea of a PAC on ethical grounds. I do not believe you should have to buy a politicians support or vote. The concept is simple enough...throw enough money at a government official and he will see things your way. This doesn't always work - See Commissioner Elizondo which brings me to my next issue with the union;
The DSABC gave Commissioner Elizondo at least $10,000 of union members hard earned money to win favor and gain support. Rumor has it that it was a lot more, but lets just say $10,000 for now. Whose horrible idea was this and more importantly, why wasn't there a mass exodus of members after this came crashing down and Elizondo stuck it to us yet again? The man has been a staunch enemy of the Sheriff's Office and particularly the DSABC for decades. What were they thinking? This one thing alone is enough to make me never want to join the DSABC until better decision makers are brought in.
No new ideas. I've watched the DSABC and listened to the members for a long time. Complaints are almost always the same. No fresh ideas. (this is also one of the reasons I'm going to try and spearhead the movement to get term limits for Commissioners on the ballot). Apparently, the DSABC has had the same folks in charge for 8 years and rightfully, those persons were elected by the body of their members. When I point this out, I'm often told "yeah, because nobody else runs against them". Well, things have certainly changed with the election of the new union administration. Every single one of the newly elected people is an opportunity for fresh ideas and I'm already hearing several I like.
The DSABC seems to have ADD. They never seem to be able to stay focused on a goal. From what I've heard, there are no short term or long term goals with the exception of maybe the collective bargaining agreement which brings me to my next issue with the DSABC;
The constant push to file lawsuits. While suits are certainly an option and may be the only remedy for a particular problem, they should not be the only tool in the toolbag. The DSABC has been attempting to get the County to the bargaining table to resolve our CBA with the County apparently not bargaining in good faith, which is required by law. On Monday the 29th, there will be a rally at the Bexar County Courthouse to announce a "Bad Faith Lawsuit". What will this actually accomplish and how much money in legal maneuvering will this cost the members of the union and more importantly, how much longer will this drag out our negotiations?
The way I see it, and this is only one man's opinion, is that we have nothing to lose waiting out the county on a new CBA. We are protected by our evergreen clause and in one way, this makes a huge difference; Medical Insurance. Right now, our premiums, prescription rates etc. are all frozen under the old agreement and this IS costing the County money. A lot of money. Reaching an agreement, which does need to happen, will most certainly cause our insurance premiums to skyrocket. I've yet to see projected figures, but as soon as I do, I'll update this information to include it. All of the other previously negotiated benefits are also still frozen such as certification pay, meals etc. Filing a lawsuit to force the County to negotiate creates a lot of bad blood, not that there's much good blood out there, but making things worse or less congenial is not always a good thing. If I were a union member, I would rather see a more tactical approach. This is chess, not checkers. We should be looking down the road a bit. Also, when it comes to lawsuits and fighting them, the County has a lot deeper pockets than the DSABC and they are masters at dragging things out. We may have shot ourselves in the foot on this deal but only time will tell.
The DSABC should focus on more meaningful efforts to benefit members. Namely, I would love to see them focus their power and energy on getting term limits for Commissioners on the ballot. A lot of problems could get solved by getting rid of the folks that have been sitting in those seats for years.
The DSABC should focus on more meaningful efforts to benefit members. Namely, I would love to see them focus their power and energy on getting term limits for Commissioners on the ballot. A lot of problems could get solved by getting rid of the folks that have been sitting in those seats for years.
Let me know what you think. Email me at bexardeputyissuesATgmail.com or leave a comment below.
