Dear DOC Midmanagement
Group:
While we may not have gotten the exact result we wanted with SB427, we were able to push it further that it has ever
gone in the State Legislature. In case you are unfamiliar with SB427, this was the bill that would allow
all Probation and Parole Field Supervisors in the Department of Corrections to organize for the purposes of collective bargaining.
427 was introduced, gained co-sponsors and was assigned to the Senate Labor Committee chaired by Sen. Coggs.
A public hearing was scheduled for February 27th and I know that many of you wanted to testify.
However, I made a tactical decision which, in hindsight, I should have informed you all about. Despite
my earlier optimism about our chances it became abundantly clear in mid-February that the assembly was not going to pass anything
other than those items that fit perfectly in to their very narrow agenda. That apparently also includes
a budget repair bill. Given that reality, I decided it would strategically be better to just let 427 quietly
languish in the Senate.
If we would have organized testimony I have no doubt that you all would
have done a fantastic job. However, that would have given the opponents to this bill the information they
would have needed to mount a more effective challenge to it next year when there is a better chance of 427 being signed into
law. Those of you who have spent time with me know that I am more than a little paranoid. But,
that affliction has helped me to be more successful at political operations than otherwise might be the case.
I know that some folks are disappointed; at not being to testify and that our bill did not pass this year.
However, I strongly believe that we have an even better opportunity for passage next year because the odds are very
good there will be new leadership in the assembly. Leadership which will be much, much more sympathetic
to the needs of working men and women. Don’t’ lose hope because we may not have won this battle
but I guarantee we’re going to win this war
Fraternally;
Don
Garner-Gerhardt
Werner Holzwarth Jr.
Solidarity!
Werner Holzwarth Jr & Don Garner-Gerhardt
Please go to the contacts page and E-Mail us with any updates, or any information that we need to know.
