CPL UPDATE ON LEGISLATIVE AND POLITICAL ACTION

As the Legislative and Political Coordinator for the CPL, I have tried to give locals through messages and at meetings of the Council, reasons to go and work for the Labor movement during the election process. While some locals respond, others don’t seem at all interested.

Many view these items through personal identity politics. As a union representative, I try to see the election of candidates and incumbents through what our membership has asked for. Safety, security, better pay, better benefits are what I “score” a politician on. The CPL stays away from “social issues” that drive the electorate. We have to because we would never get a consensus on that.

Instead, we have focused on what elected officials have done or what candidates have pledged to do. So far this primary season, we have taken some lumps. In the first big primary, West Virginia democratic voters denied Chairman Mollohan of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, (our funding committee in the house) the chance to run for another term. Chairman Mollohan since taking over the committee in early 2007 has focused on staffing levels and safety in prisons. He has put in hundreds of millions of dollars in additional money to help our membership stay safe at work. The Chairman and his staff took a personal interest in safety at USP Hazelton both questioning the Director and the Warden about their plans to create a safer work environment there. But, the voters in the district decided to go a different direction. This will be a challenge for the Council.

The other loss for us is in the Senate. Senator Arlen Specter always supported federal prison workers. He understood the issues we faced and tried to help. He directly solicited for more funding throughout the Bush Administration and has questioned the current Attorney General about safety issues at public hearings and during private meetings. As Chairman of the full Judiciary Committee and as ranking member he listened to us. When he took over the Chairmanship of the Crime Subcommittee this past year, he requested GAO study the BOP’s safety policies and their inaction on the Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act.  While PA Democratic voter’s decided on Congressman Sestak as the nominee for the upcoming Senate race, it will be difficult to find a more dedicated person on our health and safety.

As we move forward into this election season. I am hopeful our members will get involved. They need to as the direction these elections take directly affects our jobs. Whether we get more resources to handle the upcoming increases in the inmate population, or if we get the tools necessary to fight off aggressive, assaultive inmates depend on who runs the Congress and who the Chairman of committee’s are.

You, the member, are the best person to carry our message to a candidate. If you work for them, you can influence their thinking on your work environment. We ask that you do just that. I think you should ask any candidate or current member of Congress a few questions:

1.     Do you support increased funding for prison staffing?

2.     Do you support the rights of our union to bargain for safer prisons?

3.     Do you support building prisons to decrease the overcrowding that is topping 50 percent in some security levels?

4.     Do you support reasonable sentencing changes to make the prison system safer?

These are questions, when you go in to help the re-election of a current

Member of Congress or a candidate will tell you right away their views on law enforcement issues.

            It is vital that our members help elect or re-elect supporters of prison safety. While it might not be something you are used to doing, each of us can find a way to help. Just go to the campaign office and ask what you can do, but first, meet the candidate, meet with one of his senior staff and ask these questions.

            If you need help, contact your Local President, you’re Regional Vice President or contact the CPL. We would be happy to work with you.

In Unity,

Phil Glover

National Legislative Coordinator

Council of Prison Locals