The politically powerful California Correctional Peace Officers Association has worked without a contract since 2006 and just had their pay cut to minimum wage because of the budget crisis, wants to recall Gov. Schwarzenegger.
Before you get all misty-eyed about union solidarity, be aware that the CCPOA tends to be quite right wing, solely concerned with themselves, and a huge contributor of money to politicians. Arnold came into power in a recall in 2003. And it was also over a budget crisis.
What goes around, comes around.
The California Correctional Officers Union is opposed to anything — ANYTHING — that they perceive as a threat to increased employment opportunities and benefits for Correctional Officers.
Therefore, anything that would reduce recidivism, they oppose — such as 12-step programs for recovering alcoholics and drug addicts — and related in- prison programs. Many crimes are alcohol and drug related, and 12-step and other programs for reducing alcohol and drug abuse are effective in changing behavior. The former Director of the California Department of Corrections, Jeanne Woodard, was labeled “hug-a-thug” by the prison guards and union officials because of her pro-12-step pro-treatment stance.
I have no sympathy for the unions’ protectionist practices, since their clear intent is to increase their job security by increasing the number of prisoners in California. That they oppose the Governor makes me wonder if he had the nerve, unlike ex-Gov. Davis, to stand up to them.
I know a guy, a recovering addict doing a long stretch in the new Delano facility, who he says has never had access 12-Step meetings there. The old Delano facility used to, but someone who brought meetings in from outside told me the prison recently pulled the plug– no more meetings. OTOH, drugs are readily available. Sure sounds like if not outright conspiracy to prevent rehabilitation, certainly stacking the deck in that direction.