The "anonymous" TDCJ Smith unit employee who came forward and blew the whistle on what could have been considered a deadly staffing situation for employees of the Smith Unit in Lamesa just last week received an employee disciplinary this week for what looks at this point to be in retaliation for that act. The employee came forward and went on a local TV station (KAMC Lubbock) with agency staffing issues that could result in a dangerous situation for staff and offenders assigned there. The employee, who went on a local TV news cast speaking behind a blackened screen to avoid being retaliated against by the agency was soon to be identified in the work place.
That employee, who is in contact with the Backgate, is now in fear of the unit administration for merely bringing a safety issue to light. The Smith unit is listed as only being roughly 50% staffed at this time. Meaning staff are being mandated to work overtime, and some positions are still unmanned at times although staffing plans require they be staffed at all times. TDCJ claims that outside employers are luring Officers to other jobs in the private sector that have shown huge gains in profit and growth. Some of those jobs include the oil and gas industry where employees can double what state employment can offer each month.
The Backgate is in touch with state legislators regarding the issues regarding the harassment of this employee, and I'm sure that there will be some private attorneys interested as well. Seems to me that if the state would correct their own issues that it's employees wouldn't feel the need to go elsewhere to solve them. It's called being proactive. Stay tuned. We are riding this one out.
Business As Usual. Typical conduct, wouldn't expect anything else from TDCJ.
ReplyDeleteFrom the Desk of BoBoTheBeaten:
ReplyDeleteI bet Senator Twitmire doesn't know anything about these problems (unit staffing or retaliation), but will get to the bottom of it.
Whitmire is not the problem... He is the chairman of the CJ committee, not the finance Committtee. He is supportive of our pay raise. The problem is our Executive Director and the BOT Blackberry crew are not supportive. They receive their marching orders from the Governor's office and they stay in power by kissing the Governor's ass. DPS's dIrector asked for a 20% pay raise... They currently top out at $61,000 a year... We top out at $37,000 a year and our Director Brad Livingston only asked for 10%...
DeleteOur leadership sux in the agency... Bottom line is we keep electing Governor Good Hair because some dumbasses are scarred to vote for a D. Turn off the faux and turn on the Google. Governor Good Hair is not your friend. CO's need to stop voting ideology and start voting our pocketbook.
Smart Comments
DeleteGlad I left TDCJ a long time ago.
ReplyDeleteCline oil shale will put Daniel,Wallace,Ware,Smith units shorter.Also employees that started in the 90s during the prison bldg boom will be up for retirement soon.
ReplyDeleteYes. Good peoople retiring.
DeleteMaybe the State Legislature should look into giving substancial pay raises to current TDCJ employees in order to keep them working. TDCJ CANNOT compete with the higher pay from Oil & Gas Companies at the present wages. We are not working for the "Fun of it" or because we "Enjoy our Job"! The bottom line for us is Pay/Money just like it is with our highly paid Legistature!!!
DeleteFrom the Desk of BoBoTheBeaten:
DeleteActually, I love my job so much I'd work for free.
Thank you for reporting on this story. I look forward to seeing how this plays out. Great job Backgate.
ReplyDeleteSubstantial pay raise is great but what about the crooked ones who make your job harder? Glad I left also.
DeleteIt is the same news everywhere. If you defend yourself against tyranical and devil minded people in some of the units, they start to frame you up. You might see your computer hacked and personal calls tapped just for working for TDCJ. It is a shame. They think that nobody knows.
ReplyDeleteThat is right. They also send spies some times to where you live. They may be like security officers or anybody just to harass you. They also blacmail those in their black books. So don't be ignorant of what is going on. Check your calls and compters and report suspicious activities to law enforcement agencies.
ReplyDeleteBring it on tdcj spies I would love to meet you on my turf. I would expose every one of you.
ReplyDeleteFunny I remember going out to the Kennedy unit with a friend. They(employees had a barbecue going in the back gate, lol) this was at the opening back years ago. Things may have tightened up but TDCJ has a high turnover of people. It's not the offenders who will do you in as a state employee. Its the directives and deals the higher ups give the offenders IN DEALS. Yep offenders get deals!
ReplyDelete