By Tonya Peters
Backgate Website
In an email from TDCJ spokesperson Michelle Lyons, TDCJ has stated that they are not threatening staff members at Central who try to speak out on the impending closure of the facility. The Texas legislature has all but rubber stamped the closure which is said to be completed by September of 2011 if its signed off on. 300 plus state employees will be affected by the closure, and with those employees, many more families as well.
The Backgate became involved when we began receiving emails from employees of the Region III unit stating that they were being threatened with disciplinary action if they spoke out on the closure. Even if it didn't wasn't about the agency, just about how it affected their families and lives outside of the agency. Lyons also included a link to the TDCJ media policy that prohibits employees from speaking to the media about agency business.
TDCJ states that if the unit does close, employees would be given the choice to move to another facility (if there are jobs available) demote if they are supervisors, or leave the agency.
thats cold.. TDCJ is so blaise about displacing all these people. Someone should file a big ### lawsuit against TDCJ
ReplyDeleteSomeone, but not me! That's the TDCJ way =\
ReplyDeleteI'll bet Brad Livingston and the rest of the Big Wigs and even across the Agency of Regional Directors and Assistants, will continue to keep their pockets lined no matter how many closures or cut backs TDCJ has to endure. As for all the hard-working Correctional and Support staff, the Agency DOES NOT CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU OR YOUR FAMILIES. That's the bottom line. It's all about the money and as long as the Overpaid Big Wigs keep getting their cut, it doesn't matter to them who else under them gets Cut.
ReplyDeleteDamn straight! TDCJ is falling apart from the inside out.The sickness that is our current leadership, to include greed-driven politicians,sic Rep.Howard-Sugarland, are driven by their desire for recognition within the political arena. Everyone knows the truth now! It is clear to see. These supposed budget cuts are insanity at their best. Our current Governor is a joke, as well as quite a few of our so-called state reps.Who are they representing,exactly? And who is out there fighting to stop needless closures and lay-offs in a system that is already short-handed? Fully staffed? Are you kidding me? Let's falsify some more documentation to make it look good on paper. It all starts here,people.This is the beginning of the end.Once Central closes, it's just a matter of time before it starts spreading across the state like the plague it is.Just say it people, Livingston and the rest of them don't give a hoot about us.Good luck to us all.We're gonna need it.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous at 3:07 PM: This wasn't a "needless" closure. The area is expanding around the prison, and long term prisons don't belong in these major urban areas. The locals don't want it here. They knew it was here when they moved in, but they want to see their real estate values rise.
ReplyDeleteTDCJ can always build another unit on the Ramsey property