VICTIMS OF SUCCESS

Victims of Success 

by Correctional Sgt. Kevin Raymond

CCPOA has enjoyed a great deal of success over the last 26 years of collective bargaining-culminating with the 2001-2006 Memorandum of Understanding. This success didn't come easy and at times was stagnant for years. But, eventually, forward momentum was regained. The problem with such success is it becomes an expectation. Anything less is considered a complete and utter failure.

Storied sports franchises suffer from the same effect. Fans of the Dallas Cowboys, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Bruins expect to win the championship every year; anything less is unacceptable. While fans of the Cincinnati Bengals, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Stars would generally feel good about simply having a winning season every now and then, it's all in the individual's perspective.

Much was made of the aforementioned 2001 MOU by the media and certain members of the state Legislature. Terms like "egregious" and "sweetheart deal" were thrown about to the point of nauseam. So much so, in fact, that when 2006 finally arrived it was pay back time. The Department of Personnel Administration, under the direction of the governor's office, decided it was time to take back the milk money the big bad Prison Guards Union took from them on the playground in 2001. Of course, no mention was ever made of the California Highway Patrol contract, which was and continues to be just a little sweeter.

I would like to make an analogy but before I do, the disclaimer-I am in no way, shape or form comparing the trials and tribulations suffered by our brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces to Unit Six members not having an MOU and living with three furlough days.

That said, our members are a microcosm of this society as a whole. Following the World Trade Center attacks in 2001 (coincidentally when CCPOA was at the MOU bargaining table), Americans were outraged and ready to make anybody even remotely responsible pay for this atrocity. Public support was firmly behind any military action deemed necessary. The problem was America appears to have a short memory, and in this instant gratification society in which we live, results just don't come quickly enough.

Ironically, this was a revelation by Osama Bin Laden following events in Somalia. His take? America will never sustain any action that causes American blood to be spilled for any length of time. I believe he gravely underestimates the resolve of the people of this country, as he hides away in mountain caves one smart bomb away from meeting his maker.

Although no one wants our military in harm's way, it becomes a necessary evil from time to time. But I will not debate the righteousness of any ongoing national skirmishes here. That's for another day.

Back to the task at hand. As members of this society, we tend to want the same instant gratification. As a whole, we don't look back at all we have accomplished, and if we do it's "Okay, that's all well and good, but what have you done for me lately?" The 2001 MOU doesn't satisfy, the Pay Arb I decision doesn't do it. This current stagnant position in which we're mired is viewed as failure. And the detractors commonly referred to as haters have come out of the woodwork with their own agendas.

Have the last three years been stagnant? Sure, but have they been a failure? No, I don't believe they have. Failure would mean you had the opportunity to succeed at some point in time and failed to achieve the goal. Now, this does not deter those among us well trained in the art of gazing into crystal balls and seeing the future: If CCPOA hadn't done this or that we would be respected by the governor and have a sweetheart deal from the state right about now.

Interestingly, there's that short memory again. This onslaught from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't begin in 2006 with the expiration of our MOU. It began almost immediately following his swearing-in ceremony. Do you remember 2004 when they forced us back to the table to sacrifice over $100 million in savings to the state? Do you remember the shell game they played with the Law Enforcement Methodology in 2005, which gave birth to Pay Arb I? Do you remember the initial package that left certain classes behind? Do you remember the take-it-all-or-leave-it package from 2007?

You see, this labor war was not something we asked for. It was forced on us like it or not. Much like the war on terror, to do nothing would have been the biggest mistake. Alas, much like the society we come from, the war has taken its toll. Too many people want to count the losses and cut and run before the task at hand is finished. The tactics and direction of the Association during this offensive unleashed by the governor can and will be debated for years to come.

Opinions will always be bantered about and portrayed as truth. All I know is, it is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.

As for what those crystal balls might project had we not irritated the governor's sensibilities, what about the other 20 bargaining units that left us out in the cold all alone as they climbed between the sheets with Schwarzenegger? Where are they now? Are they enjoying sweetheart deals as you read this? Not hardly. In fact, SEIU made a deal with the benevolent one only to have him-wait for it-renege on his word YET AGAIN.

We could have rolled over and signed a deal in 2006 that left parole agents and counselors behind, but we refused. We could have signed off on their Last, Best Final Offer (LBFO) in 2007, but we refused. We could have offered a deal that saved the state $1.2 billion-oh, wait a minute, we did, only to get a sound "not interested." We could have played nice and counted on the governor's kindness to throw a few scraps our way as if we were a mutt in the yard.

I don't use a crystal ball, I prefer tarot cards. And according to my readings, none of it mattered. This scenario was pre-determined by the governor's personal agendas-agendas that don't include any amount of respect for Bargaining Unit Six members. But they do include a major push toward privatization-not that moving in that direction has anything to do with the amount of money he has taken from them.

After all, he doesn't bow down to special interests, he's said so himself. And if you can't believe the governor then I suppose you can't even believe an inmate these days.

So have the last three years been a failure? No. We were just ahead of the curve on what this governor is really all about. He will be gone in a little over a year and we will move forward with the next governor. Future CCPOA members will have the benefit of what are now relatively new members in the next round of stagnation telling them, "You think this is bad? You should have been around from 2006 to 2010!"

We really are victims of our success-victims of all we have accomplished over the years. We have come to expect success at every turn. We refuse to let an occasional winning record pass for real success. We will settle for nothing less than championship status, that's our nature. It defines who we are, as a people, as individuals, as a profession.

You see, we may not have been at war for thousands of years. We may indeed find the spilling of young, American blood distasteful. But there is no substitute for American honor and resiliency.

The same can and should be said of our members.

Correctional Sergeant Kevin Raymond has been a CCPOA member since 1990, and is currently chairman of CCPOA's Prison Review Committee.

• volume 26 issue 6