CONTACT
Navin Rami
navinr143@gmail.com

NONE, Andhra Pradesh (February 20, 2008) — London, February 20
There are no hidden costs either, save for a refundable Security Deposit which varies from country to country. Care Globe, the London-based recruitment consultants for nurses and health care workers, have achieved a distinction by thoroughly training and finding placements for over 100 full-fledged nurses in the world’s most sophisticated and demanding hospitals in the USA within one month.

Care Globe’s operations extend to recruitment in/for Britain, Ireland, USA, Maldives, Mauritius, Australia, Holland, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Singapore, Philippines and so on. They have different programs for various countries, depending on the local needs and availability of health care staff.Care Globe’s prestigious program is the Total Training and Placement (TTP) which is specifically aimed at overseas nurses wishing to
migrate to the US on nursing visas. Under the TTP program, registered nurses overseas are given thorough training
in NCLEX-RN and IELTS which will enable them to sit for the eligibility exam conducted by the CGFNS (Commission on Graduation of Foreign Nurses) of the US and success in it makes them eligible for well-paid jobs in that country.

What’s more, many training and recruitment programs, including the TTP, are totally free of cost for the nurses and lands them good jobs in the lands of opportunities.The Australian Migration Program (AMP) is another program to enable nurses in Britain and Ireland to migrate Down Under. Under it nurses already having PIN numbers in UK will be migrating to Australia where they will receive fresh PIN numbers and work permits. It is through
their R&D that Care Globe consultants have found that there is shortage of well-trained health care staff in many parts of the world, including the developed West. By introducing various country-specific programs, Care Globe has to the extent possible met with the nursing shortages. It is no exaggeration, therefore, that Care Globe has maintained control over 20 per cent of the nursing and health care workers’ movement in the world.Owing to the fact that it is in the services sector.

Care Globe lays stress more on its mission of reaching health care staff to the needy areas than on profit,which fact distinguishes it from “agents” and “agencies”. Care Globe consultants do their best for their clients – the nursing and health care staff on the one hand and the needy hospitals on the other. By doing so, Care Globe has derived immense goodwill from all its clients and accounts for the phenomenal growth of its operations within a span of 4 years. This fact is vouched for by the thousands of greetings from clients it regularly receives long after the placements have been done. While strengthening its existing programs, Care Globe is now geared to extend its operations to Pakistan and Sri Lanka and Persian Gulf.

CONTACT
George Hebert
ghebert214@msn.com
609-296-2973

ATLANTIC COUNTY, New Jersey (February 02, 2008) — ATLANTIC COUNTY FOP LODGE #34
(Rank & File Correction Officers)

PRESS RELEASE - Feb. 1, 2008

(For Immediate Release)

Contact Persons: George Hebert, FOP President
609-296-2973
609-226-0977 (cell)

Myron Plotkin, Labor Relations Consultant
PLOTKIN ASSOCIATES, L.L.C.
609-652-3838 Fax: 609-652-7994
Pager – 609-484-4660


COUNTY CORRECTION OFFICERS BEGIN 2ND YEAR WITH NO CONTRACT

There was no Happy New Year for approximately 160 rank and file correction officers at the Atlantic County Justice Facility, as they began their second year working without a contract. FOP #34, which represents the officers, has been engaged in negotiations with the County for a new labor contract for over one year. The prior contract expired in December of 2006 and the officers have been working without a contract since then. According to Myron Plotkin of Plotkin Associates, L.L.C., labor relations representative for the FOP, the parties had 7 direct negotiation sessions with County representatives beginning in August of 2006 that failed to result in any agreement. The County is represented by James, Ferguson, Esq., Atlantic County Counsel. On January 29, 2007, the FOP and County jointly filed for Interest Arbitration with the State of New Jersey. An arbitrator was appointed by the State and has met with the parties on six occasions attempting to mediate and reach a settlement without the need or expense for a formal arbitration hearing. “If no voluntary settlement can be reached, it appears that we will be forced to go through a formal interest arbitration hearing, which is lengthy, expensive for the parties and demoralizing for the officers.” said Plotkin.

The delay in reaching an agreement has only served to aggravate the already tense relations between the Union and the County, according to George Hebert, FOP President. “All we are asking for are decent working conditions and fair compensation comparable with other County law enforcement employees.” Hebert stated. “There aren’t enough officers so we’re forced to work extreme schedules that are heavy on mandatory forced, overtime. Officers currently can only refuse mandatory overtime once every five years and are sometimes only given a few hours or less notice that they must remain and work an additional shift or partial shift. This obviously creates havoc with an officer’s family and other responsibilities.” Hebert continued.

“The County Executive acknowledges the jail is overcrowded. The overcrowding makes our jobs even harder and more dangerous. You have to know; we don’t carry weapons to protect ourselves in the jail and are exposed to every germ, virus and disease going around. In effect, our corrections officers are imprisoned along with the inmates.” According to Hebert, there have been attacks on and physical altercations with officers by inmates which have led to officers being injured and disabled for a period of time. “While we are well aware of the inherent dangers of our job, we expect the County to do all within its power to insure that we have decent working conditions and compensation.” Hebert said.

The main issues in dispute are salaries and compensation and work environment issues. “These officers are unarmed and put their lives on the line every minute of every day”, Plotkin said. “Not only are their wages significantly lower than other law enforcement officers in the County but their working conditions and environment leave much to be desired.”

The current starting salary for a correction officer, based on the 2006 salary schedule is $29,000 with the maximum salary of $54,400 being reached in 7 years. Herbert stated that many officers leave the jail after only a few years on the job to obtain higher paying employment with other law enforcement agencies, both within and outside of the county.

While no further formal meetings with the arbitrator are currently scheduled, the parties are working informally with the arbitrator in the hopes of reaching a settlement.
“If these attempts fail, there will be no alternative but to move ahead to a formal hearing” said Hebert. “We had hoped to avoid that, but the ball is really in the County’s court.”

CONTACT
George Hebert
fop34@msn.com

MAYS LANDING, New Jersey (October 30, 2007) — ATLANTIC COUNTY FOP LODGE #34
(Rank & File Correction Officers)

PRESS RELEASE - Oct. 30, 2007

(For Immediate Release)

Contact Persons: George Hebert, FOP President
609-296-2973
609-226-0977 (cell)

Myron Plotkin, Labor Relations Consultant
PLOTKIN ASSOCIATES, L.L.C.
609-652-3838 Fax: 609-652-7994
Pager – 609-484-4660


COUNTY CORRECTION OFFICERS’ UNION RESPONDS TO MCGETTIGAN STATEMENTS

FOP Lodge #34, representing the rank and file correction officers in the Atlantic County Justice Facility, responded Tuesday to recent statements by James McGettigan, County Sheriff that had been reported in The Press regarding the recent mistaken release of a prisoner from the County Jail.

The recent statements by McGettigan regarding the County’s correction officers drew sharp criticism from FOP #34 President George Hebert and Myron Plotkin of Plotkin Associates, LLC, Labor Consultant for the FOP.

Hebert took special exception to McGettigan’s statement that the jail should be under the operations of the Sheriff’s Department which is “staffed by professional law enforcement officers”. Hebert stated “Our correction officers are professional law enforcement officers. I can’t believe that Mr. McGettigan with his law enforcement background would ever make a statement as ludicrous and baseless in fact as that. His statements alluded to the assertion that our officers are not experienced law enforcement officers, which is a totally false statement. In fact, Hebert continued, many of the correction officers have left and continue to leave our jail to join the Sheriff’s department due to higher wages and better working conditions. I don’t see the Sheriff turning them away.”

Plotkin stated that McGettigan’s statements were an insult to the dedicated and hardworking correction officers that work unarmed in an extremely dangerous environment. “These officers are unarmed and put their lives on the line every minute of every day. Not only are their wages significantly lower than other law enforcement officers in the County but their working conditions and environment leave much to be

desired.” Plotkin stated the officers are constantly exposed to a variety of diseases and cited as an example the issue of TB infection in the jail that FOP #34 brought to the attention of the administration and freeholders and then worked collaboratively with a County committee to develop a TB Policy that is now used as the example for other state institutions. Plotkin also pointed to the recent riot in the jail in which officers suffered injuries quelling the disturbance and the fact that the jail is severely overcrowded and understaffed.

For Mr. McGettigan or any other individual to make disparaging remarks about the County correction officers is unconscionable and an insult to the men and women who risk their lives on a daily bases,” Plotkin continued. “I believe that Mr. McGettigan should retract his statements and offer an apology to the correction officers. His comments were unfounded and were used to selfishly further his own personal political agenda.”

Hebert said that “FOP #34 does not officially endorse any political candidate and remains neutral in not only the upcoming election but any election and our position regarding Mr. McGettigan’s statements should not be construed to either endorse or not endorse any particular candidate. We would take offense to such comments no matter who said them. We believe a retraction and apology should be forthcoming from Mr. McGettigan and we can only wait to see if he is man enough to step up to the plate and admit his error.”

FOP #34 is currently engaged in negotiations with the County for a new labor contract. The prior contract expired in December of 2006 and the officers have been working without a contract since then. According to Plotkin, the parties have met on five occasions with a state arbitrator and are scheduled to meet again on Friday. “If no voluntary settlement can be reached, it appears that we will be forced to go through a formal interest arbitration hearing, which is lengthy, expensive for the parties and demoralizing for the officers.”

CONTACT
Joe Amato
PBALocal382@aol.com
973-464-5755

ESSEX COUNTY, New Jersey (July 05, 2007) — For Immediate Release
For More Information, Contact Joe Amato, PBA President
973-464-5755

For the third time is as many years, the officers at the Essex County Jail are in the middle of a representation election known as a PERC election filed by the FOP.

The PBA maintains that as the premiere and elected representative for correction officers in the jail for more than 30 years of its history, they have fully provided Essex County Correction Officers with their due representation needs, but at the same time come under constant attack by their rival union, the FOP with exaggerated claims of PBA misconduct.

Until now both unions have brought their issues to the membership in what the PBA refers to as a "paper game", but the PBA has taken on a new initiative to bring these issues to a final and public forum in the form of a debate between both union presidents and in the presence of union members, state union officials and attorneys.

All this is, is a power struggle and these constant attacks by the FOP have nothing to do with real labor issues according to Joe Amato, president for PBA Local 382. A debate will expose the truth in labor relations as opposed to empty promises made by the FOP who works feverishly to weaken the PBA with false allegations of wrongdoing, but thus far has failed miserably according to Amato.

Below is a copy of the PBA's communication to the FOP regarding the issues at hand and the request for a controlled debate.
*****************************************************************


Essex County Corrections PBA Local 382

July 5, 2007

Mr. Kenneth Leonard, President
FOP Lodge 71, ECCF
354 Doremus Ave.
Newark NJ 07105

Dear Kenny:

First and foremost please allow me to assure you that I have the utmost respect for you and your FOP Board as fellow correction officers, but when it comes to representation issues and agendas, we will obviously never agree.

The FOP seems to have their opinion and agenda and we have ours as the PBA, but unfortunately for you, our agenda has been historically tested and proven as a legitimate agenda based on years of experience, legal opinions and accomplishments while the FOP's agenda is pretty much based on misinformation, exaggerations, false accusation's, and more fantasy than reality.

Before this PERC election begins to heat up, I need to assure you that any issues that I put out to the membership, in writing and in e-mails etc, which end up on our bulletin board and disseminated all over the jail and the Hall of Records can be easily proven as fact and the truth. Can you honestly say the same about your communications? That seems to be a hard lesson that obviously you and the other FOP board members haven't learned yet, so let me explain it to you.

You must never put out information verbally or in writing unless what you are saying is honest and truthful, especially when you sign your name to it or do it under the authority of a state organization such as the FOP.

I certainly hope that you have actual proof that what I say to the membership is "lies" instead of your normal exaggerated rumors and slanted opinions. Please think very hard before you continue to make verbal and written allegations against my personal integrity and character. Regardless of all this, I thought I'd let you and the other FOP board members know that I can easily answer to as many conspiracy theories that you can possibly fabricate and I'd like to do it in a public forum rather than play the paper game. Would you please give me that opportunity?

If what you say in your written bulletins is true about me being a "liar" and using "scare tactics" against my membership, I'm sure you should have no problem making these allegations in front of me and the entire membership in a debate setting.

This debate should not only be in the presence of the entire membership but we need to do it in the presence of our State Union Officials, and our Attorneys. This debate should also be video taped so we can provide it to officers who cannot be present during the live debate. I'm talking about a controlled and genuine debate between the two presidents where we can finally address the real issues of labor negotiations and stop the ridiculous accusations being made by the FOP which has been going on in our department for the past 20 years. Attorneys and state union officials need to be there from both sides as to address any legal concerns and questions. We cant do this half way. Anything less than this would be unfair to the membership.

Its time to stop all the drama and put the issues on the table once and for all in public so that maybe we can continue to move forward rather than continue to be stonewalled by these pointless and unnecessary PERC elections.

That's how confident I am that the PBA and I have nothing to hide and have done nothing wrong, illegal, dishonest, immoral or disingenuous in our obligations to the representation needs of this membership despite your constant allegations that we have.

Are you that confident in your actions and abilities to represent this membership? Are you that confident that you can prove what you say about me and the PBA or the "pba" as you so childishly refer to us in your letters?

I put out the true facts to educate and inform the membership, which may be long winded, but its done to make sure that the reader is completely informed with no room for second guessing or need for interpretation. Once again these communications are based on years of personal and union experience, case law, state labor law etc. On the other hand, you put out letters basically saying that everything I say is "Crap" as you call it in your letters.

I would also like to offer to pay for the location, video taping and refreshments for this gathering. All you need to do is show up and speak, but please be ready to back up the stories, conspiracy theories and false allegations that the FOP has become famous for.

These types of debates have occurred many times not only in individual departments and individual locals throughout NJ, but also between the two PBA and FOP state organizations.
The facts are the facts once the smoke clears. A debate brings the facts to the surface and stops all the theatrics. It's long overdue in Essex County Corrections that the membership be shown the real facts between the two unions in a public forum and not the lunch room rumors and grandstanding at line up and in the parking lot.

I would also appreciate your written response. Also please be advised that its not too late to call off the PERC election so that the PBA can continue with our July negotiation meetings, which you say according to your latest letter is "BULL". You say in your latest letter that "the county wont negotiate with us until the sheriffs sign", but once again you're showing that you don't have the slightest idea about how negotiations work. You say that this PERC election didn't interfere with our contract negotiations, but once gain please come to this debate ready to prove what you say and write.

With all due respect, maybe you need to stop embarrassing yourself and let the PBA continue to do the job that it's done for more then 30 years in this department. Or on the other hand come to the debate and be ready to speak as freely in front of the membership and attorney's as you do in your letter's and be ready to back up what you say. I KNOW I WILL!!!!



Respectfully,

Joseph Amato. President
PBA Local 382

CONTACT
Joseph Amato
PBALocal382@aol.com

ESSEX COUNTY, New Jersey (March 30, 2007) — Essex County PBA Local 382

March 30, 2007

To All Members & Other Interested Parties:

Recently we have seen the departure of Warden Larry Glover and at this time, on behalf of the PBA we would like to wish Warden Glover the best of luck in his future endeavors. The PBA has enjoyed a very stable working relationship with Warden Glover over the past three years, but as things change in the front office the PBA must continue to move forward and cooperatively with those changes as the jail continues to evolve.

At this time and also on behalf of the PBA, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Roy Hendricks as our newly appointed Warden and welcome him into our ranks.

As always, when such management changes occur, fear of the unknown and rumors will set in while the membership wonders what may be next for us, but the unions current relationship with jail management as well as our county administration is on very solid ground.

In a few short meetings between several PBA officials and Warden Hendricks, we have found him to be personable, helpful, approachable and eager to tackle the issues that face us.

Warden Hendricks comes to us with over 30 years of front line custody and management experience in both the state and county correctional system and his relationship with the PBA over the years has been fair and accommodating according to state union officials and that's all we can ask for.

On a lighter note, we were also warned that if our new Warden is responding to an uprising in the jail, don't get in his way.

All kidding aside...the PBA is looking forward to working with Warden Hendricks and will offer all necessary assistance with this latest management transition.

Respectfully,

Joseph Amato, President
PBA Local 382

CONTACT
George Hebert
Fop34@msn.com
609-226-0977

ATLANTIC COUNTY, NJ (March 27, 2007) — ATLANTIC COUNTY FOP LODGE #34

PRESS RELEASE - Mar 12, 2007

(For Immediate Release)

Contact Persons: For FOP Lodge #34:

George Hebert
FOP #34 President
609-296-2973
609-226-0977(cell)

Myron Plotkin
Labor Relations Consultant
PLOTKIN ASSOCIATES, L.L.C.
609-652-3838
Pager – 609-484-4660


COUNTY AND CORRECTION OFFICERS REACH AGREEMENT ON TB POLICY FOR JAIL

An agreement on a Tuberculosis Infection Control Policy for correction officers at the Atlantic County Justice Facility was reached by representatives of Atlantic County and FOP Lodge #34 following a meeting held on Tuesday, February 27, 2007. The Policy includes provisions for notification, testing procedures and respiratory protection for the officers. Both sides agreed that the Policy was developed in a good faith effort to enhance the safety of the corrections officers and to protect them from potential exposure to infectious airborne diseases such as tuberculosis. The policy is to be implemented immediately.

The agreement was reached following three meetings between the County and FOP #34 which began in January as a result of concerns brought to the attention of the County by FOP #34 through their Labor Relations Consultant, Myron Plotkin, at a Freeholders meeting on January 16. Upon learning of the officers’ concerns, the County Freeholders established a committee comprised of Rev. Lawton Nelson, Jr., Frank Giordano and Alisa Cooper to investigate the matter. Meetings were then scheduled to address the concerns.




Over the past few months, while the County continued to refute the FOP #34’s allegations of any health problems, 4 inmates were diagnosed with active TB and 12 others have tested positive for exposure. The first inmate was diagnosed in October of 2006. After Plotkin addressed the Freeholders in January, County officials were quoted in the media in January that “no prisoners have tested positive”. One official was quoted as saying “Just a rumor, there are no cases of TB at the jail.” The officials later denied making those comments. The second active case was confirmed by the County Health Department in late January. The third case was confirmed on February 2, 2007 with the fourth case being confirmed in late February.

One of the FOP’s main concerns was that officers required to transport inmates with suspected TB were not provided with proper protective respiratory apparatus. One officer who tested positive is currently taking medication. While the Freeholders were told by Plotkin in January of this fact, Freeholders and other County officials made representations in the media that the officers driving an inmate with suspected TB “are required to wear a mask. It is just a standard procedure”. However, the official written policy in the jail states “The custody staff will not wear N-95 Respirator Masks and that the Nursing Staff will not conduct fit-testing for the custody staff.” As a result of the new policy, custody officers will be fit tested for the masks and will be provided the masks when in contact or transporting a suspected infected inmate.

George Hebert, FOP #34 President said that while he was very satisfied with the final outcome of the process and the resulting policy, he was disappointed that the County attempted to divert attention by claiming inaccuracies of statements made by the FOP #34. “FOP #34 will continue to take whatever actions may be necessary to protect the rights, health and safety of its members.”

Participants in the meetings included the three Freeholders; Jerry Del Rosso, County Administrator; James Ferguson, Esq., County Counsel; Gary Merline, Warden; George Hebert, FOP #34 President and Bill Platt, FOP #34 Grievance Chairperson; Myron Plotkin, Labor Relations Consultant for FOP #34, and Keith Waldman, Esq., Counsel for FOP #34 and Tom Privett, NJ State Dept. of Health and Senior Services TB Manager. In addition, representatives from CFG Health Systems and the County Department of Health were present.

According to George Hebert, FOP #34 President, “all parties concerned worked to reach agreement on the policy to alleviate the concerns of the officers. What resulted here was an agreement on a policy that would benefit not only the officers in the jail but all employees, inmates and visitors to the facility.”

FOP #34 President Hebert said he was very pleased with the outcome and the prompt manner in which the County addressed the union’s concerns. “The officers and their families can now rest much easier knowing that a well developed and defined Policy is in effect regarding the protection of the officers” Hebert said. “Once the County became aware of the situation, it moved quickly to alleviate the legitimate concerns of the officers and insure the safest possible working environment.”
The FOP strongly commended the assistance given by Tom Privett, the State’s TB Manager, who attended two of the three meetings and provided guidance as to the Policy. At the conclusion of the meeting, Privett congratulated all parties concerned and praised the constructive outcome.

CONTACT
George Hebert
fop34@msn.com
609-296-2973

NONE, New Jersey (March 08, 2007) — Fraternal Order of Police
Atlantic Lodge # 34
P.O. Box 992
Mays Landing, New Jersey 08330
(609) 226-0977


Mr.Joseph Hartman March 8, 2007
State of New Jersey
Department of Corrections
Office of County Services

RE: High Security Area I-Left Defective Locks

Dear Mr. Hartman,

Respectfully the FOP Lodge 34 Rank and File would like me to voice its concerns regarding an urgent issue that we feel requires your immediate attention. This safety and security issue has been dealt with an apathetic response at the Jail Administrative level.
The inmates that are housed in Intake Left are able to “pop” out of their cells with the aid of a bed sheet and or other small objects found in the their cells. The inmates that are being housed in this area are of various statuses, e.g.: lock up for disciplinary sanctions, segregation, and protective custody, to name a few. The fact that the Jail Administration is aware that these inmates can exit a locked cell, and remain to do nothing to solve the matter is rash and negligent.
Several months ago Warden Gary Merline told the Rank & File of Lodge 34 that the locks had been changed and all was well and secure in reference to the area. This has proven not to be the case; Sergeants and Officers alike have recorded on videotape and on written report these security breaches.
The locking mechanism was reportedly repaired (again), and made tamper proof by the insertion of a steel guard that surrounds the old locking device on the doorframe, but this has proven not to be effective.
On January 01, 2007 an inmate assigned to I-L (please refer to report # 07010005) was assaulted when he was out for his hour, another inmate housed in I-L (an inmate that he was incompatible with), had manipulated the lock on his cell door, assaulted the inmate, than returned back to his cell.
On February 25, 2007 in Intake Housing Left (please refer to report # 07020520) an inmate manipulated the lock on his cell door (Cell # 08) one of the cells that have been fitted with the latest tamper proof device, described above. The officers working in I-Pod observed the inmate from cell # 08 that day “removed himself from his cell” and assaulted another inmate who was out for his hour recreation.
The issue at hand is not new to the Administrators of the jail, this problem has been occurring for years. It was thought that the locks being stuffed with toilet paper and such were the cause, but over time we found that this was not the case, the doors that were being breached were in fact not stuffed with anything, they are being “picked” as described prior. The officers were being faulted and educated at roll call on how to stop this breach of security (pull the toilet paper from the locks) when in fact it was not the officer’s fault to begin with.
These are only but a few examples of the documented incidents of inmates exiting their cells by “picking” or “popping” their cell doors.
The Officers implore you to take the time to help us correct this safety and security breach before another inmate or officer is injured or worse.


Sincerely,
George Hebert
President FOP Lodge 34

CONTACT
Joe Amato
PBALocal382@aol.com

ESSEX COUNTY, New Jersey (February 10, 2007) — Essex County PBA Local 382
Memorandum

February 10, 2007

To All Members & Other Interested Parties:

As we learned on Tuesday February 6, 2007, the Federal Consent Order that's been held against the county regarding jail conditions for the past 25 some odd years, was lifted.

What the consent order actually was and how and why it was lifted has caused much debate amongst our membership, but to be quite honest we only have a few officers who are still on the job since 1982 when the litigation began and the inmates who brought the suit are long gone.

Quite a few officers and inmates didn't even know what the consent order was and oddly enough we have a crop of new officers and inmates who weren't even born when these jail issues first presented themselves.

I say all of this to assure the membership that the Federal Consent Order and whether it remained in effect or was lifted has had little or nothing to do with the concerns of correction officers in regard to our legal & safety interests. It was all about inmate rights and safety in regard to their living conditions and healthcare while incarcerated in our system.

In a nut shell, it was the inmates "quality of life" which was the catalyst of all the issues that eventually led to the Federal Government ordering the county administration back in the mid 1980's to build a new jail and here we sit with the lingering questions...

What did we gain and more importantly, what did the administration accomplish?

I must say that many officers including myself were shocked that all of a sudden the consent order was lifted, because as all of us who are behind the walls know...the jail is new, clean and modern version of many of the old problems and much more serious new problems.

Don't get me wrong. Those of us behind the walls need to look at the lifting of the consent order as a positive thing because now we can fully expect that officer safety issues and our legal concerns will no longer have to take a back seat to the concerns of the inmates.

They had their 25 years to vent so now lets give the uniformed personnel some needed attention.

While constantly bringing officer issues to the attention of the public and the administration for the past 5 & 1/2 years as your president, I always spoke on inmate concerns as well, because if inmates don't get what they are entitled to, it only makes the jobs of our front line custody officers that much harder, but after 25 years, enough was enough.

Frankly speaking, all of the inmate advocates that we saw coming in and out of our jail on a daily basis began to get a little monotonous. I'm sure even jail management was getting a little tired of dealing with menial issues such as caloric intake, the level of protein and how many pats of butter inmates were receiving with their morning meal. Or the several hours that were spent on debating the issue of how much salt and pepper was being provided to the inmates.

How many hundreds of thousands of dollars was spent by the county in attorney fees and man-hours to address the issue of whether or not basketball hoops were going to be installed in the housing units? When the jail first opened the inmates were only provided with volleyball nets and I guess that was unacceptable.

I assure you that I am not exaggerating about these issues, and I also find it ironic that the inmate advocate's beat these issues to death, but never challenged the county on why inmates are also beating each other to near death? Or when I personally asked the inmate advocates to challenge the county on the toxic chemical saturation of the new jail location back in 2003?

Not only did they stay quiet as church mice, but after sharing our collected evidence with them regarding the health dangers of the new jail site, they purposely turned over our collected evidence to the county prior to the court proceedings, so forgive me for not being too impressed by these so-called concerned attorneys who made hundreds of thousands of dollars for nothing more than a political side show.

The old jails may have had some quality of life issues, but it wasn't until the Federally Mandated new jail was built, that inmates began to attack each other and attempt to murder each other in record numbers. Where were the inmate advocates on that issue?

Where are the inmate advocates reports on the uncontrolled gang activity that's plagued our jail since the second it opened?

It wasn't until the new jail opened that home made shanks the length of my arm were finding their way into the backs, chests and heads of inmates at the hands of other inmates.

The inmate advocate recently spoke on medical concerns by saying in the newspaper that the county went from a "part time doctor" back in the 1980's to an "80 person medical staff" at the new jail, but the facts are that the need for the use of outside hospital facilities throughout the county and ambulance trips to and from the new jail has drastically increased into the thousands. What exactly is this 80 person medical staff actually doing to save money, create efficiency and show accountability?

The news article speaks about the new jail having "single bed cells" which is in fact what the consent order asked for, but again, those of us behind the walls will see how ridiculous that statement was. The entire jail is double bunked except for a few units and more bunks were added to certain areas when overcrowding became an issue.

The news article spoke on Delaney Hall housing low risk, non-violent offenders to ease overcrowding, but those of us behind the walls know that Delaney Hall is being misused and housing a majority of violent offenders with high bails and opened charges and who would be behind jail walls where they belong if the county had built a jail big enough to house our entire inmate population as they were Federally Mandated to do.

We cant look a gift horse in the mouth and thank God Delaney Hall is there, because if it weren't, the jail would be triple bunked, but the true facts need to be reported and not the slanted self serving facts that are given to the media.

I can easily point to the two recent escapes that occurred from these outside facilities as proof that these inmates should be behind jail walls. Those two escapee's who had a variety of violent charges in their files are more of a real example of the types of inmates that are in Delaney Hall due to overcrowding concerns at the new jail.

Regardless of all this, the consent order is lifted, the administration was able to take credit whether deserved or not and our inmates lives at the new jail will go on as usual.

The PBA had no reason to interfere with the judges tour of the facility as some may have thought because as mentioned earlier, the consent order didn't help us one iota in our concerns for officer safety and I assured Freeholder Caputo as the Chairman of the Penal Committee that the officers all did their jobs to ensure that the judges tour went well.

In fact, in a recent conversation with Director Faunce, he echoed our concerns of the past and said that he and his management staff can now concentrate more on some officer initiatives and at this point I have no reason to doubt his intentions.

As a matter of fact, with our new appointments in upper management and coupled with the retirement of others, I can see the jail eventually going in a new positive direction some day soon, but only time will tell.

When you weigh the 450 million dollar price tag for the new jail and the 25 years of legal costs to litigate the case, the dollar figure is well into the billion dollar mark and once again all paid by the taxpayers of this county, but what do we really have to show for it?

At the end of a 25 year fiasco, we have an extremely violent new jail inhabited by the most violent county inmates in the state and a whole host of new problems and challenges ahead of us.

Negativity was not my intent for this memo. I myself took the time to congratulate jail management and I only mentioned all the false and slanted statements in the newspaper to show that with or without the 25 year watchful eye of the federal government, the jail is what it is and the inmate issues are what they have always been.

I urge all officers to follow the unions lead and look at the lifting of the consent order as the beginning of a new era in our jail. We can now police ourselves without being critiqued by bleeding heart attorneys with no working knowledge of corrections and who wasted the powers of their law degrees and over a billion dollars in taxpayers money to try to fix problems that will always exist in a jail system in one way or another.

What have the inmates done to show their appreciation for all the hard work and effort of the inmate advocates? Continue to act our violently against each other and staff members?

What kind of a trade off is that? Thank you Mr. Advocate for helping us get all of our inmates the proper nutrients, recreation time and religious services when they're not stabbing their cell mates in the head and knocking out officers with mop handles. Great Job!

We lived through a 25 year joke, but its over now and the door with jail management is wide open. The union will work as cooperatively as needed to ensure that the jail continues to move forward and to keep the credit where it really belongs, which is with the rank and file corrections personnel for ensuring since its opening that the jail doesn't implode.

Respectfully,

Joseph Amato, President
PBA Local 382

CONTACT
Joe Amato
PBALocal382@aol.com

NONE, New Jersey (January 20, 2007) — PBA Local 382
Memorandum

January 20, 2007


To All Members & Other Interested Parties:

Here's a familiar story out of Hudson County NJ.

Another Direct Supervision Jail that's being overrun by violent gang activity and also built according to the recommendations of the same so-called "correction professionals" who set the standards for our jail and have no clue what it takes to control today's type of violent inmate population.

When will politicians begin to face this problem head on rather than try to hide the problems and continue to lie to the media and the public?
**********************************************************************


Assault at Hudson County jail 11 Bloods charged
Jersey Journal

A pack of reputed Bloods street gang members will be in court together next week on charges they assaulted three corrections officers in Hudson County jail, beating them with chairs, broom handles, fists and feet.

The prisoners have all been charged with aggravated assault stemming from an incident last June 2.


During the fight, Corrections Sgt. Carita Acuna and Officers Juan Gonzalez and Plinio Lopez suffered injuries that kept them out of work for weeks, said Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Leonardo Rinaldi.

Gonzalez suffered a cut through his eyelid and lacerated cornea during the attack, Rinaldi said. All three law enforcement employees have returned to work, he said.


On the day of the attack a corrections officer spotted 11 reputed Bloods members congregating in a single jail cell and fearing they were doing gang business, he called for a lockdown, Rinaldi said.

Once the cell block was locked down, the individual cell was opened and the prisoners allegedly attacked the officers, many grabbing whatever they could for use as weapons, Rinaldi said.

A large contingent of corrections officers responded to aid the three officers under attack and quickly got the situation under control using pepper spray, Rinaldi said.

None of the prisoners suffered significant injuries and all were cleared by the medical department later that day, said Hudson County Corrections Department Director Oscar Aviles.


Among those indicted in the jail incident is Matthew Turner, 28, who was locked up at the time on charges of murder, aggravated assault and firearms offenses in the death of Michael Taylor, 17, of Jersey City, Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said.

Taylor was gunned down on July 19, 2004 in an apparent case of mistaken identity stemming from gang violence, DeFazio said.

Also accused of attacking the officers are: Kareem Awad, 22, Anthony Beckham, 22, Gregory Jones, 20, Damonte Lester, 22, Raymond McKnight, 19, Derrick Menter, 33, Dennis Porter, 22, Terrence Williams, 27, Leon Stevens, 31, and Leman Chandler, 27, said Rinaldi.

They are to appear in court on the assault charges next Thursday for a status hearing.

To prevent similar incidents in the future, nearly 300 surveillance cameras were installed in the jail last November, Aviles said.

Yesterday around noon there was a minor incident in the jail when a prisoner refused to return to his cell. A dozen corrections officers responded to the "code blue" and the prisoner was quickly handcuffed and led away. Minutes later it took only the click of a computer mouse for Aviles to review the recording of the entire incident on a large monitor in his office.


"It's all on video and he can't say he was assaulted," said Aviles, who spent $250,000 on the recording system to watch the jail's 2,000 prisoners. "It would have been very helpful in this (June 2-related) prosecution, but they are online now."

CONTACT
Joe Amato
PBALocal382@aol.com

ESSEX COUNTY, New Jersey (November 11, 2006) — Essex County Corrections PBA Local 382
Memorandum

November 11, 2006

To All Members & Other Interested Parties:

On behalf of our membership, the PBA at the Essex County Jail would like to welcome and congratulate Mr. Alfaro Ortiz as our newly named Deputy Director.

Mr. Ortiz comes to us after a thirty year career in state corrections with a reported excellent reputation in jail management, but more importantly to our PBA Local, Mr. Ortiz also comes to us with an excellent reputation in labor relations and the recommendation of the executive board of PBA Local 105 in the state corrections system who has reported to me that they have enjoyed working with Mr. Ortiz for many years.

Mr. Ortiz has built a reputation with the PBA as a "firm but fair" administrator who expects 100% from his subordinates, but at the same time gives 100% back and in my short meetings with Mr. Ortiz so far, I was encouraged to hear his philosophy on jail management and union/labor relations.

In a nut shell, it would seem that Deputy Director Ortiz expects complete accountability on the part of correctional personnel, but at the same time he seems to also recognized that to have complete accountability, correctional personnel must be given the support, the tools and the resources to do their jobs effectively, safely and efficiently, which is all we can ask for.

Aside from the appointment of Deputy Director Ortiz, the PBA was very pleased to hear that Warden Glover will also continue in his capacity, but we are extremely encouraged with two other additions to our management team.

Captain Ronald Charles and Captain Steve Pringle have both been named as Associate Wardens and will collectively be involved with both administrative and custodial oversight in day to day jail operations.

The PBA believes that it is long overdue that superior officers from within our ranks and those who have been raised in our county jail system should be given an opportunity to be involved with the upper levels of jail management.

Furthermore, having "two of our own" in these positions can only help us to close the gap that has unfortunately existed between the PBA and jail management in the past.

The administration couldn't have made two better choices and we wish them well in their positions.

While the PBA is encouraged by our new management appointments, we cannot lose sight that the problems in the jail are real and although the PBA will work as cooperatively as necessary and will recognize when changes are made for the better, the PBA will still remain an active and public voice within our jail system when things are wrong, because the safety, security and fair treatment of our membership is our number one concern.

Only time will tell if these new changes to jail management will in fact bring improvement, but on the surface, we do recognize the effort made by the administration to bring new people and new ideas into our troubled system and the PBA has every intention to not be part of the problem, but rather be part of the solution.

Thank you for your time and continued support and we will continue to update all concerned parties.

Respectfully,

Joseph Amato, President
PBA Local 382