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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:

Lindsay Nichols, PSCOA, Public Relations

Phone:  717-975-0138

Fax:  717-975-0167

Email:  lnichols@pscoa.org

Website:  www.pscoa.org

Commonwealth:  Propaganda in the Air?

Coal Township, PA., U.S.—October 3, 2002—Two years ago, the commonwealth conducted a manpower survey which gave a certain number of positions to the State Correctional Institution of Coal Township.  Now, while the population of this medium size facility is on the rise, the commonwealth seems to have completely forgotten about the survey and its results.

The local union and the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association (PSCOA) at the State Correctional Institution of Coal Township do not understand why the results from the survey are not being utilized to assist in rectifying the predicament concerning the mandating of positions.  The employees at the institution were under the assumption that the commonwealth was trying to rectify the predicament concerning the mandating of posts in order to prevent collapsing of posts from occurring. 

At this moment, there appears to be propaganda in the air as the local union's concerns are not being addressed and, for the most part, are being swept under the rug by management.  It is called a “blame game.”  The local union receives no direct answers to their questions as to why there is nothing being done.  The local union feels obligated to inform the hundreds of volunteers who come to Coal Township's gate about the severe situation that exists.

The collapsing of posts is a very substantial topic within the state correctional institution of Coal Township.  The collapsing of posts is when essential positions are being eliminated from the daily schedule.  To be more specific, these essential positions were originally created to ensure the institution would be effectively administered in order to provide a safe environment for the institutional staff and the surrounding communities.

The management at this institution is failing to fill vacant positions when an individual takes a leave, which could be either a vacation day, sick day, or going to court as a part of their civic duty, etc.  Managers at this institution do not have the necessary number of staff to cover a particular shift or, even worse, they are not providing coverage at all…without a doubt, something terrible is waiting to transpire, it is just a matter of time.

Clearly, if these essential positions are being eliminated from the daily schedule at the state correctional institution of Coal Township, then the safety of the institutional staff and the surrounding communities are unmistakably being disregarded and forgotten because of the almighty dollar.

What will it take for the safety of the institutional staff and the surrounding communities to be taken seriously?  Does something terrible have to transpire within the community or the institution in order for this concern to be addressed?

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