Austin, Texas - The Texas Senate Finance Committee work group voted to fund the full 20-percent pay raise for Texas correctional officers in a meeting held in Austin March 5, 2009.  This action came hours after the House Appropriations Committee work group proposed only a 5% increase for correctional staff.

The House Appropriations Subcommittee agreed to dramatically decrease TDCJ’s proposed salary adjustment for Texas correctional employees.  The committee moved the pay adjustment to items they termed as a “wish list” if funds are left over. 

The House Committee group ignored the recommendation proposed by TDCJ agency administration, the employee’s union, the Texas Senate’s own Criminal Justice Committee report, and other criminal justice experts. 

At the current time the agency is unable to properly staff their prisons in the middle of a recession.  The agency is plagued with rising social issues ranging from increased violence, prison rapes, staff assaults, emergence of new prison gangs, and increasing employee corruption. 

TDCJ employees are encouraged to contact the House Appropriation Criminal Select Committee and voice their concerns over staffing issues at Texas prisons, including hiring standards.

Texas correctional employees will have their state lobby day at the Capitol building March 12, 2009.  All state correctional employees are encouraged to attend this event.  Employees will gather at the corner of Lavaca St & 11th Street wearing their uniform or gray clothing at 9 AM.  At noon time a memorial service will be held on the south step of the Capitol to honor fallen TDCJ employees.  March 12 will be a great opportunity to address the low salary issues with the Texas House leadership.

Final policy decisions on the pay raises will likely be decided after April when the Texas Comptroller certifies the revenue forecast.  TDCJ employee political action is needed.



Please contact the following Legislative members.

Texas Legislature Appropriations
Select Committee Criminal Justice Members:

Representative Debbie Riddle
Room E2.306, Capitol Extension
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 463-0572
(512) 463-1908 Fax
debbie.riddle@house.state.tx.us.

Representative Joe Driver
Room 4S.6, Capitol Building
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 463-0574
(512) 463-1481 Fax
Joe.Driver@house.state.tx.us

Representative Ruth McClendon
Room 4N.4, Capitol Building
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 463-0708
(512) 463-7071 Fax
ruth.mcclendon@house.state.tx.us

Representative Myra Crownover
Room GN.9 Capitol Building
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Phone: (512) 463-0582
Fax: (512) 463-0471
myra.crownover@house.state.tx.us

Representative Al Edwards
Room 1W.9, Capitol Building
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 463-0518
(512) 463-0941 Fax
Al.Edwards@house.state.tx.us

12-18-2008

In a follow up to an investigation involving TDCJ craftshops, former TDCJ Senior Warden Charles Williamson, 39, has been reassigned to the Region I office pending an investigation involving misuse of offender labor.  Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesperson Michelle Lyons told the Houston Chronicle that Warden Williamson was reassigned November 10, 2008.  The agency refused to disclose any further details about the investigation to the Houston Chronicle. 

Link to Houston Chronicle Story: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6169561.html

Houston TV news Fox 26 Investigates broke a simular story in November on violations involving TDCJ craftshops after a sex offender's wife allegedly posted a website and sold prison made items in violation of state and Federal law.  It was disclosed to TDCJ Union Blog at that time a TDCJ Senior Warden was also under investigation for alleged misuse of offender labor at a TDCJ unit craftshop.   Resale of prison made items for profit is a violation of Federal Law under the Ashworth-Summers Act and under the Texas Government Code.  All inmate made items sold on the open market are subject to the Federal Prison Industry Enhancement Certification Program (PIECP). 

Link to Fox 26 Story:  http://www.myfoxhouston.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=7894428&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1

The PIECP program was stated in 1979 as a job training program that allowed private industry to use prison labor to teach inmates job skills.  The PIECP program came under fire in Texas after a scandle involving Direct Trailer broke.  Lufkin Industries accused the program of leading to the trailer manufacturer's downfall.  Direct Trailer, a company ran by John Nelson, used inmate labor at the Michaels Unit and leased the TDCJ factory for $1 a year.  Lufkin Industries accused Direct Trailer of having an unfair government subsidy.

Link to Direct Trailer Story: http://www.lufkindailynews.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/12/12/Nichols_Applauds.html

Another PIECP scandle involved a Farmers Branch company called Unique Performance, who was accused of defrauding customers out of millions of dollars. 

Link to CBS 11 Dallas Story on Unique Performance: http://cbs11tv.com/investigators/Unique.Performance.investigation.2.690889.html

In Texas under the Texas Government Code Sec. 497.010 a person commits an offense if the person intentionally sells or offers to sell on the open market in this state an article or product the person knows was manufactured in whole or in part by an inmate of the department or an inmate in any correctional facility or reformatory institution in this state or in any other state, other than an inmate.

Tonight a Senior Texas Department of Criminal Justice Warden remains under investigation for allegedly allowing TDCJ inmates to use a state prison telephone and Internet at a Huntsville area prison unit inmate peddling shop.  This action comes after TDCJ employees are forced to undergo strict pat down searches after a death row inmate called State Senator John Whitmire (D)Houston, in another incident.