Department of Corrections Signs Agreement with MOCOA

Capping more than a year of negotiations, Missouri Department of Corrections officials have signed an agreement with the Missouri Corrections Officers Association (MOCOA), the first agreement since MOCOA became the certified bargaining representative on July 1, 2004.

“This agreement sets down guidelines for corrections officers working for the Department,” Missouri Corrections Officers Association Executive Director Gary Gross told the Horizon. “It covers everything from time off to employee rights.”

“This is an example of cooperation and open communication,” Department Director Larry Crawford said. “This is another step forward.”

The agreement includes sixteen articles: recognition, management rights, no strike or work interruptions, non-discrimination, association business, payroll deduction of association dues, employee rights, bidding, employee discipline, attendance and leave, overtime, grievance, schedules and assignments, compensation, institutional closings/layoffs and institutional realignments. The agreement defines MOCOA as the certified bargaining representative in accordance with statutes, and defines bargaining unit to include all Corrections Officers I and II.

“This contract gives custody staff more clearly defined rights than they have had in the past,” said MOCOA Algoa Correctional Center Institutional Representative Cliff Coan. “The one thing that will really help corrections officers deals with how mandatory overtime is distributed.”

Article 11 of the agreement states overtime will be assigned on a volunteer basis when possible, and that if mandatory overtime assignments are necessary, such assignments will be distributed equitably based on a mandatory overtime rotation list.

“This contract will alleviate a lot of the problems that we have had in the institutions, which created low morale,” MOCOA Farmington Correctional Center Institutional Representative Everett Boyd told the Horizon. “There were many changes that were made that will improve employees’ rights, and the seasoned employees will see the many improvements that have been made.”

The four-year agreement covers February 1, 2007 through January 31, 2011. It’s the first time that corrections custody staff have ever been involved in signing the agreement. Under the agreement, MOCOA is permitted to use the Department bulletin board. Both sides agree bulletin board information may not include information that is obscene, inflammatory, derogatory or political. Employees may voluntarily enroll or revoke Association dues deductions at any time.

The agreement also addresses Institutional Closings/layoffs. It provides that when an institution is closed, employees who are transferred or laid-off will have the first opportunity to return to the institution, and that employees who are transferred due to a closing will keep the same shift and days off for 90 days. Under the agreement, the provisions will be retroactively applied to the closing of Church Farm, the Central Missouri Correctional Center.

The agreement was signed February 1, 2007 during a ceremony at Central Office. It was signed during the ceremony by Crawford, Division of Adult Institutions Director Terry Moore, Office of Administration Assistant Commissioner Paul Buckley, Gross, Coan and Boyd. The agreement has also been signed by MOCOA President Ed Tourville.

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