Tennessee: COs Win Seniority Bidding

More than 400 corrections officers (COs) and employees at the Morgan County Correctional Complex in Wartburg - members of AFSCME Local 2173 - are hailing an agreement to provide seniority bidding throughout the facility.

Wartburg, Tennessee

More than 400 corrections officers (COs) and employees at the Morgan County Correctional Complex in Wartburg - members of AFSCME Local 2173 - are hailing an agreement to provide seniority bidding throughout the facility.

COs and employees may now choose their preferred work shifts, days off and job assignments according to tenure. "It's all about getting a fair shake and having dignity on the job," says Local 2173 Pres. Bill Shillings.

Fighting for the agreement - a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) - wasn't easy. "The former warden wanted to bust our union and he kept stalling and spreading unfavorable statements about us," recalls Shillings. "And with the mid-term elections coming up, we couldn't wait any longer and allow a hostile Legislature to stop us. So we flexed our political muscle and went to battle."

Local members phoned and visited state representatives - mostly members of the Democratic Caucus - who then pressured the Department of Corrections (DOC) to sign the agreement. In addition, the Caucus pressured state administrators to instruct the commissioner of the DOC to sign the MOU over the warden's objections.

As it turned out, Local 2173 timed it perfectly. The November elections returned the Statehouse to the Republicans, who also now control both chambers of the Legislature. "We're the only union in state government that was offered an MOU," Shillings says proudly.

Today, the local maintains good relations with the newly appointed commissioner and warden who want to keep the union as the bargaining unit. Labor-management meetings are held regularly to deal with safety and other work-related issues.