I was elected union steward by default. The unionized teachers and staff sitting around a conference room table were asked at the last minute to become union stewards by the chief union steward working out of parole and probation in Mt. Clemons. Michigan. He would train anyone who volunteered. I wasn’t paying attention as usual, (not uncommon with a hearing loss that was unknowingly getting worse) but was reading the documents the union gave us. I hadn’t noticed that everyone had stepped away from the table as they left the room. I was the only one left at the table. I was informed by the chief union steward that by default I had been elected to a three year term. I personally didn’t think it worked that way but was willing to do my share. Nobody was left in the room but me. I was a trained MBA, had experience in labor relations, and understood the process from management’s side of the table. I was also informed that by being the union steward I would have “super seniority” at this facility. I didn’t know exactly what that meant. Super, in the languages I knew, was a good thing. So I decided to give it a try.
He was happy as hell that I would volunteer for the position and set up my training at the Union Hall in Lansing. The training would be with other union members becoming stewards as well. I couldn’t wait. I thought it would be interesting and it was certainly that. I met a young man who informed me that he had just won a settlement for a staff member in excess of 400,000 dollars. I thought for sure he was embellishing the amount but the chief steward who signed me up for the training congratulated him on winning his case, brought against a warden at another prison facility, who defied the Federal Authorities and had to be threatened with imprisonment to testify at the trial. This wardens’ testimony was so damning for the state that the award was given immediately to the plaintiff. I wanted to know what happened to this warden, and was told he was promoted. I couldn’t believe it. In the private sector he would have been terminated immediately for malfeasance and incompetence. I was told, “not here!” These kinds of cases are badges that get incompetent managers promoted.” I thought out loud,” this encourages bad management.” Their response, “exactly, stick around and you will see a lot of bad management, at all levels of the hierarchy, and you will be representing people who have to deal with it every day.”
When I returned to the prison my supervisor asked me, “what did you think of your training?” I informed him about the warden who just cost the DOC a 400,000 dollar settlement. “War stories” he said as he walked away. So much for that I thought. I later found out while speaking with Joe H, our special education teacher, (one of the best teachers I had ever met and worked with) that the warden I had spoke of was now the administrator over prison education, and our supervisor’s friend. That’s why I received such a curt response when I mentioned the settlement. Joe informed me that there was so much mismanagement in this department and many other state departments as well. I wanted to know what evidence he had of his claim. He laughed, and said, “you have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Administration and Public Policy and a Master of Arts Degree in Business Administration and you want me to show you evidence?” He had a point. Max Weber did have a few things to say about bureaucracies.” But okay “, he stated. Then he informed me about a website where all the current payouts (hush money) in all of the state departments were tabulated and recorded. I was shocked when I saw the amounts. Now, I thought as a new union steward, I had more on my plate than I could handle. The next three years will be interesting, if not stressful. To Be Continued… For my readers: If you are interested in the lawsuits. www. senate.michigan.gov/sfa/publications/ lawsuits
Matthew 6: 9-13
Alexander Solzhenitsyn: “Unlimited power in the hands of a limited people always leads to cruelty.” The Gulag Archipelago 1918-1956 https://youtu.be/MeW_3X6DWwc
MJ-Way 