Mailbag: A correctional officer feels ‘oppression and prejudice’
March 7th, 2013 at 5:00 am by Ted Nesi under Nesi's Notes, On the Main Site
Here’s an interesting email I got recently from a reader who says he’s a veteran state worker, offering his perspective on all the changes to his retirement benefits made in recent years (I’ve redacted his name):
Dear Mr Nesi,
My name is [X], I am a Correctional Officer with the RI Dept of Corrections, and have been employed there since 1988. At the time of my application I was a young ambitious man with hopes of making a better life for my family and I; that being said, I also knew that this would involve sacrifice, hard work, and dedication.
Today, I am older, wiser, and left to “play a game” in which the rules have been changed “in the middle”.
In my initial interview, I was informed that if I were fortunate enough to attain a position in the academy I would be paid $150.00 per week throughout the academy…and if I graduated, my starting salary would be +/-$21,000.00, would receive a full benefit package of life insurance and dental FOR LIFE, also, at 50 years of age I would be eligible to retire with a retirement package of 50% of my current salary. Also if I attended college and graduated in Administration of Justice I would receive a stipend of 15% of my pay for as long as I was employed.
This was not my only opportunity! I had other opportunities, Prov Police, State Police, Deputy Marshal, however, based on these promises I turned down the other opportunities for the opportunities availed by RIDOC. Now all these promises have been changed, IS THAT LEGAL! My college incentive cut to $2500.00 per year; my retirement age increased to 59, my percentage reduced significantly, my healthcare costs increased significantly. How is this possible?
Not through negotiation but through legislation!
24 years later, I know I am only a mere middle class guy, but I feel if there has ever been oppression and prejudice laid upon anyone, it is against me…the regular “joe” that works and does what he must for his family.
I do not think that the founders of this state or country intended that the working guys/gals were the ones that would be oppressed.
Your Thoughts,
Respectfully,
[X]
• Related: Mediation to continue in RI pension suit after judge gets update (Feb. 28)
Tags: ACI, letters, other voices, pensions, raimondo-chafee, state government
Nesi's Notes covers politics and the economy in and around Rhode Island for WPRI.com. (Twitter: 
Retiring at 59? Oh, the horror!
I feel 0 pity for these union workers who via their elected thugs have brought this state and towns to their knees!
Bob you would not last one minute in that prison……if a guard can last 25 years in a prison, they should get everything plus….
Bob you should look into the animals he has had to deal with, before you throw the word thug around…
Bob, sounds like you are living off the state. Bet you never worked a day in your miserable life..
Mr or Ms X, you have every right to be upset. You ‘re getting ‘the screws’ put to you. But do you know who is at fault? It’s not me, a regular joe just like you. It’s your inept, over compensated union leaders who allowed your representatives to sign all those years worth of useless, unachievable promises, and not finance the boondoggle.
How much of a ‘hit’ is your union leader taking?? I’ll bet, NONE.
You have every reason to be upset, but not with the taxpayer of this state. We’re getting ‘screwed’ right along with you.
It is what it is. You should have voted smarter.
Very well said. I agree that X has a right to be upset, but it’s his union leaders and their bought and paid for general assembly that he should be upset with. Whether X was aware of it or not, they were engaged in a 2 part transaction. Unions bought the GA with votes, and that’s fine as everyone gets to vote for the candidate of their choice. However, the politicians bought your votes with the taxpayer’s money and that part of the transaction is invalid as far as I’m concerned. Too bad you chose to put your faith in your union and the GA, but we all make choices in life and have to live with them good or bad.
why don’t you investigate why the website at ERSRI that was set up to calculate your revised pension was taken down?? its is being “tested” for 2 months?????
why dont you investigate why you cant get an appointment at ERSRI unless you commit to retiring?
why dont you investigate that there are no employee meetings to help you determione how our pension has been revised?
why dont you investigate why there is no way to calculate your revised pension.
i think they don’t want peopel to know because if they did, there would be a revolution.
He/She is right. This State has failed it’s workforce and refused to cut spending in entitlement areas.
X is correct and is a victim like many others. Lies and more lies from politicians, high paid Town Managers, Finance Directors, etc. who take care of themselves and hope to be gone before the chickens come home to roost. My town has a everyone in the state plan, while I have friends who retired from Narragansett who are under the gun since the Town couldn’t find the money to pay their share while coming in under the tax caps year after year. There are people over there waiting to retire, but cannot get figures of what they would receive from the Finance Director who is helping to make their local pension plan seem worse to weasel out of their responsibilities. It may be convenient to blame the unions, but they are not the problem, nor is the General Assembly. The problem lies with Mayors, Councils, Finance Directors, and Town Managers who get the big bucks and benefits while deceiving taxpayers and workers alike. South Kingstown and Narragansett are at opposite ends of the fiscal spectrum.
Doug says: “It may be convenient to blame the unions, but they are not the problem, nor is the General Assembly”
I couldn’t disagree more.
boo hoo. retire at 50 scam is exposed…boo hoo!!
Coming from a family of cops and firemen I hear this sob story daily. The cost of living here is already too high. I’m not willing to raise my taxes even one cent to help bail out the pensions or benefits of family members who signed on to these ridiculous deals. There is no way I would be willing to take a single penny from from my kids to bail out this guy or any others like him. Let the unions clean up their own houses.
Mr X I am in your corner, but you have to remember, your job is for the the middle class guy, it’s not a get wealthy / rich mans job. Back in 1988 if you a chance to get job in the Prov Police, State Police, or Deputy Marshall, that is your fault for not taking it. The packages back then, and now are still far better then a DOC officer…… You know yourself many DOC officers leave that job, for better law enforcement agencies…. You have a dangerous, and deserve everything and more, but as I stated, these jobs are middle class jobs, and there is nothing wrong with that.
$72/hr should help ease the pain of oppression and prejudice, eh?