Teamsters File Federal Complaint Against Florida Department of Corrections

Department Wide Wage Violations Short-Change Officers

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Oct. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Teamsters Union has filed a federal complaint with the U.S. Labor Department against the Florida Department of Corrections asking for an investigation into repeated wage theft which systematically short changes workers out of pay.

The complaint filed by the Teamsters Union late Wednesday contends that the Florida Department of Corrections has not complied with federal pay laws. Wage-and-hour regulations require that workers get paid for duties carried out before and after a shift. The union's review indicates a pervasive practice at many prisons throughout the state where management has allowed uncompensated work to be performed.

"Every day we work with the state's most dangerous criminals, keeping our communities safe," said Sgt. William Bishop, who works at the Walton Correctional Institution. "I am proud of what I do, but to do that job and then not get paid for each hour I work is just an insult."

Sgt. Aaron Cobb, another one of the thousands of officers who have experienced wage theft, said: "I work very hard, but I have a difficult time making ends meet. On average, I am not paid for 50 minutes of every day when I am on the work premises. I want to make the Department of Corrections a better place to work. That's why we are standing up with the Teamsters for what's right."

"Correctional officers suffer because of wage theft by the FDOC and also because they have had no pay increases for the past seven years," said Michael Filler, Director of the Teamsters Public Services Division. "All officers who put in a fair's day work are legally entitled to a fair day's pay."

The Teamsters are assisting 20,000 FDOC officers seeking aggressive representation on the job. For more information, visit http://fdocteamsters.org.

Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, go to www.teamster.org

SOURCE Teamsters Joint Council 75