Arizona Correctional Peace Officers Association

After speaking to ADC staff and members while on the road recruiting a few weeks back and its became clear that

there is still some confusion over AZCPOA’s split with AZCOPS. This is going to be our last word to set the record

straight for everyone.

First, some background:

Corrections Officers formed AZCPOA in 1999 with the idea of creating an employee organization by Corectional

Officers to protect Correctional Officers, so AZCPOA grew rapidly. Shortly after its creation AZCPOA opened its

membership to all ADC employees. AZCPOA formed its own non-profit corporation and received non-profit 501(c)(5)

status recognition from the IRS and still our membership continued to grow.

In 2000 AZCPOA decided to join with AZCOPS for they were a CWA union local and offered a legal plan. AZCOPS

did not have individual members, but was a group of independent employee organization. At that time, AZCPOA had

just over 1000 members so it had not qualified for a State payroll dues deduction and because AZCOPS had other

smaller state employee organizations (juvenile corrections and capitol police), the dues deduction was placed in

AZCOPS name so that all of the state groups could use the deduction for their dues. So this is why, for years your

paychecks reflected “AZCOPS” as a deduction for AZCPOA dues. AZCOPS collected all the dues, deducted for the cost

of its legal plan and then sent $6 per member to AZCPOA and other affiliated groups.

AZCPOA continued to grow, over time became the single largest group in AZCOPS. In fact, AZCPOA’s corrections

members made up between 33% and 50% of AZCOPS total membership.

During the next few years AZCPOA continued to succeed. AZCPOA successfully pushed for and received our meet

and confer recognition. The meet and confer recognition was originally created in DI 206 (based on the governor

executive order) and is now found in Department Order 501.06. Since the inception of DI 206, AZCPOA has been

recognized as the “QEO”, - the Qualified Employee Organization. The QEO organization holds that status because it

has the largest membership and holds over 51% of all dues deductions for ADC employees. The fact of the matter is

that AZCPOA has always had more members than all of the other competing groups combined!

AZCPOA also began to pursue its members’ political agenda at the legislature, AZCOPS did not want to have a

Political Action Committee so AZCPOA on its own formed and funded its own PAC. In addition, AZCPOA began

interviewing and endorsing candidates and started contributing to candidates and political causes to benefit the

membership.

Towards the end of the decade AZCPOA leadership began to recognize that in order for AZCPOA to reach its full

potential, it would need to leave AZCOPS and stand on its own. To that AZCPOA embarked on a long-term plan to

prepare for an eventual departure from AZCOPS. Numerous other groups had left AZCOPS over the years, but no

group had ever before wanted to leave to become its own CWA local and that was AZCPOA goal.

By December 2010, AZCPOA had amassed significant funds and had grown to such a size, that it could fund its

own legal plan and take care of its members on its own. AZCPOA gave notice to AZCOPS on December 22, 2010, that

its affiliation would end on December 31, 2010. Within a week AZCPOA had established its own independent office

with full time staff to answer the phone and handle member needs. AZCPOA created a new legal plan that provided

more benefits to Corrections Members than the old AZCOPS plan which had been tailored to the needs of police

officers. AZCPOA also submitted its request for recognition as a union local to CWA, updated its website and sent

emails to every member announcing the change.

AZCPOA was now independent and its costs were lower, so next AZCPOA announced it would reduce members’

dues from $26 to $22 a month. The only problem was that the original dues deduction remained in AZCOPS’ name.

In order to reduce the dues amount (and to actually collect the dues), AZCPOA needed to have its own deduction in its

own name. AZCPOA in turn announced that everyone would have to re - sign their dues form, so AZCPOA members

swarmed every complex getting members to sign a new form to lower their dues. In about three weeks AZCPOA had

already collected over 1000 newly re-signed forms which we needed these high numbers to be able to be granted by

the State Department of Administration (“ADOA”). The forms were submitted ADOA and AZCPOA then waited for

ADOA to grant the deduction.

By early January, 2011, the “confusers,” which compress of a handful of disgruntled former AZCPOA members,

tried to hijack the AZCPOA name, logo, membership and dues deduction presumably for their own benefit. You may

have seen emails from the group. First, the four people claiming to run the group announced that their name would

be C.O.A.A. to stand for Corrections Officers Association of Arizona and that they were recognized by CWA. Neither

was true. In fact, AZCPOA owned the C.O.A.A name.. Then the four changed their name to “CPOA”, created a

website that looked like a replica of AZCPOA website and then stole and plastered AZCPOA badge and logo on the

website. This little group of troublemakers with no following, then sent or participated in emails designed to confuse

AZCPOA membership about what was happening.

In the meantime, Tixoc Munoz and Martin Bihn flew to CWA headquarters in Denver to meet with CWA officials to

discuss the path for AZCPOA to become its own independent CWA Local. At that point AZCOPS was opposing

AZCPO separation so the CWA required a mediation between AZCPOA and AZCOPS.

In early February AZCPOA Board, AZCOPS Board and CWA Officials met at a hotel in Phoenix to try to iron out

their differences. By the end of the mediation it was clear that AZCPOA and AZCOPS were not going to reunite.

During this period AZCPOA continued to gather large numbers of the new dues deduction forms from its members.

In spite of all the efforts of the “confusers’” to undermine AZCPOA 10 years of stellar success. It was gratifying that

how solid AZCPOA membership stood with AZCPOA and helped get the deductions signed. The “confusers” then even

began to cause problems for the ADC leadership. As a result in early February, Director Ryan set two meetings for

February 17, 2011. At 1pm he was going to meet with the CPOA group and 2 p.m. he would meet with AZCPOA. At

the conclusions of the meeting he would decide which group would be recognized by ADC.

In the days leading up to meeting with Director Ryan, CWA advised AZCOPS that AZCPOA was going to be

chartered as its own independent CWA Local. AZCOPS and CWA then negotiated a deal by which AZCOPS would

leave CWA. Ultimately, the deal provided that AZCOPS could leave CWA but would never have any members in

corrections and would cease all efforts to recruit corrections employees. Larry Lopez President of AZCOPS, signed

the agreement on the morning of February 17, 2011. That same day at 1pm, Director Ryan sat waiting for CPOA

and Larry Lopez to arrive for their meeting. They never showed up and apparently never even bothered to call to

cancel. At 2pm representatives of AZCPOA kept their appointment with Director Ryan which AZCPOA provided

copies of the CWA- AZCOPS agreement and documentation reflecting AZCPOA status as a CWA union local.

Within days Director Ryan formally announced that ADC would continue to recognize AZCPOA and that CPOA

would not be recognized. Also that the AZCOPS dues deduction would no longer be valid for corrections employees.

By March 1, 2011, ADOA formally awarded AZCPOA its own payroll dues deduction and we hit the ground running!

In it first months AZCPOA hired its own lobbyist just as the legislature went into session. This first session was all

about trying to limit the cuts to CORP retirement and fighting to prevent some bills that could have been extremely

damaging. Working with ADC’s own lobbyist on ASRS/CORP pension changes and are now gearing up for the

governor proposed changes to state employment.

From the legal side, AZCPOA has been extremely successful in disciplinary appeals and other member

representation. We have assisted members with a wide range of needs from thorny workers compensation issues,

CORP retirement application issues, to divorce, child custody, bankruptcy, criminal matters, and even solved a

members IRS issue. AZCPOA legal plan has also been there for emergency consultations to assist members heading

into CIU interviews and 601 interviews. The leadership at each facility has been busy recruiting to continue to build

the membership. Even during this recruiting push AZCPOA Chapter Presidents have been actively handling and

resolving numerous member grievances and issues. Your Chapter Presidents are taking care of business!

AZCPOA Executive Staff is also deeply committed to communication with members. We understand that all of the

members cannot attend the monthly meetings in Phoenix. We have started a “town hall” meeting approach at all of

the facilities. The Executive Staff will travel to facilities and hold meetings to address the needs and concerns of the

staff in that particular facility. So far we have held these meetings in Winslow and Globe, but expect to hold these

meetings every month or so at different facilities.

AZCPOA has also worked to improve its relationship with administration. Earlier this year Division Director

Laura Krause accepted AZCPOA invitation to speak at the AZCPOA monthly membership meeting about ADC’s

perspective on the proposed CORP pension changes. Division Director Krause and Grievance Coordinator Coral

Martinez graciously participated in an hour long discussion of grievances, discipline and appeal procedures with our

membership at AZCPOA April membership meeting. It was an extremely positive meeting allowing AZCPOA

grievance representatives to work through their questions, comments and concerns with the ADC decision makers for

these issues.

The bottom line is that AZCPOA is the same successful member driven group it has been for the past 10 years.

AZCPOA is the most successful group in ADC because it is a group of corrections employees committed to working for

corrections employees. AZCPOA is just starting out on its bright new future, controlling its own destiny, and looking

out for the members.

Remember, this is your AZCPOA. If you are ever in Phoenix, feel free to drop by the office and see what we do.

We also encourage you to attend the monthly membership meetings (the second Monday of every month). Finally,

please check out the new website, we have all our emails posted. If you need help, we are here to serve with any

issues or concerns and we are easy to contact.