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| Wyoming settles lawsuit with COs |
| By timesunion.com - BEN NEARY, Associated Press |
| Published: 05/18/2011 |
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CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The state has paid nearly $45,000 to settle claims by leaders of the correctional officers union that top administrators at the Department of Corrections retaliated against them for union activities that included public criticism of chronic understaffing at the lockup in Rawlins. Department Director Robert Lampert also agreed to a number of concessions intended to give the Wyoming Association of Correctional Employees more freedom to recruit new members and to express concerns about management at prisons around the state. "No. 1, it's going to give somebody the opportunity to be able to stand up for staff without fear of retaliation," said Dee Garrison, association president and a plaintiff in the lawsuit. In the case filed last year, Garrison and union vice president Norman MacIntosh claimed corrections administrators disciplined them unfairly and gave them poor evaluations because of their union activities. Wyoming doesn't allow public employee collective bargaining. Still, the union represents more than 100 officers at prisons around the state on safety, staffing and other personnel issues. The union and its parent organization, the International Association of Police Associations, also claimed in the lawsuit that the state's retaliation against Garrison and MacIntosh discouraged other correctional officers from becoming union members. U.S. District Judge Alan B. Johnson of Cheyenne signed off on the settlement on April 21. Attempts to reach Lampert for comment were unsuccessful. Tim Lockwood, a spokesman said the department, wouldn't comment on the case. Garrison, a longtime officer at the state penitentiary in Rawlins, said she retired last month after reaching the settlement. She continues as association president. Tim Kingston, a Cheyenne lawyer, represents Garrison and provided copies of the settlement agreement that specifies the state paid Garrison $43,000. The state settled with MacIntosh for $1,800. The settlement specifies the state doesn't admit the plaintiffs' claims or accept liability. However, Kingston said, "We settled the case for monetary amounts. And in my opinion, the state would not have settled those claims without recognition of the merits of their retaliation claims." Read More. |
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