November 2017 scoop

Friday, November 3, 2017

Two more state employees die from injuries suffered in Pasquotank attack

The tragedy at Pasquotank Correctional deepened this week with news that two more state employees passed away from injuries suffered in the failed prison break attempt on Oct. 12.

On Monday, corrections officer and SEANC District 69 member Wendy Shannon, 49, died after weeks of hospitalization. Then, Thursday evening, maintenance mechanic Geoffrey Howe, 31, passed as well. Howe had worked at the prison for a little more than a year.

Corrections officer Justin Smith, 35, and Correction Enterprises manager Veronica Darden, 50, were murdered in the escape attempt as well. Eight other prison employees and four inmates were injured.

On Thursday, WBTV in Charlotte posted a detailed account of the attack from internal reports it had obtained. They showed that inmates attacked the staff for 20 minutes before help arrived. That story came a day after WBTV interviewed correctional officers anonymously about conditions in the prisons. “It’s a warzone every time you step in there,” one corrections employee, who has worked in the state’s prisons since the early 1990s and currently works in an administrative role, said.

On Wednesday, Gov. Roy Cooper told WRAL that his administration is working "furiously" on a review of safety and security procedures at prisons. "We’ve got to get to the bottom of this," Cooper said. "Every day that goes by is another day that an incident could happen. So, clearly we need to be working on an expedited timeline."

SEANC President Stanley Drewery is quoted in that same article saying that along with

policy changes, better pay and benefits would help lure more people to take prison jobs, which would increase safety as well. North Carolina ranks 43rd nationally in correctional officer pay. He reiterated that sentiment in an interview with the Associated Press. More officers are sorely needed, as an editorial from Capital Broadcasting pointed out Wednesday.

Legislative leaders and Cooper administration officials, including DPS Secretary Erik Hooks, have reached out to SEANC this week expressing their commitment to solving the problems at our prisons. This is not a partisan issue. The safety of our corrections staff should be a top priority. We look forward to continued dialogue with all stakeholders.

What you need to know about the Mission Health, BCBSNC dispute With no end in sight to the standoff between Mission Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, SEANC has developed a list of Frequently Asked Questions below to help members navigate the issue.

SEANC Government Relations Director Ardis Watkins sat down with SEANC Second Vice President Jimmy Davis to discuss the matter earlier this month. If you haven't already, click hear to watch the video. Davis, who lives in Forest City, said he uses Mission facilities regularly and has already started to be inconvenienced by the dispute.

Friday, November 17, 2017

Mission, BCBSNC return to negotiations After more than a month of stalemate, there may be light at the end of the tunnel in the Mission Health/Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina contract dispute.

If you’ll recall, Mission Health terminated its contract with BCBSNC on Oct. 5 because it wanted to increase costs more than five percent. This caused Mission facilities to become “out-of-network” for all BCBSNC customers, including state employees, retirees and their families covered by the State Health Plan.

The two sides finally returned to the negotiating table this week, though no deal has been announced. SEANC Second Vice President Jimmy Davis and Government Relations Director Ardis Watkins explained the dispute in detail in this video, and SEANC has set up this page with frequently asked questionson the situation.

Prison staff shortage reaching epidemic

levels; assaults up 50 percent The fallout from the failed prison break at Pasquotank Correctional on Oct. 12 that left four state employees murdered has shone a spotlight on the troubles at our state’s prisons. The News & Observer this week pointed to a severe prison staff shortage as a main cause for the dangers our correctional officers face. The Associated Press reported today that assaults on prison staff are up more than 50 percent this year than five years ago, even though there are 3,000 less inmates.

Correctional officer safety is in the national spotlight as well. The Huffington Post reported this week that, “The rate of PTSD and suicide among correctional officers is often compared to that of combat military veterans.”

Meanwhile, one little boy’s touching tribute to the state employees who were murdered at Pasquotank went viral. In the video the Elizabeth City boy, Abel E., sings the song, “What the World Needs Now," in honor of the victims.

More state workers side with SEANC!

SEANC visited the Department of Transportation’s office in downtown Raleigh (pictured) and Longleaf Neuro Medical Center in Wilson this week to discuss the benefits of SEANC membership with workers. Since the beginning of October, SEANC has welcomed 384 new members who chose to stand with their coworkers in support of public services!

These members come from the departments of Commerce, Environmental Quality, Health and Human Services, Public Instruction, Public Safety, Revenue and Transportation, the Administrative Offices of the Courts, Local Government, Beaufort County Community College, Brunswick Technical Institute, Carteret Technical College, Central Piedmont Community College, Davidson Community College, Durham Technical College, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Guilford Community College, Pamlico Technical College, Robeson Community College, South Piedmont Community College, Southeastern Community College, Stanly Community College, Appalachian State University, East Carolina University, Fayetteville State University, N.C. Central University, N.C. State University, UNC-Asheville, UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC-Charlotte, UNCPembroke, UNC-Wilmington, Winston-Salem State University, UNC Hospitals, and schools in Burke, Chatham, Cumberland, Durham, Franklin, Harnett, Henderson, New Hanover, Pitt, Union, Wake, Wayne and Wilson counties and Chapel Hill/Carrboro school district.

SEANC’s member relations team is ready to come to your worksite and give a

presentation on our many benefits and recruit new members!

Simply fill out this form if you would like for us to come to your office or worksite.

Christmas Time is Coming!

Busch Gardens, Carowinds and DollyWood will come alive with holiday spirit during the seasonal event. Festive food and drink, holiday shopping and heart-warming shows make the spirit of Christmas come alive.

Enjoy the magical transformation of the parks as you step into a winter wonderland full of enchantment, cheer and classic family fun.

Contact Phyllis Perry at the SEANC Office 919-833-6436 for more details on discounted tickets.

Fire Safety this Holiday Season Statistics show that there are more house fires during this time of year than any other time. It could be due to holiday decorations, gas heat or candles.

We never think that something like this could happen to us. To help prevent fires this year Travelers Insurance has provided us with safety tips. Read these tips and stay safe this Holiday Season!