Paying gov't workers BONUSES for not using drugs

Boston Globe ^

[freeper12]

Union contracts grant $1,000 bonuses for passing drug test By Associated Press, 6/14/2002 07:18 BOSTON (AP) Guards at the Suffolk County House of Corrections and the Nashua Street Jail receive $1,000 bonuses for passing mandatory drug tests, according to a published report.

[freeper12]

This is so bogus...another example of why I hate to pay taxes...

[3AngelaD]

So, it is unreasonable for society to ask prison guards to refrain from using drugs unless society is willing to pay them more to do so. The union has come very close to admitting that the guards are no better than the people they are guarding. Shameful.

[Paleo Conservative]

What about the stick approach, firing government workers for using drugs.

[Lazamataz]

The drug tests can be conducted during a 60-day window around each correction officer's birthday. Officers at the jail also are entitled to the bonus if the sheriff forgets to do the test. Of the 687 tests conducted in the past year, only 12 2 percent came back positive, Lombardi said.

They know that the only time they can be tested is 30 days prior to, and 30 days after, your birthday -- and they still get 'ONLY' a 12.2% positive rate???

I conclude that at least 80% of the personnel there are using drugs.

[justshutupandtakeit]

How many prison guards would have to go before there are too few to guard the inmates.

This was part of the contract negoitiations so will be there until the next contract. Being forced to do something so demeaning should have a price.

[elbucko]

This is so bogus...another example of why I hate to pay taxes...

Agreed!

If they get a grand to pass the drug test then how about THEY pay a fine of a grand if they fail.
Equal protection under the law.

[concerned about politics]

Why not just fire them for failing? It would be a cheaper route to the same end.

There's a new bill out requiring an intelligence test for politicians. But they complain that someone is trying to destroy representative government. :-Þ

[Henrietta]

''In order for us to get mandatory drug testing, we (had) to negotiate with the unions,''

How's this for negotiation: you either take and pass the drug test, or I fire your sorry @$$!

[caisson71]

You speak my language. Excellent point!

[steve-b]

Since it's a government agency, it's bound by the Fourth Amendment. Offering a payment for a voluntary waiver is just, as the article said, standard labor negotiation.

[steve-b]

Being forced to do something so demeaning should have a price.

Though I might be willing to go along for free if they included a little scupture of Bill Clinton for a "Create Your Own Serrano Artwork" kit.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Or if the bottle was shaped like Mr Bill.