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NJ county correctional officers allege unfair hiring, staffing practices

Union is attempting to stop the transfer of workers from a shuttered juvenile offender facility to the county jail, saying it’s an unfair situation to properly trained staff

By C1 Staff

HUDSON COUNTY — The union representing correctional officers in Hudson County is attempting to stop the transfer of workers from a shuttered juvenile offender facility to the county jail, saying it’s an unfair situation to properly trained staff.

The youth facility was closed last year in a cost saving effort, according to NJ.com, and the county assured workers there that their jobs would be transferred to the Hudson County Correctional Center . They were told they would receive civilian work.

But Alexander Rosario III, a correctional officer with the jail and the president of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association Local 109, said that the staff from that facility have not received the same amount or type of training a county correctional officer should.

“What would happen if an incident requiring an emergency response, or injury of an inmate occurs, while that inmate is being directly overseen or in an area of the jail being overseen by a person not legally trained, state certified or authorized to be in the jail to begin with?”

A county spokesperson released a statement, saying such a transfer was supported by Civil Service law and that the jail had a history of civilian staff members escorting offenders being discharged from the facility, along with escorting inmates to and from medical appointments.

“The practice of assigning civilian staff to perform duties at the Hudson County Correctional Center is fully supported by Civilian Service regulations – and has been in place without challenge for many years,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

Rosario said the PBA is seeking intervention by the state and is awaiting response; they are also considering contacting “individuals on the civil service eligibility list who are being denied proper employment with Hudson County Corrections so they can file their own legal action.”

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