The 22 rank-and-file members of our DOC Union Negotiations Committee have a unanimous message for the membership.

Together, they wrote the message and recorded the video below. Union staff on the committee unequivocally support their position.

MESSAGE FROM OUR UNION COMMITTEE FOR DOC

To all the members of Teamsters 117,

We, the 2025 – 2027 contract negotiation team, have decided to unanimously VOTE NO on the 2025 - 2027 Collective Bargaining Agreement.

A NO vote would allow us to move it to interest arbitration.

The work we did during the last few years of emergency staffing to keep prisons running safely has been forgotten. The State came to negotiations to take your comp and give no raises.

They proposed a 1% and 0% wage increase over two years. These numbers are inadequate. The raises the Union has achieved for us in past contracts have been swallowed by inflation. The State's own data shows that most job classes are behind fair market value. Yet, the increase they offered does nothing to address this.

Our proposals have worked to remedy the following issues:

  1. Giving members Fair Wages
  2. Staff Safety
  3. Addressing mandatory overtime
  4. Staff Wellness and Work-Life balance
  5. Incentivize positive behavior

The State has failed to consider our proposals. Our proposals were well thought out and worked to resolve issues for members and the State. Our team worked to explain our proposals and the State would simply say “we understand but we are not interested”. When faced with more questions on how we could address these issues, the State would not communicate any further. Throughout the process, our team felt we were not being heard.

During our weeklong mediation, we have not come to an agreement on the key issues. This includes a general wage increase for all members to help with inflation and targeted range increases for job classes that are severely behind.

Due to this we are encouraging our members to VOTE NO on the proposed 2025 – 2027 Contract. We need this to go to arbitration.

Moving these issues to arbitration will allow us to have a neutral party look at our data and provide us with a wage increase that is reasonable to maintain a safe and secure workplace.

In solidarity from your negotiation team,

Brandon Archer - Correctional Sergeant, WSP
Sheena Bates - Classification Counselor 3, WSP
Brandi Blair - Roster Manager, MCC
Reginald Braswell - Correctional Specialist 2, CCCC
Jacquie Crenshaw - Dental Hygienist 2, WCCW
CJ Dean - CO2, CRCC
Kathleen Jackson - RN2, WSP
Brandon Jennings - Correctional Sergeant, WCC
Crystal Jennings - Correctional Sergeant, WCC
Thomas Johnson - CO2, AHCC
Chris Lukens - CO2, OCC
Donna Lytle - Medical Assistant, MCC
Aaron McFarland - CC2 AHCC
Bryan McGarvie - Correctional Sergeant, CBCC
Alena McGowen-Folsom - AC Cook, MCCCW
Brady McNeely - CO2, CBCC
Lewis Monterroso - Correctional Sergeant, SCCC
James Palmer - Correctional Sergeant, MCC
Gregg Peterson - CO2, SCCC
Eric Villaro - Electronic Technician 4, WSP
Scott Williams - CO3, CRCC
Anthony Zukowski - Deckhand, MICC

VIDEO MESSAGE

You can view a short video message from the team below:

UPCOMING CONTRACT VOTE

In the next few days, we will be sending out a communication with information about the voting process and a summary of the State's Last, Best, and Final offer. Again, our Union Committee unanimously recommends that you VOTE NO.

Please keep an eye on your email and update your contact information with the Union if necessary. 

Thank you to all of the members on our negotiations team for their outstanding work representing the membership. If you have questions, please reach out to any of them or talk to your Union Rep.