Melinda Kupers (with dog Sassy!) is part of a group of newly-organized Teamsters who joined the union after a change in State law expanded collective bargaining rights last year.

Melinda Kupers is a manager for DOC's Graduated Reentry Program (GRE), which helps prepare incarcerated individuals for reentry into our communities through training, educational opportunities, and mentorship. She supervises a team of correctional specialists who screen individuals making the challenging transition from prison to our communities for participation in GRE and Reentry Centers.

Kupers recently joined Teamsters 117 after our Union helped pass a law that gave WMS employees the right to organize. For the last two months, she and twelve of her co-workers, together with Teamsters staff, have been participating in contract negotiations with the State to secure a new collective bargaining agreement for the group.

Kupers shared her thoughts on workload and other challenges facing WMS staff at the agency as well as impressions from the bargaining table.

Why did your WMS group decide to organize?

One of the main reasons was work-life balance and not being recognized for the decision-making responsibilities we have. Management was tasking us with more and more duties without our input. Many of us are working 50-60 hours a week.

How does it feel to be represented by the Teamsters?

It feels really good. We recently had management telling us we were going to be taking on additional duties. They wanted to make the change without our input and the training we were promised. Teamsters stepped in and put a stop to it.

What has been your overall impression of negotiations?

Sarena* and those of us on the Teamsters side have tried hard to convey to management what work is like for us. It’s not only the time we spend but our responsibility to the staff we supervise and the fact that we are not included in decision making. My impression is they are not taking us seriously or really listening to our concerns. It doesn’t feel good.

What would you say are the goals of the Union in these negotiations?

We’re looking for fairness. We want a CBA that outlines how management deals with us that is consistent and that we can rely on. We’re also looking to be recognized for our contributions to the agency, not just financially, but for the overall importance of the job that we do.

How did you feel about the State’s response to your recent economic proposal?

It felt like a slap in the face. I didn’t expect we would get everything we wanted, but their offer was so paltry it would almost have been better if they didn’t offer anything at all.

Are you hopeful you can reach agreement with the State?

I’m hopeful we can reach agreement on most things except economics. I think it’s unfortunate. I expected them to bargain in good faith. There’s a good chance my staff will be making more than me. That creates a crisis for DOC. There are tons of vacancies that supervisors can demote into. 

If you don’t treat people right, if you don’t value the work that they do, you’ve created a crisis. That’s where I believe our agency is at.

What’s morale like among your group?

The morale is pretty low. WMS staff are exhausted. Certainly, COVID was a big part of that, but it’s not like two years later it’s getting any better. We’re facing constant change, unrealistic expectations that we can’t fulfill. It wears on you.

We're service-oriented people, we take care of our staff - that's why we're in corrections. Many of us start our days early. And we're up late at night, checking in on staff, making sure they are safe. 

*Sarena Davis is our Union's Director of Corrections and Law Enforcement.