Michigan legislators urge pay increase for all state-run prisons, not just 5 UP facilities
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MICHIGAN. (WLUC) – Michigan legislators are showing support for the Michigan Corrections Organization’s current pay disparity position through letters to the Michigan Department of Corrections.
On June 10 and 11, Michigan legislators from both the House and the Senate presented the director of the MDOC with two letters showing support for the MCO, urging them to extend pay increases for new recruits to all state correctional facilities, rather than only five in the U.P.
The MDOC previously said in a June release that the facilities were selected based on current staff vacancy rates and their designation as being hard-to-recruit facilities.
“We are confident this incentive will be a strong tool for hiring in Upper Peninsula regions where recruitment has historically been challenging due to a variety of factors,” said MDOC Director Heidi Washington. “Officers currently at these worksites are working tirelessly to operate their facilities in a safe and secure way around the clock. We are optimistic that this change, along with other components of the Safe Prison Initiative, will provide relief to staff and create safer facilities.”
The letter from the Michigan Senate says the increase in pay for the U.P. facilities was appreciated, but the issue is statewide:
“There are 21 other prisons in the state. Officers at all of these prisons deal with difficult working conditions and suffer if staffing is inadequate, which is clear in the publicly released data on vacancy rates in Michigan correctional facilities.”
The letter from the Michigan House of Representatives says that, in addition to the dangers staffing shortages pose, the policy was rolled out without consulting MCO leadership. The letter goes on to say the MDOC plays a critical role in the safety and security of the state, and the pay increase should be extended:
“If expanded this incentive program could work, but as implemented it is only a partial solution. The integrity of our system is at risk due to a negligent assessment of the staffing crisis and an unwillingness to partner and find win-win solutions.”
Both letters end by saying they look forward to working with the MDOC to find a solution to this problem.
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