Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), and Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the Pay Our Correctional Officers Fairly Act, a bipartisan effort to address staffing shortages and ensure fair pay for Bureau of Prisons (BOP) employees, particularly at Federal Correctional Institution Danbury (FCI Danbury).
The bill aims to rectify the staffing shortages at FCI Danbury by providing competitive pay that reflects the cost of living, commute times, and the hard work of BOP employees.
Currently, only General Schedule (GS) pay scale employees receive New York locality pay, leaving non-GS employees without this benefit, despite many of them carrying out duties similar to correctional officers due to staffing shortages.
Blumenthal emphasized the importance of fair treatment for all workers, highlighting the need for improved wages and working conditions for BOP employees. He stated, “Our bill would pay people fairly and competitively to improve conditions across FCI Danbury.”
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1661 FCI Danbury expressed appreciation for the bipartisan effort, calling it a significant step in addressing the oversight of correctional workers. The shortage of correctional officers has been growing, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting a 7% decline in correctional officers by 2032.
Understaffed prisons and overworked employees have led to dangerous work environments, with temporary fixes such as using non-correctional staff to guard inmates. The Pay Our Correctional Officers Fairly Act seeks to address this issue by expanding access to locality pay for BOP employees, ensuring fair compensation for their essential work.
Source Link: https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/bipartisan-bill-aims-to-ensure-fair-pay-for-bureau-of-prisons-employees/
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