Tuesday, November 24, 2015

They must be using free money at the Wisconsin Department of Corrections


(emphasis added)

As reported in Prison guard shortage forces new overtime policy.  (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/23/2015)

Erpenbach and many officers contend the department could better hang on to its employees if it paid them more, gave them more training and treated them better. Starting officers make about $15 an hour, and the officers and administration have repeatedly clashed since 2011, when collective bargaining ended for most public workers under Walker's signature law, known as Act 10. 
The new overtime policy comes as the department is facing severe staff shortages and routinely making officers work extra hours. The situation was so acute this summer that Columbia Correctional Institution paid officers from other institutions for mileage and hotel stays to help cover shifts at Columbia.

 Screenshot taken from 7/24/2015 AFSCME blogpost

Looks like this situation won't improve anytime soon.


“When there’s less staff, and less experienced staff, that puts us in greater danger,” said Below. “They don’t have the experience dealing with inmates.” 
Some describe CCI as a powder keg.
Len Below retired after working for 33 years as a prison guard.

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