February 11, 2022 Big pay hikes for corrections workers in a TN county will close longstanding wage gap Long-overdue raises will close a yawning pay gap for corrections workers in Shelby County, Tennessee. Read More
December 13, 2021 OCSEA members at Toledo Correctional Institution protest unsafe working conditions Working conditions are so unsafe at a Toledo, Ohio, prison, that OCSEA members working there held a picket to draw attention to the issue. Read More
November 19, 2021 AFSCME mourns on-the-job death of Pennsylvania corrections officer AFSCME members mourn the death of Sister Rhonda Russell, a Pennsylvania correctional officer who died in the line of duty. Read More
August 31, 2021 Correctional officers in Puerto Rico hold a rally to demand wage fairness Correctional officers in Puerto Rico held a rally last week to demand wage fairness and better working conditions. Read More
July 29, 2021 In a victory for AFSCME, New Mexico’s private prison population to be cut in half Learn how AFSCME’s campaign to return prison prisons to public hands is paying off in New Mexico. Read More
June 17, 2021 Securing workplace rights through a contract is the essence of the Nevada union difference A Nevada member explains why securing a voice on the job by negotiating a contract is a shining example of the difference a union can make. Read More
June 04, 2021 Iowa corrections package is good but not good enough The Iowa legislative package for increased corrections funding – coming two months after the Anamosa State Penitentiary killings of AFSCME members – is a good start but isn’t good enough. Read More
May 03, 2021 We thank corrections workers for their sacrifices, selfless duty during pandemic For the sacrifices they’ve made during the pandemic, corrections staff deserve our deepest gratitude. Read More
April 14, 2021 AFSCME corrections officers learn, train fellow COs on COVID-19 AFSCME educates correctional employees on COVID-19 safety best practices, while affiliates promote member vaccination. Read More
April 09, 2021 Iowa prison worker deaths prompt urgent call for reforms Two AFSCME prison workers in Iowa were killed on the job. This could’ve been avoided if there had been adequate staffing, Council 61 argues. Read More
March 11, 2021 Texas legislature urged to fix crumbling prisons, boost corrections staffing and pensions AFSCME members ask the Texas legislature to fix crumbling prisons, increase corrections staffing and shore up the pensions they were promised. Read More
March 09, 2021 AFSCME, State of Nevada announce tentative agreement for four bargaining units Great news for Nevada state workers. Local 4041 and the State of Nevada today announced a tentative agreement for four bargaining units. Read More
March 04, 2021 AFSCME CO and military veteran urges Congress to pass the American Rescue Plan An AFSCME correctional officer from Wisconsin, who’s also a military veteran, is urging Congress to approve the American Rescue Plan to help veterans hurt by the pandemic. Read More
February 04, 2021 Connecticut AFSCME members use collective action to get vaccines to state prisons When the State of Connecticut failed to come up with a vaccination plan for prison staff, AFSCME correction officers joined hands and took action – and reaped success. Read More
December 15, 2020 New Chief Safety Officer position makes prisons safer The Illinois Department of Corrections is working with AFSCME corrections unions to fight the coronavirus pandemic as one. And the results are promising on many levels. Read More
October 14, 2020 Priority should be funding front-line workers, not fast-tracking anti-worker judge OCSEA’s Chris Mabe appealed to the Senate to fund the front lines rather than ramming through Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination. Read More
September 14, 2020 When a trailblazing correctional officer went down the walk at Angola Shirley Coody, an assistant warden at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola and president of AFSCME Local 3056 (Council 17), is a winner of AFSCME's Never Quit Service Award. Read More
July 30, 2020 Connecticut governor issues executive order to protect front-line workers After Council 4 members speak up, Connecticut governor issues an executive order making front-line workers with COVID-19 eligible for worker’s comp coverage. Read More
July 08, 2020 AFSCME members pressure Senate to act on aid to states, cities and towns During an AFSCME tele-town hall, President Lee Saunders and AFSCME members called on their union family to pressure their U.S. senators to approve aid to states, cities and towns. Read More
May 14, 2020 AFSCME Members Recovering From COVID-19 Share Their Stories, Seek State, Local Aid In a press call, AFSCME front-line workers shared stories of suffering with COVID-19 as they highlighted the urgent need for congressional aid. Read More
May 07, 2020 The Case Against Private Prisons Private prisons put communities at risk. By cutting corners to boost profits, they endanger inmates and correctional staff alike. Public safety belongs in the public sector. Read More
May 05, 2020 ‘My Job is Dangerous Every Day. But COVID-19 Has Elevated that Threat’ Violence is escalating inside a Connecticut prison, as fear of catching COVID-19 grows among the inmates. Read More
May 05, 2020 Overworked and Underprotected: Ohio Correction Officer Seeks Federal Assistance Inside a Columbus, Ohio, facility, corrections officers are overworked and worried about catching COVID-19. Read More
May 05, 2020 ‘Things Are Beyond a Breaking Point’ Says Ohio CO Infected with COVID-19 What’s it like inside a prison where the coronavirus is running rampant? An Ohio corrections officer who has COVID-19 explains. Read More
April 30, 2020 Corrections Workers Need Congress to Act As Prisons Become Coronavirus Petri Dishes Corrections officers describe rising COVID-19 cases in their facilities and a continuing lack of personal protective equipment. Congress, are you listening? Read More
April 20, 2020 COVID-19 is Hitting America’s Prisons. AFSCME COs Are Fighting to Contain It. A Texas prison that had no COVID-19 cases a month ago now has four. That’s just one example of the virus hitting correctional facilities where our members work. Read More
March 25, 2020 Corrections, EMS Workers Stress Need for Resources in COVID-19 Fight Corrections and EMS workers demand help from the federal government. Read More
March 24, 2020 Council 13 Members Keep Public Services Alive Throughout PA Amid Pandemic The coronavirus outbreak hasn’t stopped many AFSCME Council 13 members from serving Pennsylvania communities. Read More
March 19, 2020 Fighting the COVID-19 Pandemic in Prisons Learn how AFSCME members who work in prisons are confronting the coronavirus pandemic. Read More
September 06, 2019 Council 3 Demands Action on Staffing Crisis after Summer of No Answers Maryland members are demanding solutions to a widespread state worker staffing crisis from Gov. Larry Hogan and the legislature. Read More