HOLLIDAYSBURG, Penn. – The AFSCME members who keep Pennsylvania’s Blair County Prison safe and secure have overwhelmingly ratified a strong new three-year contract.
The collective bargaining agreement, ratified on May 22, includes pay raises, more holidays and other gains that will help attract new employees and retain experienced officers and staff who are critical to the facility’s success.
To achieve this victory, the corrections officers and members of AFSCME Local 3157 (Council 13) stepped up, got involved in negotiations, and fought collectively for improvements on the job to continue keeping their communities safe. Through their contract campaign and ratification vote, Local 3157 activated their current membership and recruited new members.
For Sgt. Chad Murray, who has worked at the prison for 12 years, serving on the negotiating team was both rewarding and eye-opening. When asked how this contract compares to past agreements, he said, “There’s really no comparison.”
“With this contract, we secured major pay raises, additional vacation time and improvements that help reduce stress on staff,” Murray said. “I think that’s going to motivate people and help bring more applicants into the jail.”
Correctional Officer Frank Irvin, another member of the negotiating team, said active member involvement played a major role in the success of negotiations.
“Being part of the negotiating team gave us the opportunity to make sure the concerns of the membership were heard directly by management,” Irvin said. “When the person across the table already understands the realities of the job, management is less likely to try to downplay the issues workers are facing.”
Local 3157 members described the critical role that correctional officers play in maintaining public safety as demanding yet often unseen.
“Corrections is often overlooked as part of law enforcement, but it’s an essential job,” Murray said. “It’s dangerous, stressful work, and a lot of times correctional officers are the unsung heroes of law enforcement.”
Correctional Officer Dennis Bishop, who has worked at the prison for 10 years, echoed that sentiment.
“Corrections is kind of the forgotten part of law enforcement,” Bishop said. “A lot of the work happens behind the walls, so people don’t always see what correctional officers deal with every day.”
For the AFSCME members who keep Blair County Prison running, their successful contract campaign was about more than wages and benefits. It was a reminder that when workers get involved, stand together and speak with one voice through their union, they can make real improvements for themselves, their co-workers, their communities and the future of their profession.