Upper Peninsula Representatives Join Prison Staff at Informational Picket in Baraga

Staff shortages within Michigan prisons have been an issue for several years. However, the challenge continues to grow. Mandatory overtime hours and high officer-to-prison ratios are unsafe for workers and prisoners. Exhaustion and burnout can lead to unsafe situations or missteps. Michigan legislators are working on solutions, notably addressing the issues through wages and benefits.

Well, the staff shortage has been going on since probably about 1997, when they started losing their benefits, their health care, and their pension. We need to bring that back if we want to have a healthy correctional force in Michigan and become one of the top correctional facility states in the nation where we once were at one time. There’s a pension package that would bring corrections officers into a hybrid plan with a state police pension plan. – Rep. Greg Markkanen (R), 110th District, Michigan House of Representatives

Representative Jenn Hill from the 109th district has also introduced a bill that would reduce requirements for corrections officer education, removing prerequisite college credit.

There is a version in the Senate that’s come out of committee, it’s on the Senate floor. And then last week I introduced a bill that would take off the requirement of 15 hours of college credit for being hired. – Rep Jenn Hill (D), 109thDistrict, Michigan House of Representatives

Other representatives from the Upper Peninsula also attended the Baraga Maximum Correctional Facility MCOU Picket to show support. Representative Greg Markkanen and Representative Hill spoke with employees and shared how the crisis has impacted those families.

We need to bring back retirement health care and pension and get staff back up to full level across the UP and lower Michigan as well. We have too many officers working too many hours, not getting enough sleep, not getting enough family time, and not getting enough support from Lansing. I’m here with other legislators to support the officers today at this informational picket. – Rep. Greg Markkanen (R), 110th District, Michigan House of Representatives

Hill shared that her visit inside Baraga’s prison was eye-opening to how difficult low staffing has been on workers and prisoners.

I have three prisons in my district. The 109th has Alger, Baraga, and Marquette. And at all of those facilities, they are severely understaffed and have to do mandatory 16-hour shifts. And that is preventing folks from having a family life. It’s preventing them from being able to get an education to perhaps increase their opportunities. It’s getting in the way of many, many things. And we need to address the staffing shortage, which is why we’re here today. – Rep Jenn Hill (D), 109th District, Michigan House of Representatives

The Michigan House of Representatives will return for a session on the floor on September 11th. As will the Michigan senate. Markkanen added that a bi-partisan group plans to meet with Governor Whitmer and Michigan Department of Corrections Director Heidi Washington in the coming days to discuss solutions. A third picket will take place today at the Marquette Branch Prison.