Calling in sick to work

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I don't disagree that corrections officers deserve more money. But then which part of the state budget gets cut? Who do we take that money from to pay 12,000 people more? Do we take it from the education budget? Maybe from medicaid? Health and Senior Services? Raise taxes? Likely what would happen is that in order to cover that raise, the state would lower the amount they pay towards employee benefits, so their insurance premiums go up. Thats what actually happens most years the state employees get a 2-3% raise. You get a raise and between the extra taxes and the next years insurance premium, you are lucky to get an extra $20/every 2 weeks. 2 years ago Corrections officers actually got the largest increase in state history. 4% and a 1% for every 2 years of service and then the 2% all state employees got. What is the point of taking that money away from another budget if it isn't going to make any difference to the people who are getting it?

That's why I asked who controls the salary. You really can't complain about the pay corrections officers are paid, then talk about what gets cut to pay them more when people are talking about private businesses. Your beef is with the state, city or county (and sometimes all it takes is looking at the budget for being more fiscally responsible with the budget you have to make more room for increase in salary), other people are talking about choices a business makes on pay. It's not really the same conversation going on.

But if you think the corrections officers should get paid more things like pushing for people who want salary increases to be in office so they can make that decision or help or vote out people who are not making that a priority, if there's unions you can try and renegotiate or strike if you want (heck inmates had riots here for better health care and basic needs), sign petitions, etc But all of that does not mean that the Sonic location down the street should keep a lower pay or a lower ratio of pay to what the corrections officer gets paid just because one believes the corrections officer should get paid more or their job entails xyz that is more than what the Sonic worker does/has.

I understand your larger point but that way of thinking is also why workers around are just fed up, pay low, benefits low or nil, poor working conditions or feeling overworked, etc. I'm not entirely certain it's a bad thing this revolution that is going on. Sure you can't have everything that's just not how it works, it doesn't mean we can't advocate for a system adjustment and it doesn't mean that because some other occupation sets this bar that means no other things can be adjusted. Our prison systems are a whole 'nother battle but not one that should interact with the conversations about other workplace environments.