THOMSON, Illinois — Updated Story:
On Friday, Dec. 29, AFL-CIO President Elizabeth Shuler sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, asking him to rescind the decision from the U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Prisons to cut the retention bonus for FCI Thomson staff members.
The letter reads in part, "If the retention pay is not restored, there is likely to be an immediate loss of personnel and difficulty with recruitment and retention going forward. Already, nearly 150 members of the staff have indicated in writing they will leave if they lose this retention pay."
Original story:
The federal Bureau of Prisons has decided to cut the 25% retention bonus for correctional officers and staff at FCI Thomson, formerly known as USP Thomson, in Illinois according to information News 8 received from the prison's union. The bonus was approved in 2021 to help with staffing shortages and turnover.
Back in September, staff members at Thomson learned that BOP's director Colette Peters had requested to have the retention bonus cut from employees' pay. The American Federation of Government Employees and other labor leaders rallied for the bonus to stay in place in October.
“Christmas is right around the corner and staff are getting a 25% pay cut at Christmas time,” Jon Zumkehr, president of AFGE Local Union 4070, said in a press release where he called the director of BOP “the Grinch that stole Christmas from the staff at Thomson.”
Zumkehr informed News 8 that nearly 150 staff members had previously said in writing they would leave if the 25% retention pay was removed.
“Instead of stopping the bleeding, they are opening up the wound even more and they’re gonna put staff and inmate lives at risk by short-changing the staff at Thomson, by not filling the mission, and by not getting enough staff to work there,” Zumkehr said in the release. “And they’re going to have blood on their hands when an inmate or staff is killed because of their decision to cut the pay at Thomson.”
According to the AFGE, 400 people are employed at Thomson, which is 71 people short of the authorized level for the prison, making the overall staffing percentage 84%.
Memorandum sent to staff announcing the pay cut
Reactions from QCA legislators
Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Illinois
"Thank you for contacting me to express your thoughts on USP Thomson. As your Member of Congress, I highly value the conversations I have with people across Central & Northwestern Illinois. I promised to be a voice for all Illinoisans in Washington, and the only way I can do that is by listening to the constituents of Illinois’ 17th Congressional District.
I believe that every worker is entitled to fair compensation for the work they do. As you may know, USP Thomson was initially designated as a high-security facility when it was acquired by the federal government in 2012. I understand that due to the recent reclassification, USP Thomson has experienced many changes over the past several months. As a result of USP Thomson’s reclassification, there will be a reduction in full-time positions to match the Bureau of Prisons’ staffing needs of a minimum-security facility. I am concerned that the proposed change would increase the financial burden on USP Thomson employees and their families. That’s why in September 2023, I wrote a letter to the Bureau of Prisons requesting that they keep the retention bonuses in place for USP Thomson staff. "
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois
"Thank you for contacting me about retention cuts to law enforcement officers at the U.S. Penitentiary (USP) Thomson in Illinois. It is critical that USP Thomson have the resources it needs to fulfill its mission, that includes being able to support a strong and stable workforce. As a supporter of the 25 percent increase in retention pay across USP Thomson, I appreciate you taking the time to make me aware of your concerns on this important matter.
For years, USP Thomson has struggled with staffing issues and high turnover rates. These high turnover rates, in turn, create an unsafe environment for inmates, law enforcement officers, and communities surrounding the prison, respectively. In September 2021, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) announced that staff at the facility would receive 25 percent retention bonuses after a year of employment. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) 4070, the staff's union, had been pushing for retention bonuses since August 2020 and argued that despite monthly job fairs and aggressive recruitment tactics, staffing problems at the facility were not improving.
As your Senator, I will continue fighting for responsible, comprehensive solutions to fix our broken criminal justice system. Our Nation needs bipartisan criminal justice reform that prioritizes the well-being of inmates, enforcement officers, and the communities that surround correctional facilities. That is why, in March 2023, I applauded the U.S. Department of Justice and BOP's decision to convert USP Thomson into a low-security prison. This decision aimed to alleviate overpopulation nationwide in the Federal prison system and reduce the staff-to-inmate ratio at USP Thomson. Nonetheless, as the number of incoming inmates continues to rise throughout the facility, the need for retention and recruitment efforts remains critical. Modernizing and enhancing retention processes will strengthen the security of law enforcement officers and the safety of inmates in the long term. Please be assured that I will continue working against proposed retention cuts to law enforcement officers across USP Thomson."
Name change
Since Thomson went from being a high-security facility to low security, the prison now has FCI in the front of its name, which stands for Federal Correctional Institution. Its previous title, USP (United States Penitentiary), is only reserved for high-security prisons, according to BOP.
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