Shutdowns Affect Us All. Let’s Put A Stop To This.
During federal government shutdowns, the pardon office is closed, courts are moving slower, and for ongoing cases, the government often asks for stays until the shutdown is over.
No one, in any job role, likes to work without being paid.
However, it should be noted that William K. Marshall, the Director of the BOP, has gone to the attorney general and the Justice Department to ensure that correctional officers and staff would continue to get paid during the government shutdown.
Currently, lieutenants, food service supervisors, education workers, medical staff, and other support personnel are all going without their paychecks. While there’s hope and expectation that they will receive their back-pay when the shutdown is over, we all know no one wants to work without getting paid. Expectation of later payment at some unknown date is not the same.
Inmates and the formerly incarcerated also know all too well that no matter what position a prison staff member occupies, they’re correctional officers first. This is why First Step Act programming is such a low priority across most prisons.
They’re also the first to fill in for correctional officers when there’s a staffing shortage, or a CO calls in sick and needs replacement for a day.
If they’re going to be treated by the system like correctional officers, shouldn’t they get paid like one?
Of course, it’s not just BOP employees missing paychecks. It’s TSA employees, air traffic controllers, and so many others. What the federal government considers to be “non-essential” seems to be incredibly arbitrary – especially while the paycheck these individuals receive is very much essential to their livelihood.
I think we can all agree: it’s time for the bullshit to be over. Follow us via the TikTok video above and sound off in the comments what you think.