By Jennifer Gomori, POJ Editor
Chippewa County Corrections Officers started this year off with a major increase in pay and benefits after negotiating their first bargaining agreement with POLC representation.
The group scored a 13 percent increase in pay, effective Jan. 1, 2026, and a total 25 percent increase in wages over the course of their 4-year bargaining agreement, which expires Dec. 31, 2029. But the icing on the cake came with the incredible tenfold increase they received in their Employer’s pension contribution, which jumped from 1 percent to a 10 percent match to the Defined Benefit contribution portion of the MERS Hybrid Plan. Employees who contribute 10 percent of their base wages will have their contribution doubled with the match.
“Chippewa County Corrections were so glad to go to us and the raises alone were 25 percent, but then getting the pension into the benefit, that’s 34 percent more income,” said John Stidham, their POLC Labor Representative. “Even though they’re not getting that 10 percent right now, it’s a big thing, and that was a very important thing for them to do!”
“That still doesn’t put us in the top of the (wage) comparables, but our guys have a 10 percent match on a 457 and that’s 10 percent in your wages right off the rip. So, we have a retirement now!” said Chippewa County Corrections Chief Steward David Hall. “I am what they refer to as a dinosaur. I’m lucky enough to have a pension, and that’s 20 percent that can go into that. I actually can work there and get taken care of. They finally have seen it’s time to take care of these kids and give them something that will be keeping them around.”
Shift Premiums for those working midnights or afternoons increased from 3 percent to 4 percent of their base wages and Shift Captain/Acting Corporal Premium Pay increased to $1 per hour.
Employees received an incentive for remaining with the Sheriff’s Office long-term. At 20 years of service, they now receive an additional 40 hours of paid Vacation Time, bringing their total Vacation Time to 240 hours annually. “We needed to do something for the five or six guys that have been there forever,” Hall said. “Once you hit your 20 (years), you didn’t get Shift Differential or Longevity, so we tried our hardest to get them something to look at the light at the end of tunnel for. I think we did very, very, very well!”
Minimum staffing was officially established in the contract and Employees have more flexibility using their Compensatory and Vacation Time. Now they can use that paid time off on short notice, as long as their time off doesn’t disrupt the shift. “We always had to give notice two weeks in advance just so the schedule was taken care of. We’re not a road division where you can lose a guy and not worry about it,” Hall said. “They agreed to our minimum manning and, if I as a Corporal need a day off, I can get that approved instead of waiting two weeks or having to burn a (Personal Leave) day.”
Carryover of Sick Leave was greatly increased. Previously, Employees could not exceed 168 hours in their Sick Leave Banks. Now they may bank up to 480 hours. Now, Employees who are out on Sick Leave do not have to draw from their Comp Time Banks, and they can leave up to 40 hours of Vacation Time in their bank. “We won’t have to deal with Short-Term, Long-Term Disability as much as we have been,” Hall said. “If you can raise your Sick Bank up significantly, you can get your knee scoped or shoulder done and not have to worry about only getting 66-1/3 of your actual paycheck.”
Employees on Short-Term Disability have the assurance that paying their bills will not be as worrisome. Short-Term Disability doubled from $500 to $1,000 maximum per Employee per week.
Hall was impressed with the communication he received throughout negotiations. “They were keeping me apprised of everything. John specifically wanted to make sure we were comfortable with everything,” Hall said. “I thought he did everything in his power to get me a contract we haven’t seen in ever.”
“Contracts are contracts, but it comes down to how you can present it. I’ve been preaching that you need to be able to attract or recruit and once you have them, you need to be able to retain them,” Stidham said. “We’re not trying to take away from an entity that doesn’t have the ability to pay. We’re just stating you need to be fair with your Employees. There are different jobs and there are different risks involved in different jobs. When you go to work and kiss your family and say goodbye, your job can take you away from them. That’s worth something! We’re the ones that run to the threat. We don’t run away from it. They run at them knowing that’s their job, and they have that desire to do it, and knowing the consequence could be death.”
Chippewa County Corrections looks forward to attracting outside corrections officers with these major benefit advancements. “We’ve had hiring problems the last 15 years,” Hall said. “We have two prisons within 12 miles and three within 2 hours that are working mandatory everyday 16-hour shifts. If we can draw from them with our good retirement, good healthcare … yes, they’ll take a little bit of pay cut, but they’ll get to see their families. We work 12-hour days and you get every other weekend off.”
When they joined the POLC in June 2025, Hall had said they wanted to find out if the grass was greener on the other side. Now they know it is, based on the incredible service they’ve received from Stidham and POLC Labor Reps. Mike Griffin and Chris Watts.
“I get to talk to John probably three or four times a month. He calls and checks in, and I get a text randomly at 5 or 6 p.m. and I never got any of that before,” Hall said. “To have people that, if something hits the fan, somebody is going to answer that other end of the phone and make sure I’m taken care of is huge! I never once had a feeling that I was just another number. They know my name — they know what’s going on. John checks in with our V.P. and makes sure my guys are taken care of, which is huge for me and makes you feel you’re getting what you paid for and then some.”
“I’m on this phone 24/7, and it never ends,” Stidham said. “It comes down to service. When the phone rings, you answer it or send a text back. The Reps here call by the next day at the latest.”
