State prison in Monroe has trouble hiring, keeping staff

MONROE — The starting wage for a corrections officer at the Monroe Correctional Complex is about $2,118 a month.

The monthly starting wage for a corrections officer at the Snohomish County Jail is about $900 more.

This, and the fact that the state prison's wage rates aren't keeping up with the cost of living, is one reason why the Monroe complex is finding it difficult to keep employees.

Last year, almost one in four corrections officers left the prison for other jobs. In the past, many have used their training from the state Department of Corrections to find similar employment at higher-paying county jails. The Monroe Correctional Complex has about 600 corrections officers.

The Monroe prison's nursing staff also is under pressure to fill vacancies, having to rely on temporary nurses to work open shifts. Nursing turnover last year amounted to almost 27 percent of a staff of about 45 nurses. Eleven full-time positions are vacant.

"I know we lose a lot of staff to other prisons (in areas) where the cost of living is less," prison spokeswoman Marjorie Petersen said. "Nobody can live here (in Monroe) for a starting correction officer's salary."

Prison officials say even an economic downturn hasn't helped much. When unemployment rates began to increase last year, the prison saw a boost in applications. But that number has slowed considerably in recent months, despite a still-sagging economy, said Dat Nguyen, the prison's human-resources consultant.

"We're also finding that the applicants we do get are less qualified than they used to be," Nguyen said.

The problem, state corrections officials say, is the system's reliance on legislative approval for wage increases and the fact that under the current setup, corrections employees make the same hourly rate regardless of the prison where they're assigned.

That means a level-one corrections officer — with no experience — makes the same working at the Monroe Correctional Complex as he or she would while working at the Washington Corrections Center for Women near Gig Harbor or the Washington State Penitentiary outside Walla Walla, regardless of the area's cost of living, said Tom Banyard, a human-resource-programs manager for the state Corrections Department.

Cost-of-living increases are part of the union contract for working at the Snohomish County Jail, however.

"Not all of the prisons are having the same issues that Monroe is having," Banyard said. "Monroe is dealing with being close to the Seattle area."

One thing to keep in mind, Banyard said, is that the state does not pay a prevailing rate. Each salary study since 1993 shows state corrections officers make 10 to 20 percent less than employees in similar fields.

Capt. Jimmie Evans, who's leading a recruitment team at the prison, said staff members who leave have nothing against the Monroe Correctional Complex. They're simply trying to earn more money.

"You can imagine, since they've already done the training here, they go somewhere like King County, and it's a bonanza for them," Evans said. "I can't blame them because they have a better opportunity."

The monthly starting wage for a King County corrections officer is about $3,160.

Nurses also have no reason to stay at the prison. With fewer people choosing nursing as a career, said Bill Doran, the prison's health-care manager, all medical facilities are fighting for adequate nursing staffs. Many clinics and hospitals offer signing bonuses that can be worth thousands of dollars, while the Corrections Department cannot make such an offer.

"And this is not an easy job," Doran said. "Some decide right away during training this environment (of working with convicted criminals) is not for them. Some decide later."

The prison is working on new approaches to draw interest in Corrections Department jobs. Few people know the state prison system offers tuition assistance that in some cases will cost the employee nothing, Nguyen said. The prison system also offers a fairly competitive retirement package and a chance for career advancement.

These items and more are being circulated in professional magazines such as Nurse Week, and the prison system has contracted with a national advertiser to create billboards, television and radio spots in addition to newspaper advertising.

For Monroe, finding adequate, qualified staff members is necessary as an age gap widens. Many employees are approaching retirement age, yet last year, 40 percent of the prison's employees had three years or less of experience.

The prison also has several expansions under way, which will mean more positions to fill. Otherwise, employees will be required to work overtime.

Nurses don't work overtime because the prison contracts with a private company to supply nurses at a higher price. This is cheaper than paying overtime, Nguyen said.

Unions that represent state corrections employees are lobbying state legislators for more pay, but union officials say they expect few changes in the future — except the state's new collective-bargaining law that will allow contract negotiations like county jail systems use beginning in 2004.

"We'll be able to bargain with the Department of Corrections for the first time in Washington," said Leonard Smith, the organizing director for Teamsters union Local 117, which represents about 4,500 state corrections employees.

But Banyard said the union can negotiate all it wants. State employees can't strike, and without funds, bargaining won't matter.

"Looking at the current budget projections, it doesn't look like anything will be any better," Banyard said.

Christopher Schwarzen: 425-745-7811 or cschwarzen@seattletimes.com