Metro Corrections officers overwhelmingly vote to reject proposed pay increase

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville Metro Corrections officers have overwhelmingly voted to reject a proposed pay increase from the city.

The proposed contract amendment includes an 8% pay raise and a bump in starting pay for new officers.

Officials with the FOP Corrections Union Lodge 77 have said the raise is a decent start, but not enough because the pay would still put them below what grocery store and warehouse workers make.

Officers started voting at 6 a.m. Friday on the amendment to the contract that expires in 2023.

In recent months, corrections officers have shared concerns about staffing issues, inmate violence and lack of support from command staff.

Earlier this week, the city offered to amend the contract, but union leaders said some of the language outweighs the 8% pay increase.

"They want to strip out seniority from job bids. They want to increase the number of hours that they can force members for," Daniel Johnson, Corrections FOP president, said.

Johnson said he hopes the city will remove the language and consider a 23% pay raise across the board.

"Last time I checked, this was about us getting a pay raise for the work that we do and it somehow turned into renegotiating our contract," Metro Corrections Officer Benjamin Bowman said.

Voting closed around 6 p.m. Friday, with 224 union members representing the officers voting. Of those, 210 officers and sergeants voted no, with one yes vote. Thirteen lieutenants and captains voted no, according to Johnson.

This story will be updated.

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