USP Thomson issues statement on possible government shut down

THOMSON, Ill. (KWQC) - American Federation of Government Employees AFGE Local 4070 President Jon Zumkehr issued a statement on Sunday regarding the possible government shut down.

“We are facing a government shutdown and a 25 percent pay cut at USP Thomson,” President Zumkehr stated. “Congress needs to do its job to keep the 25 percent retention in place and do everything it can to avoid a shutdown.”

The statement continued to say the following:

“All federal law enforcement officers are considers essential. Essential employees, even though they continue to work, are not paid while the government is shut down. If a government shutdown happens it could have a fire impact amid an already challenging time for staffing and pay among Thomson Prison staff.

Staff should not have to choose between coming to work and being able to pay for child care due to government shutdown.

We’re told that our 25 percent retention that Sen. Durbin, Sen. Duckworth, and former Representative Bustos secured to retain staff at USP Thomson will be removed.

We need the 25 percent retention to compete with the factories in the local area and lack of child care due to USP Thomson being a remote location.

147 staff have said they will leave USP Thomson if they remove the 25 percent bonus.

USP Thomson has announced over 50 jobs due to the new mission change. USP Thomson has been facing a retention crisis since being converted to a federal prison,” the statement concluded.

Copyright 2023 KWQC. All rights reserved.