‘All Work And No Pay’ For BOP Employees – October 23, 2025

We post news and comment on federal criminal justice issues, focused primarily on trial and post-conviction matters, legislative initiatives, and sentencing issues.

LISAStatHeader2small.jpg

‘WELCOME TO OUR WORLD,’ BOP EMPLOYEES COULD GREET COURT WORKERS

A Columbia, South Carolina, newspaper spotlighted the state of Federal Bureau of Prisons employees since the shutdown, and the picture was not a pretty one: “As essential workers, employees at federal prisons are still required to show up every day. But with funding frozen due to the government shutdown, employees are facing an uncertain future. With no immediate end in sight for the shutdown, the paycheck they received last week might be the last one they see for a while. ‘Morale is very low,’ said Talmadge Coleman, who recently retired from FCI Edgefield and is president of the Local 0510 at the prison. Staff were ‘very disgruntled’ at the situation…”

The State reported that “many staff members were already living paycheck to paycheck” and last week got only a partial salary check covering time through September 30th. “With the shutdown, that will leave many of these employees who guard federal prisoners unable to pay their mortgages, make car payments or even afford groceries or the gas to get to work. Many staff members are single moms, people looking after their parents and juggling medical bills and the rising cost of living, Coleman said. ‘Creditors don’t want to hear it,’ Coleman said.”

One correctional officer told a Texas TV station that BOP employees are “looking at, ‘OK, I can make it through this month. But if it hits November 1st and we’re not getting paid…’”

President Trump has directed through executive orders that the BOP and other agencies no longer honor the collective bargaining agreements between the agencies and about a half million workers. “The agency doesn’t recognize us anymore, so that’s one less thing that we can help with,” said Brandy Moore White, president of Council of Prison Locals 33, a union that represents federal prison employees. “It’s just disaster upon disaster.”

During the 2019 shutdown, the BOP gave employees a letter that they could show to creditors explaining the situation. This time, the agency has provided no such letter.

The BOP issued an automated response to a media request asking for comment on the shutdown: “Due to the lapse in appropriations, the Office of Public Affairs is not available to respond.”

The State, Federal prisons in SC were already struggling. Then the government shut down (October 14, 2025)

KXXV-TV, Federal prison officers working without pay as shutdown reaches day 6 (October 16, 2025)

~ Thomas L. Root