Staff Unions

Staff unions are among the most powerful WA DOC stakeholders. We at WA Corrections Watch appreciate the important role unions play in protecting worker rights and well-being. We also believe that with great power comes great responsibility. Thus, this part of our website aims to highlight issues of both staff well-being and staff ethical responsibilities by presenting union history, current issues of concern, collective bargaining agreements, and union documentation. Know of documentation or union issues we are missing? Contact us here (includes form for anonymous submissions).


Washington Public Employees Association (WPEA)


Teamsters Local 117 Correctional Officers’ Union Collective Bargaining Agreements


Teamsters 117 Lobbying, Legislation, & Litigation


Teamsters 117 Documents & Media

Note that in addition to representing corrections officers, the Teamsters 117 also represents workers in the passenger transport industry.


Publications by Union Members


Staff Resources

Prison staff work in dismal and challenging environments. Because many prison staff are military veterans, working conditions can exacerbate post-traumatic stress associated with past combat experiences. Suicide rates among correctional officers are higher than those of the general public. The resources listed below are important supports for correctional staff.

%d bloggers like this: