The state's first comprehensive survey of public safety workers shows that the maximum pay of California's state correctional officers is nearly 40 percent more than that of their highest-paid counterparts in 10 states and the federal government.
The state Department of Personnel Administration survey issued this week also shows that when total compensation is considered – everything from medical insurance to retirement benefits – state correctional officers beat the median top pay of the out-of-state groups by nearly 29 percent.
An official with the 31,000-member California Correctional Peace Officers Association questioned the report's validity.
"The survey doesn't take into account California's higher cost of living," said union spokeswoman Nichol Gomez-Pryde. "And correctional officers' pay is still lower than other peace officers', like the (California Highway Patrol)."
The survey surfaced as California struggles with a wobbling economy and falling state tax revenues while in negotiations with 19 of the 21 bargaining units representing about 200,000 state workers.
Personnel Administration spokeswoman Lynelle Jolley said that the survey's release wasn't timed to put pressure on CCPOA or any other union. "Everybody knows that we've been working on this for a very long time," Jolley said.
CCPOA is one of the two units not in current negotiations. The union has fought with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger over pay and prison policies and has worked without a long-term labor contract since 2006.
The quarrel intensified in September. CCPOA leaders said they would mount a recall of the governor, but that plan stalled earlier this week when Secretary of State Debra Bowen rejected the recall petition because it didn't include Schwarzenegger's response, as required by law. The union has until Oct. 17 to respond. "(Union President) Mike Jimenez and the executive council will meet soon to decide what to do next," said the CCPOA's Gomez-Pryde.
The DPA's out-of-state comparison considered wages of federal corrections officers and those in 10 states – neighboring Oregon, Washington, Arizona and Nevada and those with large populations: Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania.
The administration also looked at salaries paid to correctional officers in 30 California cities and counties. State officers earn about 20 percent more in straight pay, the survey found. Factor in benefits and the disparity falls to about 12 percent.
Officer Ian Pickett, who works at Calipatria State Prison in Southern California, said rank-and-file CCPOA members are concerned about more than just pay. Many want a contract that guarantees more staffing, for example, to improve workplace safety.
The state's survey comparisons are based on a California correctional officer's maximum base annual salary of $73,728, compared with a maximum median of $45,036 per year for the 10 states and the federal government. The maximum median pay for California city and county jail officers is $58,680.
Call The Bee's Jon Ortiz, (916) 321-1043.
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