DOC To Implement Work Center Consolidation Plans

The Oklahoma Department of Corrections (DOC) announced plans to lease the North Fork Correctional Facility in Sayre. They expect employees to begin working there around June 1st while offenders will begin arriving after July 1st. DOC plans to relocate inmates from Oklahoma State Reformatory in Granite to North Fork and consolidate Oklahoma’s 15 work centers.  Offenders participating in work center programs will then be moved to Granite. Closing the centers directly impacts employees working in the centers but those employees will have an opportunity to remain with the agency.  The Sayre facility’s capacity is approximately 2,600 inmates which may provide an opportunity for DOC to relocate offenders from overcrowded facilities including some county jails.

OPEA will work with affected members to assure they are aware of every opportunity available to them. It is our goal that DOC leaders remain aware of the impact their decisions have on dedicated staff who continue to work in challenging, even dangerous, conditions. After the relocations plans were announced, OPEA met with DOC officials who tell OPEA that no employee who remains with DOC after the closure of the work centers will be demoted or lose salary.

DOC, like all state agencies, is looking for ways to manage the current budget crisis while continuing to provide core services. OPEA works with agency leaders so our members are informed of decisions being made and the options available to employees. We strive to make sure agency leaders are aware of the impact to their staff as they consider program changes to ensure a balanced budget.

If you are an OPEA member who is directly affected by this latest move and have questions or concerns, OPEA is here for you. You can call us at (405) 524-6764 or email opie@opea.org.

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