Prison staff at FCI Phoenix are losing both pay incentives and potentially union representation as part of the Trump administration’s cost-cutting measures. A 10% retention incentive has already been halved and is set to be eliminated by July, worrying staff about morale, safety, and retention. Employees are also concerned about being forced to house ICE detainees without proper preparation or staffing. Trump’s executive order excludes agencies like the Bureau of Prisons from collective bargaining rights, prompting lawsuits and countersuits between unions and the administration. Union leaders call the move “100% union busting” and warn it could severely undermine prison operations and public safety.
See "Federal prison employee union in Phoenix among those targeted by Trump administration", Jimmy Jenkins and Laura Gersony, The Arizona Republic, April 9, 2025