Suffolk correction officers will see their base pay increase 17.25% over the course of a new five-year contract, which boosts longevity pay and other compensation, according to a memorandum of agreement between the county and union.

The new contract for the 860-member Suffolk County Correction Officers Association runs from Jan. 1, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2029. The Suffolk County Legislature’s government operations committee unanimously approved the agreement Wednesday. The union's last contract expired in December last year. 

Legis. Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst), the presiding officer, said the contract will help solve "some of the problems that we have in the jail in terms of staffing, etc., and attracting new and qualified candidates."

Union president Lou Viscusi agreed that boosting starting salary will help with recruitment and retention. He said while the Sheriff’s Office is always at risk to losing officers to other police departments like Suffolk and Nassau, they were also "losing to Costco and CVS."

"So I think we could overcome that now," he told lawmakers.

Viscusi told Newsday the union membership voted 95% in favor of ratification. Voting was completed at noon Wednesday. The final step is for the full legislature to vote at next Tuesday’s general meeting.

The contract reduces steps to top pay, similar to the new contract recently adopted for the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association.

A Suffolk Legislature’s Budget Review Office report concluded the fiscal impact of the contract is "reasonable."

Factoring in savings, the report projects a net cost of $117.8 million over the length of the contract, increasing each year from $8.2 million in 2025 to $39 million in 2029.

The pay scale starts at $44,064 effective Jan. 1, 2026. That climbs to $49,753 as of July 1, 2029.

Viscusi said the starting pay will now be closer to $60,000, an increase of $11,000, factoring in additional perks officers receive, such as holiday and differential pay for working overnight. He said the department advertises a salary that factors in the additional compensation. 

Legis. Stephanie Bontempi (R-Centerport) said when she joined the legislature she was "shocked" to hear the low salaries of correction officers.

The contract includes an additional payment called "Lock-In Pay" that accounts for the officers' inability to leave for meals and breaks.

The stipend starts at $2,500 for 2025, which is prorated to $1,250, and climbs to $3,250 in 2026 and $4,000 for 2027-28. It increases to $5,500 in 2029, according to the budget review report. The estimated cost just under $25 million over the length of the contract.

The contract also increases longevity pay "substantially" from prior contract, according to the budget review report. Correction officers receive longevity pay beginning in their fifth year and it increases every five years until 30 years of service.

A correction officer with five years of service would see longevity pay climb from current $1,350 rate to $2,625 by 2029. The most tenured officers at 30 years would see an increase from the current $4,450 to $15,750 in 2029.

The total cost of longevity increases is about $11.4 million through 2029, according to the report.

The report says proposed savings in the contract "are more difficult to quantify" compared to costs. It says the savings could be at the discretion of the sheriff in terms of how they're implemented. 

Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine declined to comment on the contract until the legislature votes Tuesday, a spokesman said.