Centurion employees make the most of chaotic switch by winning a fair contract

In 2025, IDOC made a shocking announcement: It was ending its contract with Wexford Health Services—the vendor that for more than a decade provided health care in Illinois prisons—and transitioning to an unfamiliar new vendor, Centurion. 

Left wondering what was next were nearly 1,000  AFSCME members who, as Wexford employees, provided health care to individuals in custody at every state prison. 

“It was a big shock. People were worried,” said Susie Doyle, a 20-year nurse at Western Correctional Center. “We were all wondering what was going to happen and what this new company would be like to work for.”

Fortunately, from the outset, IDOC made clear to Centurion that it would be required to abide by the union contract that AFSCME had negotiated with Wexford, so employees’ jobs were protected and their rights respected during the transition.

But there were still crucial topics that needed to be addressed with the company, so AFSCME convened a bargaining committee which then set to work.

One of the biggest early obstacles was Centurion’s scant experience working with a union. They tried to make unilateral changes to job descriptions and working conditions without bargaining. 

The committee made clear to the new employer that in Illinois prisons, workers have a strong voice through AFSCME.

The final three-year contract ratified by members raises wages by 10.5 to 12%. They won longevity steps to ensure more senior employees can still gain ground, and made it easier for employees to use time off. 

“I feel like this is the best contract we’ve ever had,” Doyle said. “I feel like we got the most we could get, and in the long run, people are going to see that the benefits we’re getting are the best we’ve ever had.”

The bargaining committee included dozens of Centurion employees from correctional facilities across the state and was led by Council 31 Staff Representatives Patricia Rensing and Ty Petersen.