The members of the correctional officers union PBA 105 say that they are fighting for a new contract and that they have not been given a raise in three years.

The topic of the contract dispute came up many times among News 12 viewers watching Tuesday’s “Ask Gov. Murphy” call-in show. Officer Anthony Pellegrino asked Gov. Phil Murphy why the officers haven’t been treated fairly.

The governor answered, “We are trying to undo this damage one step at a time. We’re digging out from all these messes… We take organized labor and the right to bargain deadly serious.”

“Most of the guys are proud wearing the uniform. They are,” says John Colligan, a 19-year veteran of the department. 

But Colligan says that it is becoming harder to stay proud for the 6,000 members of PBA 105 when they haven’t gotten a raise in so long.

“Our paychecks have actually gone in reverse. In reverse, not up,” Colligan says.

He points to the stresses of the job, the rising cost of living in New Jersey and the added cost of paying for their own medical benefits in recent years. He says that a raise, even a smaller one, would be important.

“Don’t put us on the back burner. Put us on the front burner,” Colligan says. “We’re just asking the governor to have his people sit down and talk to us. We’re human beings. We just want our fair share”

News 12 New Jersey reached out to the governor’s office for further comment on the issue, but the office referred News 12 to the governor’s comments during Tuesday’s show.