Jail services would be maintained in event of work stoppage

In the event of a labour disruption, the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services would maintain services at correctional institutions and probation and parole offices.

At the union's request, the Ministry of Labour has issued a no board report, putting Ontario's correctional workers in a legal strike position on Jan. 10.

“We acknowledge that this round of negotiations has been challenging,” said a release from the ministry.

“However, we remain committed to the collective bargaining process, and to working with OPSEU's correctional bargaining unit to reach an agreement that is fair and reasonable to both our employees and the public and is consistent with the government's fiscal plan.”

Jail guards in Sudbury, members of OPSEU Local 617, have been taking job action over the last several weeks to publicize what they describe as unfit working conditions at the Sudbury Jail.

They also want improvements to staffing levels and wages, among other concerns.

In a release Tuesday, the province said its main focus is still resolving the dispute at the bargaining table.

“The issuance of the 'no board' report does not prevent negotiations from continuing,” the province said in a news release.

“The people of Ontario expect the parties to work together to reach an agreement that is fair and reasonable, and the government remains available around the clock to continue discussions with OPSEU.”

The correctional bargaining unit covers about 5,500 employees, working in provincial jails, correctional facilities youth centres and probation and parole offices, who work in a wide variety of positions in the Ontario Public Service including correctional officers, youth services officers, youth probation officers, and probation and parole officers.

The previous collective agreement with OPSEU expired on Dec. 31, 2014.
Speaking Dec. 22 at a protest outside Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault's office, Nathan Aubin, president of OPSEU Local 617, said conditions at the local jail were deplorable.

"We've got a jail that was built in the early 1920s and it hasn't changed much since then,” Aubin said. “There have been some renovations done, but we have a mould issue, last year we had an asbestos issue. It just seems to be one issue after another and there's been Band Aid solutions but no actual resolution.

“The conditions inside aren't suitable for animals, but they think it's suitable to house people in. I don't understand why they would continue down that road."

Aubin said guards are likely headed to a strike, which will likely mean more problems inside the jail, such as a recent one when a three-hour disturbance was resolved peacefully, with some inmates being transferred to other jails.

“The stress levels among the offenders are high. They know if there is a labour dispute, there's going to be a significant lockdown. They're going to have even more limited access to the outside world."

But in the release, Yasir Naqvi, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, said the province has a plan in case of a strike.

“Our government is committed to bargaining and to reaching a negotiated settlement, but we also have a contingency plan in place to keep staff, inmates and the community safe in case of any labour disruption,” Naqvi said. “The Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services will continue to be responsible for the health, safety and transportation of more than 8,000 inmates and staff that would run the institutions, and the monitoring of offenders on probation and parole.

“These plans will make sure this is done in a way that keeps our communities safe while delivering the essential services Ontarians rely on every day.”