Province welcomes deal with correctional officers

In a weekend release, two provincial cabinet ministers welcomed the tentative agreement reached with the province's 6,000 correctional services workers.

Deb Matthews, Deputy Premier and President of the Treasury Board, and Yasir Naqvi, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, said in a combined release they are pleased with the new agreement.

“This final agreement is the result of much hard work at the bargaining table by both sides, with the assistance of mediator, Gerry Lee,” the news release quotes them as saying.

“The outcome is consistent with the fiscal plan as outlined in the 2015 budget. This agreement supports the government’s ongoing efforts to eliminate the deficit while protecting the valued public services Ontario families rely on.”

The agreement gives workers rights to interest arbitration, which takes away their right to strike, but refers outstanding issues to an arbiter who makes the final decision.

“It also recognizes the essential work of our correctional bargaining unit employees by providing a standalone collective agreement for future rounds of collective bargaining,” the release said.

“We will continue to work with our corrections staff as we move forward with our mandate to transform the correctional system to develop effective and lasting improvements to enhance rehabilitation and reintegration supports as we work to break the cycle of re-offending and improve the safety and security of correctional staff, inmates and the public. We look forward to returning to normal operations and moving ahead on that transformation together.”