Corrections officers across Ontario are poised to strike this weekend if an agreement cannot be reached with the government. OPSEU Regional VP and 27-year-veteran Corrections Officer Gareth Jones says adequate compensation is on the top of their list of demands, but it’s more complicated than that. Our provincial jails are severely under-staffed.
Jones says if the strike goes ahead, inmates will be forced into more lockdowns and that is a potentially dangerous situation.
Jones says under-staffing causes a security issue that leads to lockdowns and the removal of inmate privileges like their fresh air and programmed activities, as well as family visits.
Corrections officers are asking for a ten percent wage increase, binding arbitration and a corrections-only collective agreement.
Negotiators are hoping to strike a deal that is sustainable and adaptive so that they don’t have to go on strike ever again.