Provincial jail, government officials on edge with strike looming

At 12:01am Sunday morning, correctional officers at jails across Ontario are set to hit the picket lines.

They’ve been without a contract for over a year, and ongoing concerns on understaffing looks to be on the forefront.

NDP Community Safety and Correctional Services Critic Jennifer French took a tour of some jails Wednesday afternoon, including Monteith Correctional Facility.

She says conditions inside were a real eye-opener.  She adds with understaffing, there are less officers around and jails are put into “lockdown” more often.

It also brings in a safety issue for those under a contract already, like nurses and kitchen staff.  French says they’re worried because those officers won’t be there to protect them.

OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas has also chimed in on this issue.  He has sent a letter to Deputy Premier Deb Matthews to ensure those workers are safe.  (CLICK HERE to read the letter.)

French says the government’s plan is to bring in “retired corrections managers, un-trained non-corrections managers from other ministries like Finance or Transportation.”

“That creates an interesting dynamic,” she adds.

There is still time to avoid all this strike action.  The province and the union have agreed to sit with a mediator on Friday.