State Government set to open negotiations with Prison Officers
Monday 10 Dec 2012The Department of Corrective Services will sit down with the Prison Officers’ Union today almost three months after first being approached to commence talks on a new enterprise bargaining agreement.
Prison Officers have been calling for months for proper staffing levels at WA jails, new prison facilities to deal with the chronic overcrowding in the prison system and better pay and conditions.
WA Prison Officers’ Union Secretary John Welch said Prison Officers were concerned that the government has taken almost three months to respond to the union’s request for negotiations to commence, however they were relieved that the Department was finally coming to the table.
The union expects to receive a full counter proposal from the Department at the meeting given the amount of time that has lapsed since the union initially provided their log of claims to the State Government.
“Prison Officers are angry that the State Government has done little to address the concerns we have raised in relation to overcrowding, pay and working conditions so the union is calling for the negotiations to be carried out swiftly to ensure the officers’ concerns are addressed well before the State Election.
“In recent weeks we’ve had officers attacked, punched, knocked to the ground and suffering from cuts, bruises and muscle damage – they do dangerous jobs helping to protect the community.
“With over 80 assaults on Prison Officers in the last year and that number continuing to rise, it is high time the Barnett Government started showing some respect for the work these officers do,” said Mr Welch.