|
|
| Fed jail staff to stage walkout in Canada |
| By Edmonton Sun |
| Published: 09/27/2004 |
|
Federal inmates saw late meals, restricted roaming and no visitors as striking civil servants picketed outside Ontario pens last week. Engineers, plumbers, food services staff and cleaners all staged a surprise one-day walkout at prisons across the province. Correctional officers, who belong to a separate union, are deemed essential workers but supported strikers who work at some of Canada's toughest prisons. "The operations of the institutions will grind to a slow, slow pace," said John Edmunds, national V-P for the union of solicitor-general employees. "We're not trying to upset their visits or upset the population, but by the same token, we're upset that we're not getting decent wage offers and consideration for the work we do. If there's a problem, we'll deal with it," he said. Jason Godin, Ontario representative for the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers, said officers will show solidarity and that it's management's job to move them through the lines safely. "I'm sure the employer is going to try to order us to be jacks-of-all-trades to fill in for the PSAC workers and we, in respect for PSAC, will not fill in for their positions," he said. Officer, whose collective agreement expired more than two years ago, are also frustrated by failed talks with the feds. Correctional Service of Canada spokesman Suzanne Cobb said a management-led contingency plan is in place to minimize disruption in the event of strike action. Strategic rotating strikes will be rippling across the country as thousands of workers from Parks Canada, Canada Revenue Agency and other departments hit the streets for better pay. More than 130,000 public servants in federal departments and major agencies could be on strike by mid-October. PSAC president Nycole Turmel said employees are angry with the course of negotiations, and warned that rotating pickets could escalate to a general strike affecting everything from border control and immigration to food inspection. |
MARKETPLACE search vendors | advanced search
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
|
Comments:
No comments have been posted for this article.
Login to let us know what you think