Correctional officers calling on government to address jail conditions in Ontario

LONDON - Correctional Officers at London’s Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre will hold an Information Picket to protest the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services’ lack of action in addressing deteriorating jail conditions across the province.

Date:         Friday, September 28th, 2012

Time:         Noon

Location:    Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre, 711 Exeter Rd, London

Officials with OPSEU Local 108 at the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre continue to speak out regarding overcrowding, understaffing, record numbers of violent incidents, outdated equipment and the failure of Corrections Minister Madeleine Meilleur to act on these issues.

“Jails throughout the province are faced with dangerously low staffing levels as the government imposed hiring freeze continues,” said Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President. “Accompanied by overcrowding, lack of personal protective equipment and infrastructure issues, the recipe for disaster is imminent.”

Dan Sidsworth, Provincial Chair of OPSEU’s Corrections Division, said that the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre is on par for reaching 278 inmate-on-inmate assaults by the end of 2012.

“Two coroner’s inquests have recommended hiring more staff to supervise the inmates but this has been rejected by the province,” Sidsworth said. “Correctional officers are working with insufficient and broken equipment, however, the safety of the inmates and staff are subject to Minister Meilleur’s budget.”

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