They came on a bus from the west.

Defying predictions of a major snowstorm, members of OPSEU Local 108 (Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre) showed up for a demonstration at the Bell Cairn Training Centre in Hamilton this morning. They came to protest privatization and the continuing misuse - and overuse - of unclassified staff in Ontario jails.

Also on the scene were members from Sarnia Jail (Local 128), Toronto West (Local 517) and Toronto East (Local 582) Detention Centres, and Guelph Correctional Centre (Local 233). Corrections Minister Rob Sampson did not show up, but Assistant Deputy Minister Morris Zbar did. The dapper Mr. Zbar, who is responsible for Probation Services, stopped to talk with OPSEU members for about 15 minutes.

Local 233 president Paul Hughes spoke to Zbar about the stupidity of privatizing correctional services, problems with scheduling, the trials of unclassified staff, and the Ministry’s deception in continuing to train new recruits. There are 48 “CO-starts” in the Bell Cairn training program right now.

“A lot of our people have spent 10 years unclassified at the end of a phone line,” said Hughes. “If [the government] were to tell these people the truth, it wouldn’t be a happy graduation.”

Tensions ran high between management and workers at Guelph C.C. last week after Correctional Officers ceased all voluntary activities including voluntary overtime.

“We’re really encouraged by the growing support from the other institutions, like the Maplehurst Complex, in our battle to have the Minister acknowledge our rights,” said Hughes. We need to build the pressure to motivate the Minister to do the right thing.”

OPSEU President Leah Casselman urged members to keep turning up the heat in the smoking-hot corrections campaign.

“This is a campaign that we can win,” she said. “I don’t believe this government is going to privatize if we can keep getting our message out. It’s the day-in, day-out stuff that works. Keep on it. Your union is real proud of you.”

Frozen doughnuts were packed away and the demo broke up after 90 minutes or so.

The members from Local 108 got back in the bus and road west - into the eye of the storm.

OPSEU has gone public with government plans to have lone private security guards escort violent offenders in communities across Ontario.

In a news conference Feb. 14, Corrections Ministry Employee Relations Committee Chair Barry Scanlon walked reporters through the Ministry’s plan to use $10-an-hour guards to perform the duties of two professional correctional officers. Government lawyers revealed the information in documents tabled at the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB). The union had charged the government with taking reprisals for union wins under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). The Health and Safety Adjudicator had ordered the government to use two professional correctional officers for all community escorts.

“The ministry document shows clearly that cost savings will be generated through the wage reduction and by cutting officer hours in half,” said Scanlon.

More telling was the government’s own admission that the plan may endanger the public. Under “pros and cons” section, the document stated that “Privatization may jeopardize public and inmate safety through inadequate staff levels or training.”

Now there’s a big surprise.

Thanks to a lot of hard working locals, municipal council resolutions opposing privatization are beginning to stack up.

To date, we have received confirmation on 13 councils in support of publicly-run correctional services. They are: Bobcaygeon/Verulam, Cavan-Millbrook-North Monaghan, Cobourg, Collingwood, Haldimand, Hamilton Township, Mariposa, Midland, Northumberland County, Orillia, Penetanguishene, Port Hope and Waterloo. Dozens more are expected in from council presentations taking place in the next few weeks.

Thunder Bay Jail members have been extremely busy gathering petition signatures in preparation for their council presentation Feb. 27. Local 737 president Len Mason reports that they have received 480 signatures so far.

We would like to remind all locals making presentations to please forward the date the council passed the resolution as well as the official copy of the motion. You can fax the information to Don Ford at (416) 448-7454.

It began with acting managers. Now, many locals are stepping things up in response to ministry actions around shift scheduling and privatization of services.

Maplehurst Complex, Sudbury Jail, Ottawa-Carleton D.C., Mimico C.C. and Toronto Youth Assessment Centre are the latest institutions to institute bans on voluntary overtime. Guelph C.C. began this action two weeks ago as member concerns about their future escalated.

Tensions are running high at Guelph as the local continues to demand answers that the ministry seems unable or unwilling to give. A work-to-rule campaign was also initiated to apply additional pressure.

Tempers also flared at a local meeting for members at the Toronto East Detention Centre held Feb. Angry over the loss of 21 positions at the facility, members expressed their frustration and vowed to fight against the layoffs.

Local 582 president Ryan Sellick is calling an emergency meeting of the Local Executive Committee to discuss possible actions. Vice-president Mark Dewar summed up the mood of the local: “We aren’t just losing staff, we’re losing family,” he said.

A reminder to all members that the public forum on prison privatization is set for Monday, February 21, 2000 in Penetanguishene. The forum begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Brian Orser Hall, 59 Maria St.

An anti-privatization information session has also been set up in North Bay on Wednesday, February 23, 2000. British expert Stephen Nathan will be on hand to answer questions from those attending. The meeting takes place at 7:00 p.m. at the Best Western Hotel, Ontario room, 700 Lakeshore Drive in North Bay. The hotel phone number is (705) 474-5800. All members in the area are invited to attend.