There is no satisfaction in saying "we told you so" when peoples’ lives are on the line.

The Toronto East Detention Centre has been an explosion waiting to happen for nearly two weeks. Similar tensions are being reported at Toronto West, Barrie Jail and other institutions. The reasons? Overcrowding, understaffing and extended lockdown time.

In early February the Ministry announced that they were cutting 21 full-time correctional officer positions from Toronto East. The new schedule that incorporates this reduced complement was implemented last week. And it has been hell ever since.

Toronto East Local 582 president Ryan Sellick and vice president Mark Dewar have been working night and day trying to keep a lid on the situation. Requests for additional staffing fell on deaf ears. Inmates began lighting fires in the units. Lockdown times were extended due to short staffing.

Then the media got involved.

A July 11 OPSEU press release on the situation at the jail drew media attention from as far away as Niagara Falls. Reporters wanted to know how a situation like this could occur. The answer was simple: Management wasn’t listening.

When the Ministry first announced the staffing cuts local officials stated that the numbers wouldn’t work, citing health and safety issues. The Corrections Ministry Employee Relations Team (MERC) also said that the cuts were wrong. With overcrowding in the jails reaching unheard of levels, the extended 12-hour lockdown would make the situation even worse. Despite repeated warnings that these new Ministry "efficiencies" were a recipe for disaster, Corrections Minister Rob Sampson remained true to form and went ahead with his agenda anyway.

That leaves many employees wondering exactly what the Minister’s agenda really is. The union alleges that Sampson is creating a crisis in our provincial jails so that he can justify his plans to privatize portions of correctional services. This is a dangerous game to play when dealing with maximum-security institutions.

Rob Sampson has no trouble saying that safety is his number one priority. Maybe if he started listening to the men and women working on the front line (the people that actually know what corrections is all about), Sampson would realize that safety is our number one priority as well.

Members who formerly worked at Haileybury Jail, Cobourg Jail and L’Orignal Jail should soon have a decision on implementation of the recent relocation grievance award.

Several days of meetings have been scheduled with the employer to try to reach an agreement on the Appendix 13 decision. These meetings will occur in the next week.

Failing agreement, OPSEU will return to the arbitrator in early September for a decision.

"The union policy grievance was initiated two years ago," said Barry Scanlon, chair of the Corrections MERC. "We’re not prepared to wait any longer for our people to receive what is owing to them."

Yesterday, Corrections MERC Representative David Kerr, accompanied by other grievor representatives, obtained an order of the Grievance Settlement Board regarding workload and health and safety concerns. Here are the highlights:

More details on this win will be made available after the grievors are notified.

The long awaited two per cent in lieu of benefits pay has finally begun to arrive on paycheques across the ministry.

The Ministry has stated that money owing has been paid retroactive to March 15, 1999. However, many unclassifieds are disputing the amounts.

Members who have a dispute are encouraged to see their local union representative. Have supporting documentation ready and meet with local management to address your claim. The Ministry acknowledges that some of the amounts may be in error and will rectify problems as soon as possible.

The union is still awaiting an arbitration decision on the issue of retroactivity prior to March 15, 1999. We will relay that decision as soon as it is available.