Greetings Presidents and Division,
CTO
After the union stated its case and entered items into evidence on the first day of the CTO GSB hearing dates, the employer requested that the Vice Chair grant them time to review and investigate the information given to them as well as the local agreements that were in place prior to the MGS letter. This was granted, even though there was a second stage hearing where the unions rationalization for said CTO policy grievance was given, it appears that the labour relations/human resource folks that attend these second stage meetings and are paid for by the ministry to do fact finding, are not sharing second stage information with management’s council and/or management council is not looking at what is being provided to them.??? The next CTO grievance dates are to be announced, but it appears it will not be until 2010 now. During this time we also will be taking the opportunity to look for more information and evidence.
ASMPP
Local management across the province has been informing our members that the ASMPP was a negotiated agreement. This is NOT factual, that the union was NOT involved in the development of this program…the only thing we agreed to was the monitoring of managements program and its statistics the union has to be involved in the review so that we can verify the figures, as compensation is tied to those numbers. We have asked that management ensure that this misinformation stop being told to our members, they have stated that they would relay this to their management team. In Sol., Corrections Executives Immunize our front-line corrections staff, OPSEU tells McGuinty October , 2009 TORONTO – Staff working in Ontario’s correctional facilities should be a priority for H1N1 immunization, says the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. OPSEU recently learned that offenders in the province’s jails, detention centres, youth centres and treatment centres are being immunized against swine flu, while correctional staff working in the same facilities are not being afforded the same protection. “Offenders being admitted to our facilities can carry a wide range of infectious diseases, including the swine flu virus,” said OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas. “Other than front-line health care workers, this group of employees is at the highest risk of contracting the disease due to the closed quarters they are working in.” Thomas is urging the McGuinty government to re-think their decision not to hold immunization clinics for the staff in adult and youth facilities. “Our members have to be on the job 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Thomas said. “An outbreak of H1N1 could seriously jeopardize operations in these facilities, so it only makes good sense to take precautions now.”
Count Me In Census
You can fill out the OPSEU Census anytime during Census Month, starting in November 2009. Letter to all Members Open letter from President Warren (Smokey) Thomas and 1st Vice-President/Treasurer. Read the letter. It’s Confidential. The OPSEU Census is completely voluntary, anonymous, and confidential. You have our word AND a written guarantee. It Helps Us To Be The Best We Can Be. The more the Union knows about its members, the more responsive and inclusive it can be. The information collected through the OPSEU Census will be used to facilitate future membership and workforce planning. It’s Online. In November, the Census will be available at www.twiinc.ca/opseu . Please visit the website in November and fill out the online form. For a paper copy, please contact OPSEU Direct at 1-800-268-7376. It’s Your Chance! Members and staff are the Union’s greatest asset. When you fill out the census, you help OPSEU create a more inclusive membership and workplace environment. So in November, join thousands of OPSEU members and staff in saying: “Count Me In!”
Greetings Presidents and Division
Please see the attached memo's. Dress Uniforms and Security Provisions and Inmate Management Memorandums
Thanks to all that assisted in moving these items forward. Like many other issues, portions of these agreements have been on our division agenda for many years, we are happy to be moving these items forward. It may take some time to roll these initiatives out fully, but these and other items we are all still working on, are sure to assist our members in their difficult jobs.
H1N1; we have asked that the employer request of Public Health and the government as a whole, to reverse the decision not to provide vaccination clinics within our institutions for our members. Our president Smokey has sent a letter directly to the Premier as well as sent out a press release. We are considering a policy grievance if this decision is not reconsidered.
ROLLOVERS; The employer has provided us with a partial document around rollovers. We are still awaiting further documentation from the employer. Again, once we have an agreement, we will send it out to the Presidents and post on the Corrections Web Site for all the members to peruse. Our next meeting date with management around Rolls is set for November 12th.
CTO; hearing dates this week.
ASMPP; we are looking at dates for the end of this year or the beginning of the new year for the union policy grievance to be heard, we have yet to hear a response from the newly formed "Attendance Support and Management Office" on the second stage meeting we had.
MCSCS MERC Meeting; Our next MCSCS MERC meeting is scheduled for November 24th. We encourage the locals to have their Local ERC's, for the Presidents or send designates to attend the regional forums and issues that have not been resolved at these meetings to be forwarded to the provincial Corrections teams depending on what Ministry you are in. Issues to be placed on the agenda should have details of ERC meeting(s ), such as date(s ) that issue was discussed and issue back ground.
MCSCS POH&SC Meeting; the Next MCSCS Provincial Health and Safety meeting is scheduled for December 3rd. Just as found in the above paragraph, any issues not resolved at the Local Health and Safety committee meetings, said issues can be forwarded to the POH&SC. Again issues to be placed on the POH&SC agenda, should be forwarded with details of LH&S meeting, such as date(s ) and issue back ground.
As mentioned, there are many other items/initiatives we are working on as teams/committees for both the community and institutions, your continued support is always the most important part of what makes our division able to move forward.
Again thank you for your work and support of your division. In Sol., Corrections Executives
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Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services Correctional Services Division Office of the Assistant Deputy Minister 16th Floor Telephone: (416) 327-9911 Facsimile: (416) 314-6669 (416) 327-3849 |
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Tel: (416) 443-8888 Fax: (416) 443-9670 Fax: (416) 443-9670 |
MEMORANDUM TO: Correctional Officers
FROM: Steven F. Small
Assistant Deputy Minister
Adult Institutional Services
Marg Welch
Ministry MERC Co-Chair
Eduardo Almeida
OPSEU MERC Co-Chair
DATE:
SUBJECT: Dress Uniforms for Correctional Officers
The topic of dress uniforms has been raised in focus groups sponsored by the Deputy Minister, as well as being discussed in a number of other forums. The leadership of both Correctional Services and OPSEU both understand the importance that this item holds for all correctional officers and they are pleased to lend their support.
To further enhance high standards of professional and personal excellence, we are pleased to announce that dress uniforms will be issued to all correctional officers as part of the regular staff clothing entitlements.
The regular issue staff clothing cycle will be adjusted to provide for the provision of the dress uniforms. Since dress uniforms will be cycled in as part of your regular clothing allotment, this initiative will be cost neutral to the ministry.
The standard dress and appearance code for uniformed correctional staff, as detailed in ministry policy, also applies to the dress uniform. Correctional staff will wear the dress uniform in its entirety and adhere to the standards of dress for uniformed staff.
Procedures have been carefully developed to ensure that correctional staff have a professional, consistent and well-groomed image at all times, and to ensure that access to uniforms is restricted to authorized personnel only. In order to preserve the integrity of your uniforms, it is important that all correctional officers adhere to the specific procedures that are set out in the Adult Institutions Policy and Procedures Manual under Standards of Dress for Uniformed Staff.
The dress uniform design will be discussed at future Ministry Employee Relations Committee (MERC) meetings, and further information on this exciting initiative will be provided at a later date.
Originally signed by
_________________________________________________________________________
Steven F. Small Marg Welch Eduardo Almeida
cc: Jay Hope, Deputy Minister, Correctional Services
W. (Smokey) Thomas, President Ontario Public Service Employees
Kevin Cowie, Assistant Deputy Minister, Adult Community Services
Regional Directors, Adult Institutional Services
Loretta Eley, Director, Strategic and Operational Initiatives Branch
Ernie Harris, Director,
Lori Potter, Director, Management and Operational Support Branch
Paul Paradis, Assistant Director, SOIB/MOSB
Superintendents, Adult Institutions
Terry Coventry, Manager, Information Management Unit
Annette Marchand-Stayzer, Manager, Adult Institutional Services
Rick J. Cook, Coordinator (A), Corrections Staff Clothing
Ministry Employee Relations Committee (MERC) members
Provincial Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee members
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Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services Correctional Services Division Office of the Assistant Deputy Minister 16th Floor Telephone: (416) 327-9911 Facsimile: (416) 314-6669 (416) 327-3849 |
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Tel: (416) 443-8888 Fax: (416) 443-9670 Fax: (416) 443-9670 |
MEMORANDUM TO: Correctional Officers
FROM: Steven F. Small
Assistant Deputy Minister
Adult Institutional Services
Marg Welch
Ministry MERC Co-Chair
Eduardo Almeida
OPSEU MERC Co-Chair
DATE:
SUBJECT: Implementation of Security Provisions and Inmate Population Management Committee Recommendations
Public safety, institution security and the health and safety of all Correctional Services employees are of utmost importance to all of us working in this ministry.
As you may be aware, a joint employer/union Security Provisions and Inmate Population Management Committee (SPIPMC) recently concluded its work. Members of this committee, a sub-committee of the Ministry Employee Relations Committee (MERC), met on several occasions to discuss various ideas, options and recommendations concerning security provisions and inmate population management within our correctional institutions. A number of thoughtful and practical suggestions were contained in responses received from a survey of frontline institution staff.
We would like to thank all of the members of the SPIPMC for their tireless efforts in producing a report with clear, concise and practical recommendations that were both effective and cost efficient. The recommendations that will be implemented will enhance security and improve inmate population management within ministry facilities.
It is essential that this ministry utilize its current financial and staffing resources in an effective and cost efficient manner. Implementation of committee recommendations will made within this context.
The recommendations of the committee have been divided into three categories:
(1) To be implemented as soon as possible
(2) To be reviewed as soon as possible for potential future implementation; and
(3) To be re-visited at a later date or referred to another entity
Recommendations to be implemented as soon as possible are as follows:
ü Issuance of policy direction regarding inmate institution and personal clothing exchanges
ü Standardization of security equipment in all ministry correctional facilities
ü Discussions in relation to dissemination of intelligence reports will be held with the Ontario Corrections Intelligence Unit (OCIU) and the
ü Communication to the field of the process to identify, classify and designate inmates who may be members of security threat groups
ü As a best practice, separation of inmates serving intermittent sentences from those serving straight sentences
ü As a best practice, identification of a single staff entrance/exit at all facilities and, where feasible and practicable, a separate entrance/exit for staff and the public
ü Reinstatement of a single entity responsible for provincial allocation of institution bed spaces for inmates
ü As a best practice, prioritization of infrastructure, maintenance, repair projects in institutions in order to avoid multiple living unit closures
ü Referral of all assaults of staff by inmates to appropriate police agencies for investigation and advise employees of the policy and procedures for laying of an information before a Justice of the Peace
ü Utilization of the Offender Tracking and Information System (OTIS), Visits module, which will also assist in identifying security threat inmates and “non-association” designations.
ü As a best practice, limitations on internet access on computers in specific areas of institutions, based on need and accessibility
ü Standardization of emergency codes in all institutions
ü Development of in-house canine units. As a best practice, regular utilization of canine searches in all institutions
ü Development of a process to ensure inmate trust accounts in all institutions are monitored, in conjunction with the Ontario Corrections Intelligence Unit
ü Commencement of periodic, unannounced searches of staff personal belongings and lockers. These searches are to be conducted in the presence of a Manager and a Union representative
ü Implementation of a thorough assessment of inmate housing needs prior to designating an inmate as requiring protective custody
Recommendations to be reviewed as soon as possible for potential future implementation are as follows:
ü Analysis of costs for different inmate institution clothing
ü Evaluation of inmate identification technologies
ü In consultation with MERC and the Provincial Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (PJOH&SC), review the ideas of rapid response teams and centralized Institution Crisis Intervention Teams (ICIT)
ü Analysis of the possible use of walk-through metal detectors in facilities
ü Analysis of the use of a platoon scheduling and deployment system in all institutions
Recommendations to be re-visited at a later date or referred to another entity are as follows:
ü Review of the feasibility of reinstating an additional rank between the Correctional Officer 2 and the Operational Manager positions
ü Implementation of an enhanced background check (i.e. including a personal history questionnaire and declaration) process for prospective employees and volunteers
ü Review of the current, “12-hour lock up” requirement and the barriers that may impact on inmate programs
ü Development and implementation of an enhanced program delivery model for remanded and sentenced inmates
ü Review of the number of inmate telephones in each institution and, where feasible, increasing telephone access for inmates
ü Addressing of perimeter security issues through the on-going Security Audits
The issue of staffing of food service operations at various institutions was raised during Committee discussions. At this time, the Ministry will continue its current practices and commitments concerning Cook Chill operations.
All strategies for implementation of recommendations will be discussed at meetings of the MERC and/or the PJOH&SC, sub-committees of these committees, or at related local committees.
You will be provided with additional information concerning these initiatives as the process unfolds.
