Union says staff at 7 Alberta jails are on strike, province calls action illegal

EDMONTON – More workers at detention centres in Alberta have walked off the job, engaging in what the province’s justice minister is calling an “illegal job action. “

Guy Smith, president of the Alberta Union of Public Employees, says seven centres are now on strike.

He says the union will be going before the Labour Relations Board today as the province is seeking a court injunction to force the workers back to their posts.

The dispute began at the Edmonton Remand Centre on Friday after a correctional worker was suspended for complaining about safety issues.

Seventy workers who arrived for the Friday afternoon shift refused to go inside, prompting officials to put the facility into lockdown and restrict prisoners to their cells.

The action at the Edmonton Centre has since spurred staff at a growing number of facilities throughout the province to walk off the job.

The centres where staff have walked out are the Peace River correctional centre, the Lethbridge correctional centre, the Fort Saskatchewan centre, the Calgary correctional centre, the Calgary remand centre, the Edmonton Young Offenders Centre and the Edmonton Remand Centre.

Alberta justice minister Jonathan Denis says there will be an investigation of the walkout, but maintaining public safety and security is currently the province’s top priority.

“Any threats to public safety are dealt with swiftly and seriously by this government,” he said.

“Although provincial correctional centres across Alberta are affected, the facilities continue to be securely operated through the assistance of police and management. Contingency plans are in place and being implemented as needed.”

All affected facilities were in typical nighttime lockdown mode and striking staff were replaced by police and RCMP officers, along with correctional supervisors, said Josh Stewart, a spokesman for Denis.

The union has said the suspension of the union member on Friday was the last straw for correctional officers who have complained about the design of the new Edmonton Remand Centre.

Smith said the striking workers will stay off the job as long as it takes to get action.

Just days before the jail opened, the AUPE said it found five pages of design flaws after touring the $580 million facility.

At that time Smith asked the provincial government to delay the transfer of prisoners from the old remand centre until the changes were made.