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"Government has a responsibility to ensure the safety of staff and inmates, and we urge them to reconsider the decision to shelve the new remand centre,” said SGEU President Bob Bymoen.
Regina (31 May 2013) - The Saskatchewan government's decision to put construction of a promised Saskatoon remand centre on hold indefinitely will mean ongoing and escalating safety issues for inmates and corrections staff, according to the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees' Union (SGEU/NUPGE).
Overcrowding creating unsafe environment
“Overcrowding in correctional facilities creates a much more dangerous environment for inmates and staff members,” says SGEU/NUPGE President Bob Bymoen.
“Housing those being held in remand with convicted inmates is not acceptable, and has already resulted in a fatality.”
New centre would address many workload pressures
“Front-line workers were looking forward to the much-needed relief that the new remand centre would provide from increasing workload pressures,” Bymoen adds.
"SGEU/NUPGE has been raising concerns about the dangers of overcrowding in our province’s correctional system for years. Mounting pressure to take action finally resulted in the announcement of a new remand centre for Saskatoon."
“But now we are back to square one, with no light at the end of the tunnel. Government has a responsibility to ensure the safety of staff and inmates, and we urge them to reconsider the decision to shelve the new remand centre.”
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE