This is a reminder that this Wednesday at 10am our CIE work mates start the CIE BIG Day Out. They are going on strike for 24hrs and we would appreciate the support of all our CANZ members if you can. It is just giving up an hour to come to work early or stay late to support of CIE colleges.

Here is an extract from the legislation covering industrial action and doing the work of a striking officer.

Employment Relations Act 2000 sec 97(3)

It states ... "An employer may employ another person to perform the work of a striking or locked out employee if the person -

(a) Is already employed by the employer at the time the strike or lockout commences; and
(b) Is not employed principally for the purpose of performing the work of a striking or locked out employee; and
(c) Agrees to perform the work

Basically, management can ask you to do CIE related jobs, including supervising CIE inmates, but you have the right not to agree to do the work of a striking worker, and as CANZ members, I expect you all to say no when and if you are asked. If you feel you have been pressured, bullied or intimidated, contact a delegate immediately.

Record as much information as you can such as date and time of incident, location, any witnesses, manager involved. Remember the department treat all acts of bullying seriously and we will be passing this information on for their action.

Some of you may have heard that we were organising stop work meetings at your prisons this Wednesday lunch time. This was so we could inform you all, of the situation regarding extra beds, CIE and the upcoming wage negotiations. We had done a bit of work with most PM’s making sure that we would leave enough staff on site to keep the institution safe and that we would be just outside the gate and able to respond to any emergency.

Most PM’s had responded in the positive of for what we were doing but had to get regional sign off. It is our belief that most PM’s had approved these stop work meetings even if provisionally. On Friday we received notification that the CEO had vetoed the stop work meetings for this day but offered them any other day of the week.

This can only be seen as a department running scared of seeing its staff untied and would have been worrying for them with the PPS contract coming up. I urge you all too still join your CIE work mates during your lunch breaks, before work or after work.

If you can get to these around lunch time there is a BBQ at most prison sites to encourage you along. Use this opportunity to show the department that we do support our CIE work mates.

But remember this is a CIE action and if you are PPS you still have work to do. Your CIE work mates have committed to this action and unfortunately no one believes this will be the end of it.

So get out there support each other and have some fun.

Written on behalf of the National Officers