Liar Liar Pants on Fire?

25 November 2007

 

As you have all been told by numerous managers lately PPS is in serious debt and are well over budget. This has resulted in you all being told that PPS will be tightening the belt. This has been achieved by closing units down to 8-5 regimes.

 

This has resulted in the prisoners that we have to deal with getting angry as they are locked for longer periods during the hot part of the year. This has more importantly meant that a very large amount of Corrections Officers have had to adjust there life styles because they no longer do the shifts that you used to do.

 

So it was a little surprising that when we challenged this budget blow out we were told conflicting reasons for it. CANZ had heard that the over spend was as much as 20 million. Then when CANZ challenged this, it was reduced to 1.2 million. But when challenged on the reason for the budget blow out (staff shortages) it didn’t stack up. CANZ have asked for documented proof of the budget blow out, but nothing has arrived yet.

 

When CANZ asked why we are closing down units we have been told 3 different stories.

 

Firstly          Budget blow out.

Secondly       Staff shortages.

Thirdly         To give you all extra leave over Xmas.

 

Yet PPS are still trying to save money because of the budget blow out. One way is to not replace sick staff. This means that your manager puts his budget (Which is essentially his bonus at the end of the year) ahead of your Health and Safety. CANZ and PPS have been to court over staffing. PPS already run minimum staffing there are no spare shifts. Every shift must be replaced. Anything else is not safe.

 

Another measure to reduce the budget blow out is to reduce prisoner drug testing. Basically your drug testers have been given new totals for tests to be completed. This has resulted in about a reduction by about 50%. CANZ believe that this will lead to more prisoners taking drugs as they will soon work out that their chances of being tested have reduced.

 

With each of these cost saving measures the pressure builds on the prisoners. Less drug testing, more lock up hours, short staffing, and no training. These are all the ingredients of major troubles. But have no fear our senior managers would only increase your risk if they really had to, after all the law says they have to provide a safe work place.

 

So it is with a lot of surprise that we read the daily media statements 22.11.07 in which the department state and I quote “The change in unlock hours has not been introduced to save money or due to any budget overspending” and “Neither the Department nor Prison Services are experiencing any budgeting overspend. Prison Services are operating within 0.2% of our planned expenditure as at 31 October 2007.”

 

So here are some questions we will be asking at our upcoming quarterly meeting with PPS.

 

·         Why are corrections officers across the country working in substandard conditions?

·         Why is PPS increasing the risk to staff for no reason?

·         Why are we the workers getting told different to the general public?

·         Who is responsible for this mess?

 

 

 

CANZ feels that these questions must be answered and you should all have your managers call meetings and tell you all why there are conflicting reasons for unsafe working conditions being imposed on you under false pretences.

 

Most of our managers after a bit of prompting from CANZ, did the right thing, called for a meeting and fronted their staff when it came to telling us about budget blow outs and cut backs that were needed.

 

Now who ever gave out this misinformation should do the same. It would be nice if they sent letters of apology to our partners and children who have been most effected by these changes. After all these are the people most effected by the change in shifts that have been forced on a lot of us.

 

It is also these people that suffer if something happens to you because of all the increased risk factors that have been introduced to our already dangerous job.

 

Kia Kaha

Beven Hanlon

On behalf of the National Officers