Only few in prison walkout

Press, 8 February 1986, Page 9

Only few in prison walkout

Only two or three prison officers at Paparua Prison took part in a wildcat strike on Wednesday, and their action came after they had been on duty for six of their eight hours, according to the prison superintendent, Mr Mitchell Leimon. The prison has 170 prison officers, who maintained normal duties after Mr Leimon called them to a meeting after he had heard that the two or three officers had gone home. A Press Association report yesterday said that officers had walked out and that inmates were locked up about mid-day and left under the super-, vision of the prison superintendent and about four commissioned officers. Mr Leimon said he had explained the legal obligations to the officers at the meeting on Wednesday. No disciplinary action would be taken against those who talked out because they had acted on instructions from a Public Service Association delegate. Those who had walked out were on work gang duties. The delegate had told them to bring the gangs back and go home,

and they had done so. Mr Leimon said that no contingency plans had been made in response to the 14 days notice of industrial action already given by the P.S.A.

Only when the officers announced what form of action they would take could he take appropriate action to provide for the security and welfare of prisoners, said Mr Leimon.

The officers at institutions throughout New Zealand are threatening industrial action over their group award claims which have been rejected by the State Services Commission.