Prison officers threaten total stoppage

Press, 14 February 1986, Page 4

Prison officers threaten total stoppage

A total stoppage by prison officers could take place from February 28, unless the State Services Commission returned to negotiations with a meaningful offer, said Mr Shane Goodger, chairman of the prison officers’ group of the Public Service Association. The central committee of the prison officers’ group met yesterday in Wellington to draw up recommendations to put to prison officers at stopwork meetings on February 20.

The recommendations will include a work to rule for seven days from February 21.

“At the end of that seven days, from midnight on February 27 a total stoppage will occur if the State Services Commission has not responded by then,” said Mr Goodger. Mr Goodger was uncertain how long the total stoppage would last. He said this would be a matter for discussion at the stop-work meetings on February 20. The stop-work meeting

in Christchurch will begin at 12.45 p.m. and end by 3.30 p.m. The institutions will be locked between noon and 4 p.m. No prison officers will be on duty.

Mr Goodger said he regretted the inconvenience this action would cause inmates, but the time of the meeting had been chosen to not interfere with their meals. The central committee meeting yesterday had included a representative from every institution in New Zealand. These representatives had been angered by the response by the commission to their pay claim. “In recent years prison officers have put up with impossible and demanding work conditions due largely to higher muster levels, increased violence in institutions, and an increase in psychologically disturbed inmates,” said Mr Goodger. He said prison officers had met these challengers with good will and professionalism but the time had come for serious consideration of their role.

Asked if the reduction in the prison muster announced on Monday affected the prison officers’ claim, Mr Goodger said he doubted whether the muster would stay at its present low level.

He also said that the number of violent inmates had not decreased, and because of this, prison officers were under more stress than before. Mr Goodger cited figures from Paparua Prison to show that an increase in violence has occurred. He said the number of charges brought before visiting judges had increased 900 per cent since 1980, assaults on staff had increased 450 per cent, the number of inmates requiring psychological care had risen 300 per cent, and the number of inmates requesting segregation had risen 700 per cent.

Mr Goodger also estimated that 45 per cent of Paparua inmates were gang members dr associates.