We have eight labour-management meetings a year where we can share our doubts and fears with Mr. Head.
I believe that the challenge for us, as a union and as correctional officers, is that we need to be able to be heard when we talk about our working conditions. It's a difficult environment where incidents are not always foreseeable. It is important to always keep in mind that all the legislation that's adopted, all the regulations that are changed to improve the situation and be more "tough on crime" will also have an impact on the inmates.
The programs that existed previously gave inmates a purpose for going through the program. They could see a glimmer of hope when they finished it. Where will the inmate find that hope now? Is the inmate going to tell us that, whether he takes part in the program or not, we will make him do 10 years? Will pressure mount on us, the correctional officers? This is what the freeze on budget envelopes does not predict.
Money is being planned for new buildings, new staff, but where is the money to plan for the impact of new legislation on our clientele, who are inmates?