Hundreds of Manitoba government employees took to the streets of Winnipeg today to protest the government’s inaction in dealing with overcrowding at provincial jails, backlogs in dealing with accused offenders on remand, and growing caseloads for workers dealing with individuals on probation. These issues are getting worse, not better, say protest organizers, and this has a ripple effect on those working with victims of crime and their families, at-risk youth, those involved in trying to manage the judicial system, and those who provide protective services to children.

“These workers do an incredible job under unbelievably difficult circumstances each and every day, but they have reached a breaking point,” said MGEU President Peter Olfert. “This is no time for temporary fixes and short-term solutions, which has been the government’s solution to the challenges in the justice system. Things have gotten to the point where many of our people are seriously considering exercising their right, under Manitoba law, to refuse unsafe work or are leaving their professions because of stress and workload issues.”

Numerous dangerous incidents involving gang members incarcerated at Manitoba jails underline the need for substantive changes, said Olfert, including serious uprisings at correctional centres in Brandon, The Pas, Milner Ridge, Headingley, and the Remand Centre in Winnipeg, as well as at the Manitoba Youth Centre and Agassiz Youth Centre. These are examples of the new reality at Manitoba jails, where the onerous task of separating and segregating gang members is now a huge part of the job.

“It’s a Rubick’s Cube when it comes to separating and segregating gang members and finding space to do this in already outrageously jammed facilities,” he said. “The added burden is simply unmanageable, and the government’s solution to date has been to jam more people in and cut back on educational and other programs that are meant to rehabilitate individuals so recidivism rates decrease.”

Right now, Manitoba has the highest recidivism rate in the country. If government doesn’t begin addressing this kind of thing right now, Olfert said, more and more people are going to be affected in our communities through increases in the crime rate, added stresses on families, and a heavier reliance on government funded social programs.”

In addition, Manitoba Justice employees have been lobbying the Provincial Government for years to get serious in clearing the huge backlog of inmates on remand. Right now, approximately 70 percent of inmates at provincial jails are awaiting trial. Some will have to wait up to a year-and-a-half to have their day in court. Those inmates are harder to manage, says MGEU Corrections Component Director Pat Gilbertson.

“Because so many inmates are not sentenced, they are not eligible for the few programs available to inmates,” he said. “So they sit there, with little hope of getting to court in a reasonable time frame, jammed into overcrowded conditions, and with little to do. They’re embittered and they often take their frustrations out on those around them, including Corrections staff and other inmates.”

The MGEU, on behalf of its Manitoba Justice members, is asking the government to:

- begin construction of a new 750-bed facility to meet the demands of increasing inmate populations;
- cease the practice of creating dormitory style capacity within Provincial institutions when it is cell space that is most needed;
- ensure safer working conditions for Correctional Officers and indeed ALL Manitoba Justice employees; and
- convene a meeting of front-line workers in the Justice system to allow them a voice in developing innovative, sustainable solutions to the ever increasing demands on the justice system.

“The employees who do this work on behalf of their fellow Manitobans have been ignored for years by this government, and they want an opportunity to help change the system,” said Olfert. “They know the system better than anyone and have ideas on how to improve it. Not heeding the advice of these professionals will put more people in harm’s way, and that includes staff and most certainly members of the public.”