Situation Worse For Work Party Supervisors

“Work Party Supervisors are angry that the Department of Corrections has taken actions that further reduce Work Party Supervisors’ pay and conditions and is refusing to meet to discuss progress on issues,” Janice Gemmell of NUPE said today. “Work Party Supervisors who supervise offenders doing community work (former Periodic Detention) held their first ever strike on 18th October. The action was called because Corrections have been trying to accommodate the low (40%) compliance level of sentenced offenders into our Collective Employment Agreement,” said Janice Gemmell.

“The problem for Work Party Supervisors is that when 60% of offenders do not turn up, the Department just send home the staff employed to supervise them that day and only pay them a three hour allowance, not their nine hour entitlement,” said Janice Gemmell.

“Since the strike, the situation has worsened. We are aware of centres where a new system of rostering has been introduced where a Work Party Supervisor is on call but expected to stay at home. The Supervisor only gets a call if enough offenders get out of bed and turn up. Unless called in to work, the Work Party Supervisor will not even get the three hour allowance.”

“Our union had reported to us that last week at one centre, over 30 offenders turned up to do Community Work. Because it was raining, Corrections gave the offenders the option to work or go home. Nine out of the group opted to work. Consequently one of our members lost a day’s pay. This incident is typical of why Work Party Supervisors took strike action – and nothing appears to have changed despite the publicity.”

“We need a change of approach by Corrections to start ensuring high compliance by using Work Party Supervisors to do their job,” said Janice Gemmell. “Work Party Supervisors stop work on Saturday 6th November to discuss their next move.”

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