Local sheriffs showed their support for workers of the Edmonton Remand Centre as they took to the street and held a protest in front of the St. Paul courthouse on Monday.
The walkout is in support of a province-wide protest being carried out by correctional facility staff who are against what they argue to be unsafe working conditions at the Remand Centre.
The protest began in response to two peace officers, who are fellow union members to the St. Paul sheriffs, being suspended from their jobs for expressing health and safety concerns at the Edmonton Remand Centre. Currently, correctional workers from all over the province are walking out to protest and address health and safety concerns.
“Lots of this stems from the issue of officer safety," explains Sheriff Dave Fitzpatrick, one of the sheriffs at the St. Paul courthouse.
“Sheriffs and staff of all nine correctional facilities in the province have walked out," said Sheriff Jordan Burke-Gaffney. While correctional officers protest, RCMP members from Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan are covering shifts for the absent correctional workers in prisons.
The union attempted to meet with the government, but the Deputy Premier said he wouldn't discuss anything until workers return to work, explained Burke-Gaffney. There has been a list of 10 demands that protesting correctional workers want met before they agree to return to work.
“There's massive solidarity between union members. The government has never seen a mass walkout like this before," said Burke-Gaffney. “There are lots of people in Edmonton and Calgary walking out, court clerks walking out, it's going to severely and immediately impact the court system. We want to make sure the point gets across, we're here in support of correctional staff."
