On 13 August the SNLP prison workers' union organised a protest in front of the national prison service over the failure of the government to pay eight months of wage arrears and respond to other demands including: improving staffing levels by hiring 1,000 more people; compensation for overtime with time off from work or extra salary pay; and imposing sanctions on officials who do not abide by the law on staffing. The government doesn't respect the collective agreement or the process of social dialogue. Out of a list of 75 issues raised by the unions only five have been partially dealt with over the last 6 months. Depending on the government’s reaction, the union will continue the protest actions for an undetermined period of time. All prison workers will be wearing black ribbons around their arms to symbolise the loss of professional dignity.
Read more at > SNLP (RO
Prison union protests over pay and staffing
More like this
Prison union protests over staffing and overtime
(October 2016) The SNLP union representing prison staff has been organising a series of protests over serious staffing shortages and very high levels of uncompensated overtime. The prison service needs around 8000 extra staff and the union warns that this not only raises serious health and safety issues but undermines attempts at rehabilitation.
Prison staff protest over staffing and safety
(December 2016) Prison staff, members of the FP-CGIL and UIL-PA federations, took part in a national demonstration on 29 November in protest at serious understaffing and assaults on staff. The unions argue that urgent action is needed to deal with dilapidated prisons and the long working hours and stress that are leading to sickness absence and additional pressures of work. They say that problems have been building up for years with cutbacks and lack of investment.
Action in prisons over staffing levels
Members of the CGSP/ACOD and SLPF/VSOA trade unions took industrial action in prisons across the country between Thursday 27 and Saturday 29 May. The unions are calling for an increasing in staffing and will consider further action if there is no response from the prison service. Read more at > Le Soir news website (FR) And at > Knack news website (NL)