On Tuesday, June 26, 2012 BCGEU  representatives and members from the Component 1 executive met with senior Workers Compensation Board (WCB) representatives  to continue the discussion on the ongoing incidents of violence against correctional officers in provincial facilities.

Representing the BCGEU was Dean Purdy, Component chair, Tony Tessari Component 1st vice chair, Brian Campbell, Component 2nd vice chair, Wiho Papenbrock BCGEU staff and Sheila Moir, BCGEU OH&S officer.

The WCB provided the union with an update on their commitment from the July 6, 2011 meeting to develop an enforcement strategy to increase monitoring of provincial correctional facilities.

A  high risk  compliance strategy  framework has been developed and will include the following:

• Focus on specific workplace issues:

1. Accountability
2. Workplace violence
3. Blood and body fluid exposures
4. Risk assessments
5. Investigations
6. Recommendation implementation

• Fall 2012 compliance strategy training for WCB safety officers responsible for correctional facilities;



• Late fall 2012 WCB will conduct worksite visits in all correctional facilities.

Other issues discussed at the meeting were: the continuing numbers of assaults on COs and reporting serious injury incidents to the WCB for investigation;  the lack of proper risk assessments for hospital escorts; inmate-to-CO ratios; safe and proper regress routes; and the employer's unwillingness to implement rotational lockdowns.

The union presented the WCB with the two recent research studies: "Abnormal Working Conditions",  by Neil Boyd and "Justice Denied" produced by BC Civil Liberties Association. We also presented the federal arbitration decision on allowing federal COs to carrying OC spray.

The union sought advice from the WCB on the best way forward to get  better regulatory recognition for the "abnormal working conditions" in provincial correctional facilities. 

There has been agreement by all parties to implement a tri-partite committee of the employer, union, and the WCB. This committee will not meet during the labour dispute but the union representatives will meet to discuss a terms of reference for the committee.  

“We have emphasized the importance of moving forward quickly with the enforcement strategy as COs are being violently assaulted regularly,” says Dean Purdy. “If meaningful changes are not made to the system, someone is going to be killed on the job".