Correctional Service Canada quietly removed caged-in exercise pens at the isolation unit of a federal prison in Alberta over the weekend. Good. Dismantling the structures, which were better suited to dog kennels than prisons, is the correct decision. Full credit is due to CSC management for making it – with a caveat.   Read more...

Robert Gagnon is a man on a mission. The 44-year-old B.C. corrections officer and Canadian veteran began his Walk to Raise Awareness for Veterans and First Responders with PTSD in Prince George on June 28, and will end his walk on the front steps of the B.C. Legislature in Victoria tomorrow, Friday July 21. Robert's estimated arrival at the Legislature is 3:00 p.m. We encourage BCGEU members i...

Last Friday, Dean Purdy, Vice President, Corrections and Sheriff Services Component 1 and Component Executive members Brian Campbell and Brandon Cox once again met with senior Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) officials in their second meeting since January. Your union raised a variety of issues and concerns including the need to lower officer-to-inmate ratios, a review of the latest prison vio...

Robert Gagnon, a correctional officer at the Prince George Correctional Centre, is about to embark on a meaningful and important mission: Gagnon is setting out to walk from Prince George to Victoria to raise funds and awareness for first responders and veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Gagnon, a long-time BCGEU member and former Corporal with the Canadian Armed For...

The Corrections branch was recently advised that the BC Nurses have served strike notice against Chiron, the health services provider in BC correctional centers.   Chiron and the Nurses are still in the process of negotiating essential services levels through the Labour Relations Board (LRB). The provincial government and BCGEU are not direct parties to this dispute.   We further understand tha...

A BC provincial court judge who handed down a 14-month sentence to an inmate of Surrey Pretrial Services Centre for assaulting a correctional officer denounced the inmate for his actions. The victim, a long-time BCGEU member, was the target of a vicious assault using fecal matter. Read more details of the trial here In Judge Peder Gulbransen's reasons for sentence, he said: "The court must deno...

All employees shall have two, 15-minute rest periods in each work period in excess of six hours, one rest period to be granted before and one after the meal period. Employees working a shift of three and one half hours, but not more than six hours, shall receive one rest period during such a shift. Rest periods shall not begin until one hour after the commencement of work or not later than one ...