Regional Psychiatric Centre, Saskatoon
On September 3, 2024, USJE National President David Neufeld and Regional Vice President CSC Saskatchewan Shauna Ward visited the Regional Psychiatric Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Local President Cindy Kotz and 2nd Vice President Pam Walsh accompanied them during the visit.
President David Neufeld and RVP Ward had the opportunity to meet with kitchen staff and learned more about the challenges the site is facing regarding staffing in the kitchen. As a result of the current budget cuts, the representatives were told that a term kitchen staff member was being terminated only to be called back as a casual employee.
In addition, USJE’s representatives heard that the kitchen is regularly operating with one Food Service Officer short due to the lack of funding for indeterminate positions. The site also struggles because it does not have a casual pool of FOS employees. Another major challenge that the site faces is that few inmates are able to work in the kitchen owing to significant mental health challenges, and/or they do not have the capacity to contribute reliably to operations in the kitchen. .
In essence, the current staffing model is predicated on having regular staff on site which is currently not the case. USJE is hopeful that the upcoming Food Service Staffing Model Review can help address these deficits in the future.
President Neufeld and RVP Ward also spent some time with the Warden, Travis Boone. They discussed some of the other unique challenges that the site faces in its role as Canada’s only stand-alone psychiatric treatment center.
The representatives heard about the excellent work that USJE members perform at RPC and how the workload is distinct from other multi-level institutions across the country. A need for CSC specific training related to working in a psychiatric institution was highlighted as something that would be extremely beneficial. .
In terms of case management, it was identified that an “ideal” caseload size for Parole Officers at the site is approximately a 1 to 15 ratio. Given the complexity of individuals with mental health challenges at the RPC, and the unique dynamics of being a psychiatric hospital, it seems apparent that CSC should strive to fund this facility with this ratio in mind. USJE is committed to raising this in the context of the ongoing Parole Officer Workload Review with CSC, at which time it plans to highlight that the RPC’s specific workload be closely examined.
Given that the RPC is not attached to a “parent site”, there are also unique challenges in terms of the maintenance and functioning of the site (whether it is food production or cleaning). The fact that inmates cannot contribute in these areas in the same way as other multi-level institutions suggests that the site would benefit from additional resources. This is an issue that USJE representatives committed to raising at a future Labour Management Meetings.
Both President Neufeld and RVP Ward would like to thank Warden Travis Boone for his time and cooperation during the site visit. They would also like to acknowledge the good work of the Local Executive and wish to thank Local President Cindy Kotz and 2nd Vice-President, Pam Walsh, for the tour.
Correctional Learning and Development Center (CLDC) Saskatoon
On September 3, 2024, USJE National President Neufeld and RVP Ward also attended the CLDC with Local President Brenda Schreiner. They met with CLDC Director, Grace Chopty, and were informed of the training priorities for the Region. The USJE representatives were surprised to hear that a Correctional Training Program slated for September 2024 had been cancelled and that two candidates would be going to Prince Edward Island to receive their training. Ms. Chopty noted that this cancellation was a result of the lack of candidates for this training date.
President Neufeld and RVP Ward did speak to the issue of “Return to the Office” and identified that USJE continues to hold the position that hybrid work should reflect a nuanced and flexible approach. Even at the CLDC, it is believed that hybrid work is something that should be supported so that managers have the ability to manage the needs of the Centre using a nuanced approach.
When it came to discussing the budget cuts across the CSC, it was clear that the Region is closely monitoring training budgets. USJE remains concerned that CSC may not provide proper backfill as attrition occurs and that the department will continue to find ways to reduce their overall budget. USJE is aware that training is an area that CSC could decide to cut further but we remain resolved to push back on this very notion.
President Neufeld and RVP Ward would like to thank Director, Grace Chopty, for taking the time to meet with them and for Local President, Brenda Schreiner, to be part of these important discussions.
Saskatchewan Penitentiary Prince Albert
National President David Neufeld and Regional Vice President (CSC Saskatchewan) Shauna Ward traveled to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, on September 4, 2024, to visit the members of Saskatchewan Penitentiary.
The Saskatchewan Penitentiary Local 40023 provided a pizza lunch for its members at a local hotel – and an opportunity to hear from President Neufeld and RVP Ward on the top priorities of USJE. There were approximately 25 members in attendance. This meeting included a lengthy discussion on hybrid work and the nuanced/flexible approach USJE has been advocating with all the departments it represents. While hybrid work is not something that applies to all USJE members, the union representatives stressed that it is something that can help benefit many USJE members in their work – and to support their mental health.
The members were told about the PSAC Campaign on hybrid work and how it will roll out in the next week. Significant resources will be spent on this PSAC fightback campaign, and the members impacted by the Return to Office directive were very appreciative to learn this.
President Neufeld and RVP Ward also took the opportunity to provide updates on USJE’s ongoing Food Service Officer Campaign and Presumptive Injury Campaign. The members were also encouraged to get involved in the open call for bargaining demands and informed about the USJE Regional Bargaining Training/Conference taking place in Edmonton in November 2024. Members were invited to take the opportunity to review their respective collective agreements and to speak to RVP Ward or their Local if they need any assistance in submitting bargaining demands.
In the afternoon, President Neufeld and RVP Ward visited Saskatchewan Penitentiary with Local President Christa Masko. During this visit, USJE representatives met with many members and heard about the concerns these members hold regarding the fallout from CSC’s budgetary cuts. What became clear during this visit is that indeterminate positions have not yet been cut but that members are concerned about it being a strong possibility in the future.
The USJE representatives learned that there were a number of Vocational Training Coordinator positions recently cut at the institution and this will now result in offenders not being provided services that would have assisted them in their reintegration back into their communities.
The other real fear is that these cuts will result in higher workload levels and that USJE members will feel a constant pressure of having to do “more with less”. President Neufeld and RVP Ward encouraged the members to submit a report of these cuts via the form found on the USJE website (How are the federal budget cuts impacting you? – USJE (usje-sesj.com)) so that further follow up can be done by USJE at the local, regional and national levels.
President Neufeld and RVP Ward would like to thank Local President, Christa Masko, for providing these opportunities to meet with the members of Saskatchewan Penitentiary, and for those members who took the time to attend the pizza lunch.
Scrap the Mandate Info Line RPC
Early in the morning of September 5th, National President David Neufeld and USJE RVPs Shauna Ward and Jeff Sandelli spent time at the Regional Psychiatric Center to lead an information line focused on “Scrapping the Mandate” (the Treasury Board’s direction on Prescribed Presence in the Workplace). Doug Kopko representing Local 40009 also attended the info line.
With the impending change to the Return to Office protocols on September 9th, it was important for USJE to share with employees at the site USJE’s position on the subject and why a nuanced, flexible approach is both better for the employee and the employer in helping meet the CSC’s mandate.
While most USJE members at the Regional Psychiatric Centre tend to work 5 days a week on site, many members are interested in having some greater flexibility.
These USJE information pickets will continue into the future, as it is important for Treasury Board and the departments to know that USJE will continue to fight and advocate for hybrid work that utilizes a nuanced, flexible approach.