On Wednesday, September 18, National President David Neufeld visited Stony Mountain Institution (SMI), along with USJE RVPs Kirk McIntosh (CSC Manitoba) and Shauna Ward (CSC Saskatchewan), to meet with two CSC management representatives from NHQ regarding the Food Services Staffing Model Review. This staffing review is something that USJE has been advocating for several years and has been a priority demand as part of our ongoing Food Service Officer Campaign that began in 2022.
The visit began with a stop in the SMI kitchen where the USJE representatives met the Food Service Officers (FOS) working the afternoon shift. The FOS members were very engaging and shared some of their urgent concerns around working conditions: officer safety, staffing and compensation were key areas discussed. SMI Local President, Carlos Partillo, joined President Neufeld and RVPs McIntosh and Ward for this portion of the visit.
All USJE representatives were impressed with the level of dedication, professionalism and pride that the FOS members exhibited. It was clear, however, that the tragic assault of a Food Service Officer at SMI in August 2021 remains top of mind and that more changes are still needed in the kitchen. These include having more CSC FOS members in the kitchen and a Correctional Officer always stationed in the kitchen. This is a common theme that President Neufeld has heard from FOS members across the country and will continue to be a priority during the staffing model review.
The USJE representatives then met with the two CSC NHQ management representatives from Ottawa regarding the Food Services Staffing Model Review. USJE RVP, Laurie Ann Wesselby (CSC Atlantic, chair of the USJE FOS Working Group) also participated in this portion of the visit by telephone. The CSC representatives were Stephane Charron, Senior Manager Food Services, Technical Services Branch and Patrick Larose, Senior Human Resources Consultant, Food Services.
The 90-minute discussion centred on staffing. President Neufeld shared the importance of USJE’s Food Services Officer Campaign and some of the feedback collected from FOS members across the country. It was reiterated that FOS members continue to voice concerns regarding officer safety, training, staffing levels, compensation and working equipment.
Both Mr. Charron and Mr. Larose were very clear that the review is “long overdue,” and one that is being taken very seriously by CSC. Mr. Charron shared that he has a background in food services, while Mr. Larose brings his external human resource experience to CSC, all with the intention to help improve the overall working conditions for all FOS staff across the country.
The USJE representatives learned that Mr. Charron and Mr. Larose have already visited many institutions in Quebec and Ontario to better understand the challenges that FOS members are facing. The visit to SMI was their first to the Prairies. USJE representatives encouraged the CSC representatives to visit all regions equally, and to consider visiting unique sites such as the Regional Psychiatric Centre in Saskatoon. Both Mr. Charron and Mr. Larose were clear that there are financial considerations to visiting the sites, but they remain committed to obtaining the full picture from FOS members across the country.
It is evident that USJE’s FOS members have already identified a strong need to place more FOS members in the kitchens to improve efficiency and safety. It has also been noted that CSC should hire more indeterminate/determinate staff and move away from a reliance on casuals and inmate labour. While the kitchen can be utilized for inmate training, the primary purpose is to service the institution. It was acknowledged that the kitchen must have enough staff to function properly and must not burn out the FOS staff. It is hoped that this review will identify the true needs of each kitchen by also addressing outdated work descriptions and paying FOS members at an appropriate level for the work they perform.
Other issues discussed during this meeting included:
- Correctional Officers stationed in the kitchen
- the professionalism of the trade
- recognition for the value of the work of FOS members, and
- fixing broken equipment in a timely manner.
USJE representatives invited Mr. Charron and Mr. Larose to meet with USJE’s internal Food Service Officer Working Group to discuss this review and to obtain feedback. USJE is very encouraged by the level of engagement that NHQ is seeking in this review and the will to work as collaboratively as possible.
President Neufeld and RVPs McIntosh and Ward would like to thank Mr. Charron and Mr. Larose for taking the time to meet with them at SMI. All USJE representatives were pleased to see that NHQ is moving forward with the Food Service Model Review and will be basing their recommendations to EXCOM on their consultations with front line staff. Both RVPs Wesselby and McIntosh will continue to work with our internal USJE Food Service Officer Working Group and to shine a light on any outstanding challenges our members are facing in CSC’s kitchens across the country.