'Open season for bashing': NSW prison officers walk off the job over safety concerns
Hundreds of correctional officers at NSW prisons have been told to return to work tomorrow, having gone on strike after a spate of assaults at Goulburn's Supermax prison and a recent court decision that they believe could trigger further attacks.
A Corrective Services NSW spokeswoman said the industrial action taken on Friday was unauthorised, and that the governing body has ordered correctional officers back to work on Saturday. It's understood they had agreed to stop work until Monday, before the IRC stepped in.
Courts around the state have also been brought to a standstill as a result of the strike.
Because of the lack of staff, any matter that has an offender or a defendant who has been remanded in custody cannot go ahead, with jails being reduced to skeleton staff, citing issues of staff assault as the main reason for the action.
The Supreme Court of New South Wales said the walk-off had not yet had any impact on their proceedings. Other courts have been contacted for comment.
"The sudden industrial action has impacted upon some criminal court sittings this afternoon. Adjournments and re-listings may be necessary to address any disruptions caused," a spokesman for the Department of Justice said.
A recent judge's decision to reverse Bassam Hamzy's 20-month sentence extension for bashing a Supermax prison officer in 2017 had sent a clear message to offenders, said Stewart Little, general secretary of the Public Service Association, the union representing the prison officers.
"As predicted earlier this week, reversing Bassam Hamzy's extra jail time for attacking an officer has sent a dangerous message," Mr Little said. "Offenders have heard the signal loud and clear, and they now believe it's open season for bashing prison officers."
The 200-plus custodial staff at Goulburn Correctional Complex and its supermax security wing took action on Friday.
More than two thirds of prison officers in the state followed suit in walking off the job. The union said that in the past week, one attack had seen a guard hospitalised, another assaulted with faeces and urine, and a third attack where two officers were bashed, one needing stitches above his eye.
"Custodial staff across NSW have had a gutful and they've taken action. Jails are full and now a legal measure to keep them safe has been ripped up," Mr Little said.
"The government must urgently direct the Department Public Prosecution to review the Hamzy appeal."
Mr Little also insisted that prison officers' rights be "first and foremost" in the minds of decision makers.
"Prison officers are not punching bags and it is unacceptable for them to be treated as such."
A Corrective Services NSW spokeswoman said that "staff safety and security" was "the highest priority for Corrective Services NSW".
"Custodial staff at the Goulburn Correctional Complex walked off the job this morning. It is understood they are unhappy with how Corrective Services manages incidents of staff assault," the spokeswoman said.
PSA raised the issue of staff safety in Goulburn’s Supermax with senior management at Corrective Services NSW earlier this week, after the spate of recent assaults on corrective services officers.
A meeting has been scheduled between the two parties for Monday.
The governing body said that any assaults on staff were "unacceptable" and that they were in support of prosecuting of inmates who attacked officers.
On Friday afternoon, all inmates at Goulburn's Supermax were secure in their cells. Public security has not been compromised, but all visits have been cancelled.