Rally targets harassment at Edmonton Institution
Dozens of delegates from the Union of Solicitor General Employees (USGE) rallied Thursday outside the Edmonton Institution after reports of serious harassment and bullying among staff.
“There have been a lot of harassing situations: bullying, intimidation, we have a number of staff members who have been suspended, there are some criminal investigations going on,” said Stan Stapleton, national president of the USGE.
“It has been a difficult place to work for everybody at this site, so we are working together with management, with UCCO (the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers) to try to clean everything up.”
Two investigations, including one of a criminal nature, are being conducted by the Edmonton police, while the Correctional Service of Canada is conducting its own review at the Edmonton Institution, a maximum-security federal institution.
Recently, Don Head, commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada, said staff have complained of harassment, bullying and intimidation.
“I want to make it clear that such behaviour is not tolerated in our organization and that it is a priority for me and my management team to ensure employees have a positive work environment free from harassment and discrimination,” Head said in a statement Oct. 31.
About 50 USGE delegates waved flags, held signs and handed out flyers at the entrance of the Edmonton Institution Thursday morning to show Edmonton Institution employees that they are not alone in their fight for better working conditions.
“They need to see that we are there for them and if they need support we’ll be there,” said Stapleton.
Improving working conditions for employees will have positive effects on inmates, he said.
“The employees are role models for the offenders and if the offenders are seeing a dysfunctional organization, that certainly isn’t going to help them prepare to reintegrate with society,” Stapleton said.