Guard fired whose suspension sparked walkouts

A government spokeswoman says a correctional officer at the new Edmonton Remand Centre was terminated from his job Friday, after the completion of an investigation into his conduct before a wildcat strike at the centre in April.

Justice department spokeswoman Michelle Davio said she could not confirm the employee’s name, but Clarke McChesney with the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees said the man was one of the two employees whose suspension sparked the illegal job action. He could not confirm the guard’s identity.

The illegal strike was the culmination of mounting tensions and safety concerns about the new remand facility.

The Edmonton job action sparked wildcat walkouts across the province, and ended only after a judge imposed mounting fines on the union.

Both employees had been suspended with pay while the provincial government investigated.

Davio released a statement that said the safety and security of government correctional facilities is “paramount.”

“If an employee does not do their job, it can put their co-workers at a very real and dangerous risk,” the statement said.

“The employee was relieved of duty with pay pending an investigation into his conduct (before the strike). This is the completion of that process. Disciplinary action is taken very seriously and is used only when behaviour warrants it.”

McChesney said the union will take the matter to arbitration.

“We still support him, and believe in him and are behind him,” he said. “I would be very disappointed if he wasn’t vindicated during the arbitration process.”