Corrections officers across New South Wales walked off the job Tuesday morning at more than 30 jails, protesting safety concerns following an alleged violent assault on a colleague. The strike began after a prisoner accused of assaulting an officer was released on bail.
As a result of the walkout, prisoners were confined to their cells, and trucks transporting inmates to court were rerouted. Court proceedings requiring prisoners to appear via audio-visual link were also impacted.
The alleged assault occurred on July 25 at the John Morony Correctional Centre. According to a union representative, the injured officer sustained broken ribs, lost teeth, and suffered a broken nose and eye socket.
"He has assaulted the officer while the officer was trying to help him, trying to set up (a call) so this guy could speak to his family ... unprovoked, cowardly attack," said Public Service Association general secretary Stewart Little.
On Tuesday, police arrested a 21-year-old man in Blacktown, Sydney, and charged him with causing grievous bodily harm to a law enforcement officer. The man did not apply for bail and is scheduled to appear in court again on October 16.
Little attributed the volatile prison environment to crowded jails, a consequence of government measures related to domestic violence, and ongoing staff shortages. "Corrections officers need to be backed up by the rest of the justice system and the government otherwise this strike will only be the beginning," he stated.
The striking staff were expected to return to work at 7am on Wednesday. Corrective Services NSW confirmed that the incident had been referred to the Industrial Relations Commission and stated they were supporting the injured officer. "Staff are right to expect that inmates who assault them in the workplace will be met with the full force of the law and we encourage staff on duty to remain at work whilst police investigate," a spokeswoman said.
This marks the second strike in less than a year for NSW prison officers. A similar industrial action occurred in October in response to the sentence handed down to an individual convicted of assaulting four guards at Cessnock Correctional Complex. That individual had initially received a community corrections order, but an appeal judge later increased his sentence by over two years.