Thank you for the work you do! Celebrating Correctional Services Week, May 7-13, 2017

This week we are taking some time to recognize our members who provide Correctional Services in Nova Scotia.

Correctional Services include services provided by Correctional Officers, Probation Officers, youth workers and staff in adult and youth correctional facilities. For the most part, our members spend a great deal of time in the facilities with offenders working with youth or adults who have come in conflict with the law. It is not an easy job and it requires a great deal of professionalism, dedication, and skill.

Our members also work out of sight of the public, inside provincial facilities – as a result, their work is largely invisible. We are glad to be able to acknowledge the vitally important service our members provide keeping Nova Scotians safe, as well as in offender rehabilitation, education and reintegration.

Safety continues to be a priority for our members and we will continue to push the employer to take every measure possible to improve working conditions. This would include requesting violence in the workplace assessments in order to identify places for improvement, as well as improving staffing, and amending the Workers Compensation Act to include Post-traumatic Stress. No one should expect to be hurt at work, but if you are hurt, mentally or physically, there must be support to help you heal.

So this week, we thank all the workers in Correctional Services for all you do. Your work is valuable and much appreciated.