Frustration is growing among correction officers at the Thunder Bay jail in dealing with COVID-19, according to a union representative.
Shawn Bradshaw tells us the provincial government is expecting those working in the system to keep going without much social distancing.
“I really don’t understand the lack of action, and the lack of taking it seriously, allowing officers to self-isolate. So you take a little bit of hurt up front with staffing levels, and maybe having to pay some overtime,” notes Bradshaw.
He expects the situation to get worse, noting there is one correction officer in Toronto who’s already tested positive. And, as world health authorities stress social distancing, he recalls when the Ontario government released a memo indicating otherwise.
“All essential service workers and health care workers should be exercising the 14-day self-isolation. I went to my superintendent and he says ‘No, I just got off a conference call and you’re all deemed critical.’ But I said ‘No, it’s not critical, you just call in another staff member’,” points out Bradshaw.
The jail union rep adds while officers are deemed an essential service, there are other essential service providers in Ontario encouraged to isolate, and that also has inmates worried.
“The ones who are currently incarcerated are wary of being exposed to new inmates. They’re upset that staff are being forced to work without self-isolating. It’s a scary time for them too, because they don’t control their environment,” adds the union rep.
Bradshaw adds there are also low risk inmates who have been released into the community to avoid the virus spreading in the crowded jail.
