Corrections Day must lead to improved workers comp for Prison Officers
色狼社区media release:
The Public Service Association (PSA) welcomes the introduction of the inaugural Corrections Day on Friday 20 January 2017 and calls on the NSW Government to recognise Prison Officers as emergency services personnel for the purposes of workers compensation.
Police and other emergency personnel were exempt from the savage workers compensation reforms of the O鈥橣arrell Government in 2012.
The union believes that Prison Officers should also have been granted exemptions from the cuts.
鈥淧rison Officers go to work each day in the most dangerous environment in the country,鈥 said 色狼社区General Secretary, Stewart Little.
“Prison Officers are the bobbies on the beat, firefighters, nurses, paramedics and much more. They are the 24 hour a day crisis resolvers.鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚 time the NSW Government properly recognised their role and provided the same workers compensation entitlements as other emergency services personnel.鈥
鈥淭here aren鈥檛 too many workplaces in the world where the riot squad is on stand by when a ban on smoking is introduced.鈥
鈥淥vercrowding has exaserbated the situation, making a dangerous environment potentially lethal given when emotions do explode it鈥檚 Prison Officers who put their bodies on the line to deal with individuals who have nothing to lose.鈥
鈥淧rison Officers stand between some of the state鈥檚 most notorious criminals and the community but are expected to do so without adequate workers compensation protection for them and their families.鈥
鈥淭hat situation must change,鈥 said Stewart Little.