Prison officers take action in Bunbury
Bunbury Prison officers were out in force today in a show support for the WA Prison Officers' Union’s Respect the Risk campaign.
The prison, along with 12 of WA’s 15 prisons, suffers from overcrowding with 324 prisoners packed into a facility designed to house 223.
Officers met with Bunbury MLA John Castrilli and Collie-Preston MLA Mick Murray this morning to present a petition signed by more than 200 of the officers and their families and relay their concerns about the risks of the job.
Union secretary John Welch said the campaign aimed to get a fairer deal for prison officers from the State Government.
“Prison officers are calling for proper staffing levels, new prison facilities to deal with the chronic overcrowding and better pay and conditions,” he said.
“We’ve been asking for action from the State Government on these issues for a while now but they’ve failed to respond.”
For the full story, including what Mr Castrilli and Mr Murray had to say, see Tuesday’s Bunbury Herald.
