KARIONG SHOULD STAY WITH JJ

Date: 03 November 2004

The Public Service Association General Secretary John Cahill says, "The Government should stop its hasty and ill-considered move to transfer Kariong Juvenile Justice Centre to the adult prison system.

"The recent decision to put Kariong under the control of Frank Baxter Juvenile Justice Centre was a sensible move and as predicted by the union that arrangement had calmed the situation in Kariong. The Government should have been pleased with that result and should have continued with that arrangement."

The PSA members at Kariong will be placing a picket on Kariong and Corrective Services officers have been asked to not cross the picket line. The Corrective Services Officers are also members of the PSA.

The PSA has asked for urgent talks with the Government. There will be another members meeting at 10 am on Friday (5 November).

"The members have not been consulted about their future. The Ministers announcement by media release is vague on the options available under the transfer plan," said Mr Cahill.

The members at Kariong say they should remain within the Department of Juvenile Justice. If that is not to be all members should be allowed to retrain and join Corrective Services.

Over 80 staff are being spilled by the Government's transfer plan. They are on the central coast where redeployment opportunities and alternative employment are rarities," said John Cahill.

"Our members are being made scapegoats for the incompetence of previous management and the failures of head Office and the Government".

For further information

Contact:	Geo Papas, Industrial Officer
Union:	Public Service Association of NSW
Phone:	9220 0937
Contact Mobile:	0407 705 363
Email:	gpapas@psa.asn.au
WWW:	http://psa.labor.net.au/

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