Following years of consistent advocacy and campaigning around workload concerns and understaffing in Community Corrections, the PSA welcomes the recent announcement that the government has allocated approximately $33m in additional funding for your important work.
It is unfortunate that it has taken so long for those concerns to finally be heard by the government as the funding for over 140 new ongoing roles has been sorely needed for some time.
Members have voiced concerns about understaffing, workload allocation, and the suspension required to keep hours manageable. These concerns have been consistently pursued by your delegates and the PSA in quarterly Joint Consultative Committee meetings with the Community Corrections Executive.
The PSA hopes this announcement will go a long way towards addressing many of those concerns over the longer term.
Furthermore, part of the funding will be used to establish a Remote Service Delivery Team, which should aid in managing shorter term workload spikes and vacancies. The PSA will be involved in consultation on the establishment of this team as it progresses.
The work all of you do in Community Corrections is a key component of driving down recidivism rates across the state but of course you cannot deliver that service adequately without the resources.
The PSA will continue to advocate to build better workplaces for members, including monitoring and engaging in how the additional resources are rolled out.
We are stronger when we advocate and fight as a collective so make sure you speak to any non-members about the importance of being in the PSA. New members can join online HERE.
Your PSA Staff: