Media Advisory - OPSEU president to tour Thunder Bay Jail Dec. 14; news conference to follow

THUNDER BAY, ON, Dec. 11, 2015 /CNW/ - Less than a week after inmates took a corrections officer hostage in a disturbance at Thunder Bay District Jail, the president of the union that represents officers inside the jail will tour the facility on Monday Dec. 14 to see first-hand the conditions that led to the violent incident.

Warren (Smokey) Thomas, president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) which represents more than 6,000 corrections and probation and parole officers across Ontario, announced today that he and several other OPSEU leaders, including the president of Local 737 at Thunder Bay District Jail, will tour the facility. Steve Small, the assistant deputy minister for the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services, will also join the tour.

Local MPPs Mike Gravelle (Thunder Bay-Superior North) and Bill Mauro (Thunder Bay-Atikokan) have not responded to an invitation by Thomas to join the tour.

"The incident at the facility earlier this week was reprehensible and could have led to a much more serious outcome," said Thomas. "I want to go inside and see exactly what triggered this disturbance and listen to my members tell me what needs fixing immediately."

A news conference will be held outside the jail immediately following the tour.

DETAILS

Date:	Monday Dec. 14
Time:	9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. (News conference to follow)
Location:	Thunder Bay District Jail
	285 MacDougall St., Thunder Bay

SOURCE Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU)

Greg Hamara, OPSEU Communications Tel: [phone]