Port Phillip Prison staff set to strike over pay, conditions after negotiations stall
Industrial action is looming at Victoria’s biggest maximum security jail, after negotiations for better pay and conditions for staff broke down.
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Industrial action is looming at Port Phillip Prison, Victoria’s biggest maximum security jail, where staff are calling for a pay rise and better working conditions.
Negotiations with G4S, the prison’s operator, and the state’s public sector union stalled after they failed to reach an agreement at mediations with Fair Work last week.
Staff have overwhelmingly rejected G4S’ proposed 13.5 per cent pay increase over four years, instead calling for a 20 per cent rise over the same period.
They are also calling for better leave entitlements and exit payments in the event G4S, a global security company subcontracted by the state government to run the prison, closes down.
Workers are set to launch industrial action if they knock back G4S’ second attempt to propose the agreement later this month.
Almost three quarters of prison staff voted down the proposal this week, and almost all union members voted in favour of taking industrial action.
In a letter to prison staff seen by the Herald Sun, CPSU Victorian Branch Secretary Karen Batt said there was overwhelming support for strike action if G4S did not put forward a fairer deal.
“Over 90 per cent of members voted “yes” to take protected industrial action,” she said.
“This means we will now take action to force a better offer to come forward.”
Strike actions could include ignoring phone calls, emails or messages from G4S management, stopping work for up to 24 hours, allowing workers to speak more freely to media and locking down prisoners 30 minutes earlier each day so union members can plan any industrial actions for that day.
Prison insiders say the stagnant pay improvements and dangerous working conditions that expose them to assault and injury have created staffing shortages that leave existing officers unsafe at work.
The proposed industrial action comes after the union earlier this month threatened to pursue criminal charges against the Department of Justice and Community Safety over any future assaults and use industrial manslaughter laws in the event of a fatality.
Staff have been injured in a slew of violent incidents in Victorian prisons.
In February, convicted murderer and drug boss George Marrogi allegedly assaulted a maximum security officer inside the Metropolitan Remand Centre.
A prisoner at Metropolitan Remand Centre tipped faeces over officers’ heads while they carried out administrative tasks in October.
In July 2022, prisoners on remand at Port Phillip Prison punched two prison guards in separate attacks less than one month apart.
A week later, a prisoner allegedly slashed another guard in the neck, throat and eye, leaving him with serious injuries.
A Department of Justice and Community spokeswoman said the negotiations were a matter for G4S and its staff.
A G4S spokesman said the security company was negotiating with the CPSU.
“We are continuing to actively negotiate in good faith with the CPSU and its members and hope to reach an amicable agreement in due course,” he said.
G4S has contingency plans in place in the event industrial action goes ahead.
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