Staff at major Melbourne prison extend inmate lockdown times under protected industrial action

Staff at a major Melbourne maximum security jail will extend inmate lockdown times under protected industrial action, to make time for workplace bargaining discussions.

Prison staff at a major Melbourne jail will let prisoners out of their cells 30 minutes later on Monday to make time for workplace bargaining discussions.

Prison staff at a major Melbourne maximum security jail will extend inmate lockdown times under protected industrial action.

The Community and Public Sector, which represents prison staff, says workers have given a clear mandate for action at the privately run jail, which is due to close next year.

Members have voted to cease a range of paperwork and administrative duties as of Monday and will arrive at the front gate for security processing at the time of their shift starting, not before.

They will allow prisoners out of their cells 30 minutes later to make time for workplace bargaining discussions.

Lockdown will happen 30 minutes earlier at the end of the day.

Another element of the action will be staff refusing to comply with G4S policy banning talking to the media.

Staff redeployments will be banned, except for those made for safety reasons.

It was revealed in June that Port Phillip and the minimum security Dhurringile Prison in the state’s north would close by the end of next year.

Corrections Minister Enver Erdogan said at the time that staff at those jails would be able to transfer to other facilities.