Why change work week at BCC?

As a guard at the Baffin Correctional Centre, it was with some surprise that I read Premier Paul Okalik’s reply to Iqaluit Centre MLA Hunter Tootoo’s concern about the switch to eight-hour shifts at both correctional facilities in Iqaluit.

First of all, many probably don’t realize the short day comes with a seven-day work week, with three and four days off in between. This set-up was used until several years ago, and the staff I have spoken to who experienced this told me it was quite unpleasant.

Now we have four days on, four days off, which has been running quite well.

Next, I was surprised to hear the explanation for the change. I am quite curious as to how working seven days in a row will encourage more Inuit staff to work at both BCC and Young Offenders, as I am sure there must be some evidence to back this claim. However, according to the Inuit staff currently working here, they seem to be dreading the change as much as the rest of us.

When the idea was first proposed, the reason that was given to us was that it would save money somehow. When this was shown to be false, this new excuse miraculously appeared.

Finally, and perhaps most of all, I was surprised by Okalik’s lack of concern over the opinions of those directly involved, namely the corrections officers at Young Offenders and BCC. As Okalik so undemocratically stated, the GN was “not run by employees.”

The smoke and mirrors surrounding this and so many other incidents in the territory begs the question — “who is running the GN?”

(Name withheld by request)
Iqaluit