Guards back in jail-Labour Ministry ends 20-hr walk out over mould concerns

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Toronto Sun - Canada

By IAN ROBERTSON, SUN MEDIA

http://torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2007/05/02/4147098-sun.html

Toronto West Detention Centre guards returned to work yesterday

after 20 hours off the job protesting delays of a report of more

mould in the Rexdale jail.

" We're not trying to shut the place down, " Dan Marshall, president

of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union Local 517, said before

labour ministry officials ruled the staff lacked grounds to leave

but ordered a new mould investigation.

Calling the walkout of more than 100 staffers, which began 10 p.m.

Monday, a " work refusal, " he said they went back by 5:45 p.m.

yesterday.

The guards will now spend two days searching for contraband among

the 625 inmates, since " we don't know " most of the supervisors who

replaced the guards, Marshall said. " It's a standard procedure. "

Staff waited until supervisors were brought in from other jails to

relieve them, sitting in cars and huddling under blankets outside

the entrance to the Delco Rd. complex west of Hwy. 27 during

yesterday's cold rain.

The jail's health and safety committee of union and management began

talks during the morning with provincial labour ministry officials.

Ministry spokesman Belinda Sutton said its reviewers " determined

there was not grounds for a work refusal. "

They also decided the condition of the detention centre " was not

likely to endanger the workers, " Sutton said.

Marshall claimed managers held back a report that found " serious "

levels of mould in the complex.

Community safety and correctional services spokesman Stuart

McGetrick said a Mississauga firm that undertook a mould

investigation in late February will conduct the new investigation.

The firm had found " some household mould " similar to those in home

showers, which was removed with regular cleansers, he said.

Management earlier reported " no mould, " Marshall said. Then OPSEU

learned Friday of a second report by the firm that showed " high

levels of mould in mop closets. "

The union president said he was " not surprised " the labour ministry

ruled against the union, but said an order for the new study

substantiated the workers' concerns.

Staff, including clerks and pregnant guards, are worried about mould

filtering through the ventilation system, he said, adding mould was

routed out of the jail in 2003.

Mould and mildew are hazardous, cause breathing problems and skin

rashes, and pose serious problems in many North American lockups,

health experts say. The organisms thrive where conditions are damp

and grow during temperature fluctuations, especially in areas near

inside walls that are affected by weather conditions.