About 50 activists gathered outside of the Ohio Reformatory for Women wearing black t-shirts with green writing and carrying signs that said “I miss my kids” and “I miss my family” and “We Miss Our Mommies and Daddies.” The crowd was picketing working conditions inside the women’s prison where Correction Officers and others are working 16 hours a day, four and five days a week. And to add insult to injury, management has refused the union’s request to re-start the bid process that would allow employees at least more flexibility in their schedules.
Tom Holden, president of ORW Chapter 8010, said his members have had enough. He told Spectrum News 1, one of the many media outlets covering the event: “I have staff all the time calling me. They’re in tears. They’re sleeping in their cars,” he said.
While the union has pressed management to do everything they can to recruit new employees—including bringing forward a classification upgrade—at ORW, management refuses to take the steps they can take right now to alleviate the overtime pain for staff, like opening up the bid process.
“We know that prison staffing shortages are a statewide and nationwide problem and that it might take time for that to work itself out. But we also know that management can do things right now to help our schedules. They’re just refusing to do so at ORW,” said OCSEA Chris Mabe. “We have staffing issues around the state, but other prisons don’t have this problem. That doesn't mean employees can't have a work/life balance even with staff shortages,” he said.
Moving forward, Chapter Pres. Holden hopes management will agree to come back to the table to discuss what can be done about the bid process and getting managers to pitch in to relieve staff.
The event was picked up by numerous media outlets. Read some of the coverage below:
‘Holding us hostage:’ Staff at Marysville women’s prison to picket working conditions - NBC4
Ohio Reformatory for Women employees picket to address working conditions -Spectrum1 News
ORW Employees Picket To Protest Unsafe Staffing Conditions - Union County Daily Digital
Workers picket in front of ORW - Marysville Journal-Tribune
Staff at Marysville women’s prison to picket working conditions - WDTN
Read the Union's Press Advisory HERE. | See more photos from the event HERE.