Boosting mental health for Corrections workers: The crucial role of member engagement in bargaining

By Alex Seggewiss, Local 715, inSolidarity Committee MemberDisclaimer: This article discusses mental health and suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues or thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please seek professional help immediately. Resources such as Boots on the Ground (1-833-677-BOOT) are available 24/7 for support. You are not alone, and help is available.On March 20-21, 2025, members of the Corrections Division in Thunder Bay arriving for their day shift or leaving from their night shift may have been puzzled by the gregarious group of people gathered around a bonfire. And yet, there was nothing to fear as they were greeted by their friendly Mobilizer team with important information about bargaining.“In our initial stages of mobilizing and organizing Corrections members, our mobilizer team was actively in the field visiting institutions, facilities and community offices to map our membership with the goal of identifying leaders across Ontario,” said Dana Bruno, Local 708.Bruno is one of five Mobilizers who were selected for this round of bargaining along with Casey Stewart (Local 5112), Joel Bissonnette (Local 128), Ryan “Gilly” Gilchrist (Local 369) and Lisa Reitano (Local 424). According to Lock Talk – a Correctional Bargaining Unit newsletter, the role of Mobilizers is to provide a link between the Bargaining Team and the membership.The Mobilizers’ original approach was short-lived as they soon learned that the employer would no longer allow access to Mobilizers into their workplaces. However, this attempt to prevent connections between members and Mobilizers would not stop there. In turn, to show the employer that the Corrections Division is united in its efforts to support the bargaining team, they decided to engage members by coordinating solidarity events across the province.

Mobilizing for mental health

Throughout February, events were held in multiple locals to do just that. Not only were the events fun and different, but they also provided members an opportunity to connect with each other in a positive space. Valuable information about bargaining and rights as union members was shared along with an ongoing Mental Health petition highlighting the need for more comprehensive mental health support and services in Corrections.Improvements to mental health benefits remains a key priority for the Correctional Bargaining Unit. Sadly, over the last 10 years, there has been a significant increase in workplace violence incidents.During every day of 2023, there was an average of:

• 14 inmate on inmate assaults
• 5 incidents of workplace violence directed at correctional staff including threats, assaults, and attempted assaults, as well as several correctional workers assaulted.
  • In total almost 8,000 incidents in one year.

“There is an ongoing mental health crisis in Corrections,” declared Bruno. “Since October 2021, we have lost at least 11 Corrections members to suicide. These deaths are tragic – and can be prevented if our members have access to more robust mental health supports. Our members are exposed to graphic details of heinous criminal acts by virtue of their role in keeping Ontarians safe,” she added.According to Bruno, members cannot effectively supervise and provide rehabilitative services without the supports required to cope with the resulting psychological trauma. A lack of resources prevents members from proactively managing their mental health and relies on a reactive approach which leads to exacerbated injuries and an increased likelihood that members will need to be away from work. Despite the employer’s failure to acknowledge that the current mental health benefits are substandard, organizations such as Boots on the Ground has and continues to play an essential role in supporting public safety personnel across Ontario.

Thousands raised for Boots on the Ground

Boots on the Ground (BOTG) is an anonymous peer support program specifically designed for public safety personnel. According to www.bootsontheground.ca, the program was started in 2018 by a dedicated police officer approaching retirement named Dave McLennan, who “felt called to continue to serve his community in a new way” and was passionate about the need for supports due to the impact of trauma in first responders’ lives. Vowing to be “your first call, when you’re ready,” a team of steadfast volunteers is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.In addition to the helpline, several resources are offered including a widespread list of selections for counselling, community support and online avenues, as well as IMPACT debriefs, therapy dog program and chaplaincy program. Funding can also be provided if public safety personnel encounter financial barriers with accessing support. As a charitable organization, BOTG is completely run and staffed by volunteers and relies solely on donations to continue the great work that they do.Corrections Cares in collaboration with the Correctional Bargaining Unit held various events in the month of February to raise awareness about the mental health crisis and donations went directly to BOTG.The information pickets and solidarity events organized by the Corrections Mobilizers serve as a tool to showcase a united front to the employer throughout the bargaining process. Ultimately, the bargaining team endeavours to present a tentative agreement for ratification, meaning members can vote on the negotiated improvements. “The bargaining team is only able to bring back an agreement for you to vote on, if all items are agreed upon by the parties,” said Bruno. “Should there be impasse or disagreement on even one item, our contract is referred to Interest Arbitration, for an arbitrator to rule on the outstanding issue(s) in dispute, as required by legislation.”Informed members become engaged members, which is necessary to achieve the best possible contract. Bruno urges members in Corrections to be involved and connect with Mobilizers to ensure they are receiving the most up-to-date information. Union leaders and local leaders within composite locals can also support Corrections members by inviting Mobilizers to their general membership meetings and encouraging Corrections members to get in touch.As the Mobilizer team continues to meet regularly with the Correctional Bargaining Unit, members are likely to see a number of other enticing events come up in their communities. As the push to keep members engaged intensifies, Bruno bluntly reminds, “If we contact you, please don’t ghost us.”

Sign the petition – mental health supports, now!

To circulate and sign the legislative petition to Queen’s Park demanding that the Ford government provide immediate access to mental health supports for correctional workers, please fill out the form linked below to order paper petitions – and we’ll also send postage-paid envelopes for you to send them back to OPSEU/SEFPO!All you need to do is get the signatures from your OPSEU/SEFPO colleagues (and anyone else, including family and friends) and drop them in a mailbox as soon as possible.https://opseu.org/news/petition-action-urgent-mental-health-supports-for-correctional-workers/236495/