Staff of Haren Prison began a 48-hour strike over their working conditions on Thursday evening. The protest action began at 10 p.m. and will last until the same time on Saturday.
Grégory Wallez, Secretary-General of the ACOD union, explained that the strike was unusual because prison officers stopped working spontaneously to protest their working environment. The union then consulted with its on-site representative and decided to formally call the strike to protect the employees.
According to Wallez, the prison currently operates with a shortage equivalent to about 100 full-time staff members. To make matters worse, 14 employees were dismissed in the last 60 days.
“The prison is functioning with staffing levels far below the legal minimum, and the workforce fears this situation will become the new normal,” Wallez said. “All they want is to be able to do their jobs safely. This strike is a cry for help.”
Despite discussions between the prison’s management and staff, Wallez stated, no acceptable solution had been offered to the employees.
