guards ordered back to work after snap stoppage causes court confusion

Warning: Graphic content

Corrections officers across NSW have been ordered to return to work on Thursday following a snap strike that forced prisoners into quarantine and sent court confusion into the ground.

The withdrawal was triggered by a Cessnock judge ruling in February that a prisoner who beat four guards should not serve prison time for the attack. Instead Cameron Welsh was given a three-year community corrections order for the attack, which left two officers seriously injured, and their union said they would not return to work.

“In giving Mr. Welsh a slap on the wrist, this judge has given a slap in the face to every prison officer in this state who protects our community from those who have lost their right to walk among us,” said Nicole Jess, president of the Civil Service Association.

“This tells the community that it is okay to attack prison officers, that if you do you will not be punished and you can return to the community.”

The strike complicated the state’s court system Thursday, with not enough corrections officers to take inmates to court.

Trials were rescheduled and high-profile cases remained up in the air, including the planned sentencing of former MP and convicted rapist Gareth Ward; Friday’s hearing could be postponed if the officers do not return to work as ordered.

The Industrial Relations Commission heard evidence from Corrective Services NSW that redundancy meant remaining staff were left to work 24-hour shifts to keep prisoners safe and attend to medical needs.

The union told the commission that its members would not return from a planned 48-hour strike until prosecutors appealed Welsh’s sentence. But the commission ordered the union to halt all strikes related to the case in Wales by 6am on Friday.