Sask. government told by OHS to halt plans to cut 14 deputy sheriffs

Occupational Health and Safety has put a stop to the Saskatchewan government’s plan to cut 14 deputy sheriff positions at courthouses in Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert, North Battleford and Weyburn.

In November 2016, the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees’ Union (SGEU) said 14 positions were being cut across the province.

READ MORE: Union says cutting 14 deputy sheriff jobs in Saskatchewan will jeopardize safety

The government said the positions being cut were perimeter security staff; the workers who screen people entering courthouses. The positions were set to be replaced with an unarmed private security member.

By January 3, a single armed sheriff was working with contract commissionaires and that move was supposed to save the government $308,000 per year.

However, two deputy sheriffs exercised their right to refuse dangerous work under the Saskatchewan Employee Act, a decision Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) agreed with.

The Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety has now tasked the government with making the position safer and to go back to the two-sheriff model in the interim.

“We will continue to work with Labour Relations and Workplace Safety on a model that makes sense and to rectify the concerns they have there,” Drew Wilby, a Ministry of Justice spokesperson, said.

“We are confident in what we put forth in January, but of course this brings some new information to light so we’ll continue to work through that process and we have until February ninth to do so and to rectify the situation.”

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Wilby said the decision doesn’t mean the government’s new model is unsafe, just that there are areas that can be improved.

He added going back to a two-sheriff model will cost some money.

Bob Bymeon, president of SGEU, said the Ministry of Justice should immediately rehire all deputy sheriffs who were let go.

“Deputy Sheriffs of Court Security are trained, screened and equipped to very high standards,” Bymeon said in a statement.

“Replacing them with commissionaires compromises court security and the safety of workers – and the government’s OH&S division agrees.”