Probation staff at Wales Community Rehabilitation Centre face a very anxious Christmas, uncertain of their future after hearing finances will be slashed by 40% next year. With cuts of this magnitude, mass job losses will be inevitable and public sector union UNISON is committed to opposing any redundancies and maintaining a viable probation service.
Probation staff perform a vital role in our communities, supervising people who have received non custodial sentences, helping people back to work and overseeing community service programmes. Their UNISON representatives want urgent clarification of the funding situation at Wales Community Rehabilitation Centre and to halt the redundancy process to allow for meaningful talks.
Glyn Jones, UNISON Cymru Wales Regional Organiser said,
“We must be told by Wales Community Rehabilitation Centre why this is happening, how many staff are threatened and how the service can be viable next year when £4 in every £10 has disappeared.
“There is never a good time to throw people out of their jobs but to drop this bombshell over Christmas is insensitive and will cause a lot of worry in many households this year when families should be enjoying themselves.
“At a time when Home Office ministers are talking about reducing numbers in prisons, the probation service which looks after people with non custodial sentences is being slashed to the bone.
“UNISON said when it was sold off to private companies it would be a disaster waiting to happen; it looks like that time is now very close.
“A service created to rehabilitate and support those who had lost their way will become one where resources are stretched to maximise profits and the critical needs of those at its centre are forgotten.”
UNISON continues to urge Wales Probation to reconsider its position.