Edmonton Law Courts building needs 21 more sheriffs, says AUPE
EDMONTON – The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees has been urging management at the Edmonton Law Courts for months to address the dire shortage of sheriffs, a union official said Wednesday.
“In a meeting with management on Oct. 31 we addressed the staffing shortage,” said Derrick Karbashewski, chair of AUPE Local 003, which represents regulatory and correctional employees of the Government the Alberta. “In order to have a sheriff in every courtroom they’d have to hire 21 more.”
Even more would have to hired to fill the need in rural and circuit courts around Northern Alberta, he said.
On Tuesday two Edmonton judges went public with their concerns over the lack of security in courtrooms. One reportedly said he had to adjourn a trial he was hearing because no sheriff was available to be there.
Another judge reportedly said he has brought the situation up several times with Alberta Justice officials but felt no progress was being made.
Karbashewski said the shortage is an ongoing issue that has become so acute that many sheriffs have been forced to cancel annual vacations.
“Management told us in October that they’re working on it,” he said. “But so far nothing has changed.”
Karbashewski will be available to the media at 12:30 p.m. at the Mayfield Inn and Suites, 16615 – 109 Ave., Edmonton.
AUPE is Alberta’s largest union, with nearly 80,000 members, nearly 2,500 of whom work in regulatory and correctional services.
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For more information, contact:
Derrick Karbashewski, Chair, AUPE Local 003: (780) 691-3073 (cel.)
Andrew Hanon, Communications, AUPE: (780) 930-5218