An attack on correctional officers at the Toronto South Detention Centre has prompted job action from the majority of the jail’s employees, Warren “Smokey” Thomas, the president of Ontario Public Service Employees Union, says.

Many staff members are taking part in a “work refusal,” which appears to have been prompted by an attack on Saturday.

Thomas, the head of the union that represents workers at the detention centre, said eight correctional officers were injured following the incident. They suffered “varying degrees of injury,” Thomas confirmed.

“On Saturday evening, an inmate in one of the units let on that he was in trouble, that he was being attacked. An officer went to intervene to keep the inmate safe and then they all turned on the officer,” Thomas said.

“Then when they called for help, they all turned on those officers and subsequently eight… front-line correctional officers here were injured.”

Thomas said those employees injured in the attack have not been able to return to work.

“The employer is supposed to take steps to make sure the unit is safe, make sure the institution is safe. So far they have done absolutely nothing to address the situation. Normally if inmates attack officers, particularly if it is a group effort, they get separated and moved out to other institutions. That has not happened,” Thomas said.

“The employer has not even sat with the health and safety committee here to review the video of what happened… This morning, the officers exercised their legal right to do a work refusal."

He added that an inspector with the ministry of labour is currently at the institution investigating.

“(The inspector) has spoken with the union, is speaking with management,” Thomas said. “I’m hoping they’ll issue some orders that management adhere to their policies and that they deal with the inmates involved and they bring order back to the institution.”