00:02Youth detention staff across Queensland have walked off the job for 24 hours today over a pay dispute with the
00:08state government and over the fact that many of their members don't feel safe at work.
00:13The union says there's been over 500 reported serious assaults against youth detention staff in just the past 12 months,
00:20a situation which they say is getting worse.
00:23Now they're also struggling to retain and recruit staff, they say 60% of first year recruits don't make it
00:30through their first 12 months and a lot of that is to do with not feeling safe while at work.
00:35Now the union spoke about the difficulties that they're facing a little bit earlier this morning, here's some of what
00:40they had to say.
00:41These workers and these members day in and day out put themselves on the line to look after and to
00:51reform the kids that are in these centres.
00:53The balance has got to change, we've got to be able to ensure that people want to stay and work
00:59in these centres and make a difference and to improve the lives of young people.
01:04But until we actually get something that's meaningful that can actually work towards that, our members are angry and they're
01:11going to continue to speak up, stand up and fight back.
01:16Now the union says detention centres across the state are already at capacity.
01:20And last week the government introduced their new breach bail go to jail laws which will mandate a 12 months
01:26minimum sentence for all those who commit a serious crime while on bail, both adult and juvenile offenders.
01:33Now the AWU says that will dramatically increase the demands on youth detention centres like this one and currently they
01:40have nowhere near the capacity.
01:42Now finally the union says that staff here will remain on a minimum footing while they're taking strike action today.
01:49So the children will be staffed but if the government doesn't come to the table there will be more strike
01:54action in the near future.
01:56so come up here.
01:56of
