Unions urge government to reject reprimand for prison service chief

Two trade unions representing pre-trial investigation institutions have urged the government to reject Justice Minister Rita Tamašunienė’s proposal to reprimand Lithuanian Prison Service Director Mindaugas Kairys, LRT reported.

The minister’s proposal is based on an internal investigation which found that Kairys breached the Statute of the Internal Service and other laws by deciding to abolish five positions at Kaunas Prison and not complying with the minister’s order to reverse the decision. The government has yet to decide whether to issue the reprimand.

The Vilnius County Pre-Trial Investigation Institutions Trade Union and the Lithuanian Republic Pre-Trial Investigation Institutions Trade Union say the decisions were allowed under the law. They cited case law from the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania stating that an institution’s organisational structure falls under internal administration.

The unions said procedures for informing and consulting employees about the five position changes were carried out, the matter was discussed by a committee of employer and employee representatives, and the unions supported the changes.

The unions also cited comments from the Government Chancellery’s Legal Group, which noted that the prison service director was implementing approved strategic documents. One of their targets is to increase the number of resocialisation staff, the unions said.

Union representatives said the proposal was part of what they described as the Justice Ministry’s interference in decisions within the prison service director’s remit. Vilnius union head Vitalijus Jagminas said the minister’s treatment of Kairys was beginning to resemble workplace bullying. Lithuanian union head Kęstutis Pauliukas warned that approving the proposal could leave institution heads feeling they must follow a minister’s wishes rather than rely on what the law permits.

The unions said the Justice Ministry was focusing on conflict with Kairys while problems in the penal system remained unresolved, including staff shortages, uncompetitive pay, poor infrastructure and insufficient funding. They urged the government to reject the proposal and return it to the ministry.