The province is committed to hiring 2,000 correctional officers over the next three years.
The Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services announced the hiring commitment on Monday.
President of OPSEU Local 128 Joel Bissonette says additional staff is needed at many of the province's facilities, including the Sarnia jail.
He says the new hires will allow for training for current and new corrections officers.
"Officers training is expiring just because its been too difficult to get them relief from their regular duties to attend training," says Bissonette.
"When the jails run short the first thing we do is start locking down areas and cutting out programs and when inmates are locked down constantly that doesn't help the situation. It's frustrating for them and it creates bad conditions and that's where safety comes into jeopardy."
There is a total of 45 correctional officers at the Sarnia Jail.
Bissonette says they have not yet been told how many new officers will be hired locally.
