Officers were unhappy with government plans to introduce a variable operations routine and were intending to strike until Monday, the chair of the Prison Officers Vocational Branch (POVB) of the Public Service Association of NSW, Nicole Jess, said.

The strike was over staff shortages that could have resulted from a proposal to change the number of officers at the Macquarie Correctional Centre, the union said.

Currently a fixed number of staff are required, so when there is sick leave, leave or other requirements, replacement staff would normally be brought in.

However Ms Jess said the government wants to move to a variable operations routine, which could alter the number of staff on duty.

She said this was particularly the case at a prison such as Macquarie were inmates were kept in dormitory-style accommodation rather than being able to be locked down in cells.

“Any loss of staff is a risk to staff safety,” Ms Jess said.

The negotiations from the government involved delaying the introduction of a variable operations routine for two weeks, until discussions could take place between facility management and union delegates.

The nearby Wellington Correctional Centre was not involved or impacted in the planned industrial action, the union said.

A Corrective Services NSW spokeswoman confirmed a stop-work meeting took place but said both parties would continue to work towards a resolution.

“Staff at Macquarie Correctional Centre have returned to work following a stop-work meeting this morning,” she said.

“Local management and union representatives have agreed to work together to address concerns.

“Inmates were locked-in during the stoppage.”