3.1.8 The Regional Commissioner confirmed that at area- and centre-level there were still many areas of discontent between unions and managers. The use of suspensions as a punitive measure dated far back, but would be addressed. The unions appeared to have a poor understanding, and, if not that, little confidence in the structures created for engagement with area management. The mass dismissals of 2004, and the subsequent reinstatement of the dismissed officials, who now formed the majority of the union members, had caused a major rift, which has apparently not been mended by the Relationship Building by Objectives (RBO) facilitated to heal the relationship between Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) and area management. The area management and labour unions provided the Committee with a detailed report on the challenges they experienced, as well as efforts to resolve these challenges.