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Message from National Chairman - Issue 15 30th January 2007 “WHAT CONSTITUTES THE NORMAL RUNNING OF THE PRISON SERVICE” I am writing to you all following another threat of legal action by the Prison Service, against this union. In 2006 a similar threat was issued and defended by this union, with the assistance of the TUC. Today, the Prison Service threatens legal action against the POA a free and independent trades union for advising members of the union’s policy on Contract Supplementary Hours (CSH), your policy, a policy determined by Annual Conference. It is a pity the Prison Service doesn’t put the same effort into “Industrial Relations” as they do into wasting “tax payers money” by threatening this union with legal action, as opposed to sitting down and discussing practicable ways to resolve the current crisis. Why is it, that when the POA suggest a way forward it is dismissed? We suggested maximising the use of existing prisons providing they were adequately staffed, safe and decent. The Director General wrote back and said, it would be dangerous to up the op cap of any prison by “one place”, what has changed? The Prison Service is in “Crisis”. This is not, the doing of the POA, nor is it the fault of the Home Secretary, but it is the fault of a Prisons Board hell bent on confrontation and a Labour Government who have failed to invest in Public Services, especially Public Prisons The policy for CSH, a Prison Service policy was not introduced through collective bargaining, nor was it agreed by this union. It is however your choice whether you work CSH. But, be mindful Conference determined that we should not work CSH and should look to alternatives such as overtime and until such time as this was achieved, EGPs, Bedwatch payments etc were the preferred option. The Prison Service believes that the only way to run a Prison Service normally is by some staff working or signing up to CSH. This is no way to run a Prison Service, but it is the blinkered view of the Prisons Board which in reality has no trust in its local Governors/Managers to manage a budget and Prison in a safe and decent manner. This attack is an attack on the rights of individuals, it is an attack on this union and each and every one of us must look to ourselves to see what we really want as a member of the POA, an affiliate to the TUC and member of EUROFEDOP. Things have to change and we stand ready to engage with the Home Secretary, Prisons Minister and Prisons Board to look at ways forward to resolve the crisis in the short, medium or long term, but be under no illusion this union will not be bullied or intimidated. We are and remain a free and independent trade union. Colin Moses |
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