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Message from National Chairman - Issue 215th September 2007 Dear Colleagues WAS IT NECESSARY AND WHAT DID IT ACHIEVE? NATIONAL STRIKE 29TH AUGUST 2007 Prisons play a fundamental role in the Criminal Justice System. We look after the most dangerous people in society and every prison has become significantly more dangerous to work in, but this is what we do every day of our working lives. The POA has been the recognised Trade Union for the professional, men and women of the Prison Service since 1939. This Union welcomes change, embraces change and of course, resists change when it is right to do so. We will also challenge imposition. The Prison Service Management reacts to political demands, leaping from one crisis to another, instead of standing up for its employees and saying enough is enough. We say, prisons are still overcrowded, short of front-line staff and regrettably have a management that conducts industrial relations through the Courts, rather than through negotiation. End result conflict. The Prison Service is at a critical point and we call on the new Justice Secretary to ensure prisons are safe, secure and fit for purpose. If things do not change, we will see a return to the scenes of the late 80’s and early 90’s when prisons burnt and prisoners’ rioted. We welcomed the introduction of the Prison Service Pay Review Body in 2001, a mechanism that was supposed to provide an independent system to determine your pay. However, the system has been tarnished with interference from the Prison Service and Government. We have been subjected to staged pay awards, below inflation pay awards and starved of our fundamental rights to collective bargaining. Is this right and proper? NO. At Annual Conference, the delegates supported Emergency Motion 16(E) this called for a Workplace Ballot in respect of pay. The NEC carried out that mandate and the members voted to take action, again the NEC ensured we carried out that mandate and on the 29th August 2007, we held the first National Strike in the POA history. Why?
These are only a snap shot of the real reasons because to list them all would take forever and even then, I know that I would have missed some of the concerns of POA members’. However, the most important reason of all was because, it necessary to get them to listen and to instil some pride back to the POA and its members. Following the result of the Ballot and at Annual Conference, the NEC informed the Prison Service and Government of the depth of feeling amongst the membership, but as usual, our advice was ignored. No one should ever underestimate the actions of the Prison Service Management. They continually blame this union for the crisis in our prisons, they forget about you and your family and expect you to be at their beck and call; and when your not or don’t want to be, it’s deemed to be industrial action. Rubbish, it is inept management and it is right and proper that they have been condemned by this union. The initial meeting with Jack Straw did not deliver all that we had hoped for, but at least we met him put forward your concerns and engaged in some meaningful discussions. We agreed a series of meetings and a form of words, which allowed the NEC to suspend the strike. We said then, “that nothing is ruled in and nothing is ruled out.”
The NEC at an emergency meeting on the 4th September 2007, agreed that we would pursue the Prison Service for the repayment of the debt owed to staff in respect of TOIL. We await the reply and plan of action from the Director General to accede to this request. What have we achieved, only time will tell, but at present we are negotiating, preparing next year’s pay submission and being taken seriously by the Prison Service and Government. In the eyes of the NEC, it was necessary, it was a success and we will take the good fight forward, to ensure we protect the terms and conditions of every POA member, to the best of this union’s ability. Support the POA recruit a new member and stand proud of your achievement. Colin Moses |
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