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Message from National Chairman - Issue 17 8th May 2007 THE DIRECTOR GENERALS MISLEADING STATEMENT ON CSH AND COURT PROCEEDINGS As you are aware we are in Court today, the 8th May 2007 for the third time as a result of the Prisons Board seeking a Court Order against this union for Contempt. I have read Mr Wheatley’s statement, although he did not share it with the POA. It leads me and the NEC to one conclusion, the Prisons Board is hell-bent on destroying this union by any means. Firstly, CSH was introduced as a temporary measure, a short term fix due to the problems over recruitment. Since then it has been used by the Prisons Board to save money, stop staff earning appropriate rates of pay for overtime working, attack our pensionable rates of pay and reduce staffing in prisons. This has to stop. We will not allow the Prisons Board, or the Courts to run this Union. We will defend our rights as a free and independent trade union and I urge you to support this Union to achieve this aim no matter what the cost. I wrote to the Director General on behalf of the National Executive Committee seeking a meeting on alternatives to CSH. I asked him to withdraw the threat of today’s Court action, whilst those talks took place. He refused. However, he states openly that he only uses the Courts reluctantly. Can this be true? Mr Wheatley makes reference to POA Circular 4/2007, the Court injunction and POA Circular 28/2007. He accepts that the content of POA Circular 28/2007 is an acceptable position for the Prison Service, Courts and the POA. Nothing has changed in the view of the National Executive Committee. It would be remiss of me not to mention the Court proceedings which were instigated by Mr Wheatley where he sought a Court order against this Union for Contempt and lost. Again, this is the man who says he uses the Courts reluctantly, yet has taken the POA to Court on more occasions than any previous Director General. The Prison Service is in crisis, you recognise that, we recognise that, unfortunately those in authority refuse to accept it. The Prison Service would collapse without your goodwill and what do you get as a reward? A below inflation pay award, the threat of Court proceedings, a management who bully, intimidate and threaten staff on a daily basis. A management hell-bent on destroying this Union so that it can continue to implement change without challenge, to drive down costs, increase staff/prisoner ratios and create unsafe prisons. Ask yourself this, if Mr Wheatley accepts your right to volunteer to work CSH, why is he determined to use the Courts in an attempt to stop your Union from persuading its members not to work CSH. I have said in the past and will continue to say that if you are a member of the POA or want to remain a member of the POA, you must support your Union and follow its policies. THE FUTURE IS IN YOUR HANDS - THINK BEFORE YOU SIGN UP TO CSH. Colin Moses |
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