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ANNUAL CONFERENCE MOTION 58/2009

“That Conference welcomes the NEC’s decision to bring sections of the MOJ staff to Westminster to enable face to face interaction with MPs in key areas. Furthermore, Conference instructs the Executive to continue with this positive strategy”.

With respect to the above motion the NEC have decided to hold a “Drop in Meeting” at the House of Commons for MP’s to meet with POA Branch Officials from across the female estate.

The meeting has been arranged for Wednesday 14th October 2009 from 1.30pm – 3.30pm in Committee Room Q, Portcullis House.

It is hoped that as many Branch Officials as possible will be able to attend this worthwhile event and inform Members of Parliament face to face on the difficulties being experienced in our establishments.

Yours sincerely

BRIAN CATON
General Secretary

Tolpuddle Freedom Hike (PDF 1.88 MB)
Members wishing to take part should meet at Dorchester Prison at 8.00am on Sunday 19th July '09
The POA invite you to join them in "The Hike for Rights" on Sunday 19th July 2009.

December 2008
Message from National Chairman - Issue 2
"WORKFORCE MODERNISATION: POLITICAL AGENDA"
- On Monday, 15th December 2008, members of the Executive and I met Jack Straw, David Hanson, Suma Chakrabarti and members of the NOMS Board...

December 2008
Message from National Chairman - Issue 1
"WORKFORCE MODERNISATION"
- At the Special Delegates Conference on the 2nd December 2008, the Best and Final Offer was rejected by the delegates on behalf of those affected members...

November 2008
Message from National Chairman - Issue 42
"CONFIDENCE IN THE NEC AND THE PROCESS FOR DEMOCRACY"
- The Executive and I have been forwarded a number of Emergency Motions in respect of WFM and the "Best and Final Offer" made by the Prison Service and Government...

November 2008
Message from National Chairman - Issue 41
"WORKFORCE MODERNISATION THIS IS NOT A DONE DEAL"
- Following on from my last Chairmans address on WfM, I thought I would clarify why the Executive decided to recommend the best and final offer...

November 2008
Message from National Chairman - Issue 40
"WHY WORKFORCE MODERNISATION"
- At Annual Conference 2008, motion 56 put forward by the Holme House branch, it was debated and accepted to form part of the policy for this union...

October 2008
Message from National Chairman - Issue 39
"PAY 2009 AND OR A MULTI YEAR PAY DEAL"
- We are fast approaching the conclusions of Workforce Modernisation negotiations, which will bring about an offer for the members in England and Wales to consider through the ballot box...

July 2008
Message from National Chairman - Issue 38
WORKFORCE MODERNISATION
- Firstly, let me and National Executive Committee apologise to anyone who feels that there has not been enough information being promulgated by the Executive or myself during the discussions on Workforce...

September 2008
Message from National Chairman - Issue 37
DATA LOSS
- On Saturday 6th September 2008 the News of the World newspaper revealed that a disk containing personnel details of 5,000 staff had been lost in July 2007. It is alleged that EDS informed the Prison Service in July 2008 and...

August 2008
Message from National Chairman - Issue 36
WORKFORCE MODERNISATION (WFM)
- Most of you will be aware that the work in respect of WFM has been moving on at pace. Some of you may well have been involved in Desk Top Exercises; others may have been involved locally. However, like all new ideas things are constantly...

July 2008
Message from National Chairman - Issue 35
TRADE UNION RIGHTS
- The campaign to regain our trade’s union rights has taken a number of different forms. We have lobbied Lords and MPs, spoken at conferences, taken part in rallies, argued our case in the media, sought and been given support from our colleagues in Europe...

July 2008
Message from National Chairman - Issue 34
WORKFORCE MODERNISATION - Finding the missing millions
- On the 26th June 2008, I received a 400 page document from NOMS with an accompanying letter of some four lines, secreted in this document was details of the £17 million which has been given to the NOMS board to implement Workforce Modernisation. When the NEC asked about this vast amount of money they were told by the Board...

July 2008
Message from National Chairman - Issue 33
PAY 2009/10
- You will now be aware that the NEC have engaged in the process and consultation procedure for Workplace Reform under the Workforce Modernisation Programme. If an agreement for change is decided, pay...

June 2008
Message from National Chairman - Issue 32
WORKFORCE MODERNISATION -(THIS IS NOT A DONE DEAL)
- As part of the process to achieve the terms of Annual Conference Motion 56/08 as accepted by conference, the NEC and NOMS Management Board issued a Joint Statement on a without prejudice basis on...

April 2008
Message from National Chairman - Issue 31
RESPONSE TO DIRECTOR GENERALS MESSAGE DATED 25th APRIL 2008 - The press and media in general have been running a series of stories in regard to the events that have taken place in our workplaces. They have been concentrating on...

March 2008
Message from National Chairman - Issue 30
MEETING WITH JACK STRAW - On the 4th March 2008 I met Jack Straw, David Hanson and representatives from the Prison Service, along with members of the...

February 2008
Message from National Chairman - Issue 29
PAY REVIEW BODY RECOMMENDATIONS 2008 - The Pay Review Body has today announced its recommendations for Prison Staff in respect of Pay for 2008...

January 2008
Message from National Chairman - Issue 28
BETRAYED BY NEW LABOUR - The 7th January 2008, was a black day for this Union and the Trades Union Movement...

November 2007
Message from National Chairman - Issue 27
THE POA v ? - I have been National Chairman for five years and a member of the NEC for ten. In this time I have witnessed too much infighting; and it has to stop...

November 2007
Message from National Chairman - Issue 26
POAs PAY SUBMISSION 2008 - POAs written submission to the Pay Review Body was submitted Friday, 12th October 2007, along with the other interested parties...

November 2007
Message from National Chairman - Issue 25
WHAT NEXT, THE BIG QUESTION - This week may turn out to be a cornerstone of the union or a week which will force us to look at the very foundations that support our union...

October 2007
Message from National Chairman - Issue 24
"Are You Offended?" - Today, the 19th October 2007 the POA were in Court because on the 29th August 2007 the members in England and Wales went on a days strike, the first time in the 68 year history of this union...