Press releases

REF: PR/48/07

DATE: 17th September 2007

To: ALL POLITICAL
ALL INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENTS

PRESS RELEASE
NO EMBARGO

Straw Has Option to Throw Oil on Troubled Waters

Leaders of the POA are to meet the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Jack Straw today at 11.30 following the agreement to a series of talks following the day of action by prison officers throughout England and Wales on 29th August 2007.

The walkout by prison officers caused chaos in prisons and to the Criminal Justice System.

The Director General of the Prison Service agreed to pay bonuses to prison staff who worked through the action as well as payments to prisoners which enraged members of the POA who were standing up for their rights.

Colin Moses National Chairman of the POA said:

“We are hopeful that Mr Straw will offer a number of options which would allow our current dispute to be set aside.

“The crisis within the Prison Service is growing day by day as the prison population continues to rise.

“New accommodation has been brought on line without any new staff being recruited; this has forced staff to work away from their families on detached duty and causing additional problems at other prisons. Frontline staff cannot continue to work excessive hours to maintain prisons without appropriate payment. The Prison Service had to identify a debt of some £6m owed to staff for hours worked unpaid as a result of a National Audit Office report. I am hopeful that Mr Straw will look at these problems along with the staging of pay to resolve the current dispute”.

Brian Caton General Secretary of the POA:

“The problem of pay for all public sector workers was the topic of conversations at the TUC Congress at Brighton last week. It is clear that all public sector workers are dissatisfied with the attitude of Government towards their pay and conditions. I am hopeful that today Mr Straw will look at ways to resolve the current unrest amongst the professional men and women of the Prison Service. We are keen to seek a resolve and avert the need for any further disruption of the Service”.

For further information contact:
POA Press Office: 020 8803 0255 Option 7

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