Structure

Today the Prison Officers' Association has a full seat on the staff-side of the National Whitley Council to look after the interests of Prison Officers together with its own Prison Department Whitley Council.

The POA represents all Prison Officer Grades including Governor grades 4 & 5 in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and Scotland. The POA also represents all Nursing and Ancillary grades in the Special Hospitals (Ashworth, Broadmoor , Rampton and Carstairs).

THE POA adopts as affiliated members, all New Entrant Prison Officers from the commencement date of their training at their local establishment until the date of their recruitment into the POA, when addressed by National officials at the Training College.

A similar affiliate facility exists for Student Nurses during the period of their training within the Special Hospitals. The Scottish Prison Officers'Association has recently merged with us and we welcome them to the Association.

THE POA currently has in excess of a thousand members working in the private sector. They work in areas as diverse as Prison Escort Groups - Secure Training Centres. The 1999 Employment Relations Act, which allows for union recognition and worker representation rights, is allowing the POA unprecedented access into these hitherto poorly represented work areas. The Private Sector is a thriving growth area for the Association, which is committed to providing the same dynamic services which are currently within the Public Sector.

The Association currently enjoys a membership of 33,500 members and GROWING.


Rules

The Objects of the P.O.A. are as follows

  • To protect and promote the interests of its members.
  • To regulate the conditions of employment of its members and their relations with their employing bodies.
  • To provide initial legal advice to members at their request on any matter and to give all further necessary assistance to any member in relation to any legal request - judicial or disciplinary proceedings as laid down in the Rules.
  • To provide a death benefit.
  • To provide and maintain such services and organisational structure for the benefits of members as laid down in the Rules.