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The General SecretaryOctober 2006
The ongoing failures of the new Labour Government to give back our full trade union rights, ripped through my heart and soul. The events of the last few days of the TUC Congress and the week following sicken me to the core. Many within the POA, the trade union and Labour movement know the hard work and determination that I, your National Chairman, NEC members and Branch Officials have put into our campaign for trade union rights – at last, we are being treated as a TRADE UNION. It has always been my experience that any force for good is most vulnerable after it wins a battle. Peace and stability will be more difficult to achieve and could result in more casualties than the fight we have been through. The team that attended the Royal Courts of Justice on the 19th September 2006, were under huge pressure to stop our fight – we did not. The Union faced huge fines against the Union, sequestration of all trade union assets and threats of imprisonment by a Government and Prison Service that had so unfortunately, had lost their way. This pressure however is nothing compared with the ability that the Union has to turn inwards and attacks itself. Whilst it is, a natural consequence of preparing the Reserve Forces for war that does not happened, we must not forget that we have had a MASSIVE VICTORY. It may be said that our actions at this time only put us back to where we had been in the first place. This is true of all industrial conflict, but it is a fact that we within the trade union movement always have to fight, settle, and win the peace, before we can advance to better times. The Union will now move forward to negotiate better procedures and processes for dealing with industrial relations. We have a clear commitment from the TUC to assist and facilitate in moving that matter forward. It will be our intention to continue to press for full trade union rights to be reinstated to Prison Officers and all related grades. Whist trade union legislation in the United Kingdom is some of the most restrictive in the civilised world, if we had been held under that legislation the events of the last month would not have happened. We will seek to negotiate that where any additional hours are worked by our members there will be a simple and easily understood overtime payment. As with all negotiations, there will be gains and losses as talk’s progress. We are now in a strong position as a free and independent trade union. This has been achieved by the strength and resolve of our membership, the resolute action of the National Chairman and NEC, supported by Full Time Officers and staff who have performed with remarkable skill throughout this period. It would be amiss of me not to identify certain individuals and branches, who have been in the forefront of threats, intimidation and unacceptable behaviour by Managers intent on destroying the integrity of our Union. I would like to thank the Branch Committee and membership at Birmingham, Wakefield and Fred Wadsworth of the Wakefield Branch who was dragged to the High Court in London with National Officers of the Union. Your actions are brave and loyal and were the spearhead of our victory. I would further like to thank Brendan Barber, General Secretary TUC and Frances O'Grady, Deputy General Secretary TUC. You deserve the thanks and admiration of the membership. I now call upon the whole membership to put its full weight behind the Union, set aside your personal ambitions and ensure that the Director General continues to refer to and treat the POA as a UNION. Unite and Move Forward Comrades. Brian Caton
AUGUST 2006: The General Secretary JUNE 2006: The General Secretary APRIL 2006: The General Secretary FEBRUARY 2006: The General Secretary DECEMBER 2005: The General Secretary OCTOBER 2005: The General Secretary AUGUST 2005: The General Secretary JUNE 2005: The General Secretary |
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