The National Chairman

April 2006

WHEN PARTNERSHIP REALLY MEANS SEQUESTRATION OF POA FUNDS

On the 11th November 2004, I signed the JIRPA on behalf of the POA, following a Workplace Ballot of members in England and Wales.

The principles of the JIRPA set out that a partnership approach to solving Industrial Relation issues is its core value. The agreement also states that to achieve these objectives, the Prison Service will initiate discussions as soon as possible for changes to Policy or procedures that directly affects staff.

On the lead up to the signing of the JIRPA, assurances were given to the POA that in the future legal action or attempts to sequestrate funds of the POA would be a thing of the past.

The POA is a free independent Trade Union. The Prison Service in England and Wales seem not to wish to accept this.

The actions of the Prison Service in issuing a "letter before Court action" in response to the POA legitimately advising the membership of the views of the NEC with regard to a Job Evaluation System (JES), once again, proves that the Prison Service does not want partnership with the POA.

Indeed the Prison Service wishes to neuter and restrict this Union by means of court action and threats of sequestration whilst the POA defend its members.

On being elected National Chairman, I gave an undertaking that this Union would engage and negotiate to advance the claims of the membership. I still believe in these principles. Industrial relations are at an all time low since I took office in August 2002. You may ask what has brought this about this change. I can only put it down to a Prison Service Management that cannot change old habits, in as much as imposition of change is the only management style they understand or can operate within. If the JIRPA is being abused as it is currently, by senior management at a national level, wemay be left with no other alternative, but to ballot for withdrawal.

This Union must stand ready to defend its Terms and Conditions. The Director General of the Prison Service for England and Wales, at a recent Prison Service Conference, stated "I want good Industrial Relations, but not at any price". I believe good Industrial Relations have a price. The price is to treat your employees and their representatives with respect and decency, not threats and bullying. Is this too much to ask?

This union must stand united and no action will be discounted to defend our living standards.

Pay England and Wales 2006

By the time you read this section of my article the announcement of this years pay award for England and Wales should have been released, unless the debacle continues. And you the members are again kept in the dark over your pay.

Is the pay award and recommendation from the Pay Review Body "independent or fair". Should the POA continue to be subject to a pay award as recommended by the Pay Review Body or return to the days of collective bargaining?

It has been well documented that the Prison Service has tried to infl uence the Pay Review Body as outlined in the leaked letter from the Director General to the Home Secretary, why? Is this to achieve their aim? Again, it is the Prison Service or its representatives that have said "Staff on LSIs are overpaid". I do not accept this statement neither should you.

How is the Prison Service coping? That's easy, on your goodwill, by the use of "Contract Hours", "EGPs" and of course "Additional Hours". How perverse. A two tier system that rewards staff in one establishment by paying them in monetary terms for working beyond their scheduled 39 hours and one that forces them to work for "TOIL" to maintain a regime. TOIL that is only repaid at “management’s convenience” and the "staffs expense". Something has to give.

All we ask for is a "fair days pay" decided by an "independent and fair body" or a return to "free collective bargaining"

In the years leading up to this pay award, the POA has stated that we would always accept the recommendation of the Independent Pay Review Body. However, the evidence now seems to show that the Pay Review Body has an undue pressure on it by the employer to subscribe to a below infl ationary pay awards, this is not fair or decent. I believe this is clearly an attempt by the Prison Service to force the POA back into the discredited Heads of Agreement talks. You may ask why? The Prison Service believed that the changes under the Heads of Agreement would be at nil cost, that was never the view of the POA and we cannot now allow our terms and conditions to be eroded under this perverse system.

Colin Moses
National Chairman

A MEDAL IN A JIFFY BAG

It was a proud moment when Baroness Scotland announced the success of the POA in gaining the Queens Golden Jubilee Medal at last years Annual Conference. This award has been marred in its process of delivery. I, along with others received my medal in a jiffy bag through the post. Once again, POA members have been subject to disgraceful treatment by the employer.

PRINCESS ROYAL OPENING OF THE UNION LEARNING CENTRE AT HIGHDOWN

On 18th January, HRH Princess Royal honoured the POA by accepting an invitation to open the Highdown union learning centre. Her Royal Highness has steadfastly been a patron of prison staff over many years, with her support and patronage of the Butler Trust. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Princess Anne and all the staff involved in this monumental day.