The National Chairman

October 2005

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Annual Conference in May agreed a name change to our union. The following motion bought about that change. –

The organisation (referred to in these Rules as "The Association") is called the "POA". Conference also accepts that the Association will in all appropriate documentation use the statement "The Professional Trades Union for Prison, Correctional and Secure Psychiatric Workers".

This historical action may have changed the name but not what the POA stands for. This change should not be seen in any way as trying to change the history of the Prison Officers' Association, it only gives credence to the fact that we are a Trade Union and not a staff association, as some people believe. The POA has acted as a Trade Union for the past 66 years, whilst carrying the generic name of a staff association.

Our employers have in recent times tried to devalue Trade Unions and the collective voice of unions, by giving them the same status as a management organised and sponsored staff support group.

The POA are currently involved in negotiations under the Heads of Agreement with the Prison Service in England and Wales.

We are taking part in these negotiations as an independent Trade Union.

A modern Trade Union must always be prepared to negotiate as part of its key function. The Heads of Agreement, if accepted and formalised, may be the biggest change to POA members' working conditions since Fresh Start in 1987. No decisions shall be taken on the future of POA members, without those changes being accepted through a national workplace ballot.

A union must belong to its membership; a staff association invariably belongs to an employer.

In negotiating the Heads of Agreement, it will be the first time for over ten years that the Prison Service and Government will be negotiating with the POA without the threat of Section 127 of the 1994 Criminal Justice Act being enacted. This Act allowed the Government and employer to impose working conditions and criminalise the actions of the POA if we contested that imposition.

The main components of the Heads of Agreement are as follows:

• Review of Establishment Improvement Mechanisms.
• Pay Modernisation and Terms and Conditions.
• Training and Development to provide a Professionalised Service.

Nothing will be agreed on the Heads of Agreement until all parties are satisfied.

We will not carry out negotiations on the Prison Service Intranet and the initial aims of the Heads of Agreement must not be forgotten or lost. These aims are part of ongoing talks with the Home Secretary to provide a case to prevent the need to Market Test the three establishments on the Isle of Sheppey, or to invoke further Market Testing of any other Public Sector Prisons. We believe that we have nothing to fear from negotiations and the proposals set out in the Heads of Agreement.

The development of a new establishment improvement mechanism process is a positive forward step in modernising the Prison Service. The Isle of Sheppey is to be developed as a "live pilot" but the process will be subsequently rolled out across the Service. This system will improve working practices, provide a new system of training, enhance opportunities for staff, whilst equipping those staff to ensure they are able to meet the requirement of the Prison Service whilst gaining appropriate recognition.

Should agreement be reached on the proposals as outlined in the Heads of Agreement we would expect it to deliver, greatly improved training and development of staff, progression through shorter pay scales based on an objective assessment of competences, a three year pay deal with a modernised grade structure recognising responsibility and accountability by improved pay.

The timescale for such an agreement should not be forced through but reached after full and frank discussions. Both the Government and the Prison Service must remember that we are a free and independent Trade Union and will not sell off our hard fought working conditions to comply with political expediency. The business case being put forward by the POA to prove that Market Testing is not needed is one based on the principles that the Public Sector Service can deliver, and in the long term will provide more efficient use of public money.

For the POA to be recognised as a Trade Union we must not only carry the title of a Trade Union, but we must be prepared to act as a Trade Union. These actions should be based on a collective agreement not on "flavour of the month" or an "I'm alright Jack" culture.

A Trade Union should put in place agreements that improve current members’ terms and conditions, agreements that can carry the test of time, ensuring that those who come into the Service in the future benefit from the past. The Heads of Agreement is an opportunity to professionalise the Service, if we are successful through our negotiations, there are real gains for POA members. The positive feedback this will have on the work performed in the Public Sector Service are immense. There is still a lot of detailed work to be done, but I am confident that we can stand together and act as a real Trade Union. If we believe in our motto that “unity is strength” we must ensure that we are united to allow others to believe that our motto works.

The name of the Union may have changed but our values remain. We can seize the opportunity to stop Market Testing by the process that we are currently engaged in, but ultimately you will have the final say.

Colin Moses
National Chairman