The National Chairman

ISSUE 52, 21st May 2009

PRISON SERVICE WORKFORCE CHANGES NEWS - ISSUED 20th MAY 2009

Dear Colleagues

PRISON SERVICE WORKFORCE CHANGES NEWS - ISSUED 20th MAY 2009

The Prison Service “spin machine” is in full flow, trying to influence its workers and undermine the POA, something we will simply not accept.

I welcome the Prison Service communicating with its staff. It is just a pity that they don’t put the same time and effort into supporting their staff who may have been assaulted, injured or simply just ill.

In the news letter, Mr Robin Wilkinson talks about “proposals for new grades” and new grades will be appointed from September this year. The new proposals do not respect the ballot result in respect of WfM, anything but.

The new proposals are WfM through the back door and change will not take place unless agreement is reached or due process completed. This Union has fought imposition locally, at area and at national level and we will continue to do so by whatever means are available to this Union. We welcome any discussion on change, and are demanding talks with NOMS and the Government on a way forward.

Bulletin 8 forms part of your contract of employment and if any element of it is out of date, I am sure your employer will identify those areas. You have to ask yourself will the outlined proposals affect Bulletin 8, which will obviously have to be tested through negotiations and intimately the legal process?

Budgets. These are set year on year and form agreements, agreements which have been tested in many establishments. Will the outlined proposals for new staff impact on budgets? Yes, if they do we will challenge at local, area and national level, where appropriate.

New Staff. The proposals for new staff as of September will save money, but they will in our opinion make prisons dangerous and we must challenge any proposals which endanger your safety and security. These proposals should be seen as an insult to you following the rejection of WfM and in my opinion will affect recruitment. Therefore, if vacancies can’t be filled, you will be ordered to work additional hours or work for payment plus. Is this right? No. The Unions policy is full staffing.

Principal Officers. As of 27th April 2009, the Service closed the PO rank. Why, was this not part of the WfM offer you rejected. Yes, it was. How will SOs and Officers gain promotion in an already over burdened management structure. Simple answer they wont and unless we can affect change and manage change, those currently employed in the Service may simply stagnate.

Market Testing and Competition. The issue of whether we as a Union engage in Market Testing will be subject to a ballot as determined by Emergency Motion 119A of 2009. I note that the Service has created a Public Sector Bid Unit, more money from a Sector that is being driven by efficiency savings.

In closing, Mr Robin Wilkinson encourages you to discuss these “proposals” with your Managers. This is a direct threat to your Union, if you have concerns, discuss them with your branch committee, NEC rep and not your Managers. All too often, we see your comments and views held against the Union and you. Yesterday, at the Pay Review Body the staff survey was manipulated to try and justify NOT giving you a pay rise.

Think before you engage with Management on national issues.

Colin Moses
National Chairman

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