Press Releases

The Institute of Employment Rights (IER) launches Pay Review Bodies report alongside Trade Unions.

The POA Union which represents Prison Officers working in Youth Custody Prisons in England and Wales has today written to the Government warning them that a tragedy within youth prisons is imminent if they do not provide adequate protections for staff.

The POA welcome todays Government announcement regarding their intention to repeal the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act,2023. However, the repealing of this Bill does not affect POA Members who are still subject to some of the most pernicious legislation which removes the rights of Prison Officers to take any form of Industrial Action.

The Prison Officers Association have welcomed the Government’s decision to accept the recommendations of the Prison Service Pay Review Body for 2024/2025.

The POA leadership accept that a General Election has been called and we enter a period of purdah.

Yesterday, the Government announced an Emergency Prison Release Scheme based on legislation that will allow early releases. This scheme will apply to prisoners serving determinate sentences with automatic release at 50% point.

On the 6^th September 2023 a Prisoner escaped from Wandsworth prison and this has been widely reported in the media.

The Prison Officers Association have highlighted their concerns over the rising number of deaths in custody, particularly self-inflicted deaths, since Prison regimes have been expanded throughout the course of 2023.

The Prison Officers Association has reacted cautiously to todays announcement covering the pay of Prison Officer and Operational Support grades working within Public Sector Prisons in England and Wales.

The High Court has today ruled that the Government’s Agency Worker Regulations are unlawful following a successful legal challenge by 13 Unions, of which the POA was one.