Press Releases

Today heralds the release of the Justice Select Committee survey of operational prison staff. The results confirm what the POA Union who represent operational Prison Officers and related grades have been stating for years.

The POA has condemned the Government for announcing that only a select group of Civil Servants will receive a one off £1500 cost of living payment in addition to any pay award for 2023/24.

POA balloted it’s healthcare members on the Government’s improved offer to those staff covered by the Agenda for Change Pay Negotiations. 

Judicial Review proceedings commenced by six trade unions, relating to changes made by the Government to public sector pensions, will be heard in the High Court on 31^st January 2023, with the trial due to last until Friday 3^rd February.

The High Court has given the green light to Unions’ legal challenge against “strike-breaking” agency worker regulations. A Judicial review of “anti-worker” regulations which “undermine the right to strike” is expected to be heard in March.

On Wednesday 30^th November, Prisons Minister Damian Hinds, announced to Parliament that due to an "acute and sudden increase in the prison population" in recent months the Operation Safeguard contingency plan had been launched for the first time since 2007.

The POA are in disbelief that a rogue Deputy Governor at an establishment in HMPPS have selected a prisoner as part of an interview board to determine the suitability of prison officers for a particular unit within that prison and ignored a national official of the POA to pull back from this ridiculous position.

The POA trade union represents members who work on contracts supporting Immigration Services and Border Force Officers across the United Kingdom and France.

The Scottish Government’s Pay Offer which in reality represented a significant pay cut to the membership has been the subject of an indicative ballot. 

Thompsons Solicitors has today written to the business secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, on behalf of 12 major trade unions coordinated by the TUC, to challenge new regulations permitting the use of agency workers during industrial action.