Press Releases

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.

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.