PR 257: POA DEMANDS EQUITY WITH OTHER UK TRADE UNIONS

The POA welcome the publication of the employment rights bill as a step forward for workers but has said it has done nothing to address the rights of Prison Officers, who have been denied the right to strike since 1994, and denied the right to take any form of industrial action since a permanent injunction was imposed on the POA in 2019.

Whilst the POA welcomes positives from the bill such as new individual rights and cancelling unjust laws like the Minimum Service Levels Act, the POA points out the Government’s failure to revoke S127 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill 1994, denies Prison Officers of a basic human right.

Steve Gillan, General Secretary of the POA said:

This Bill is without doubt a significant step forward for workers but stops short of restoring the right to strike for Prison Officers. The POA call on the Government to remove the disgraceful stain of Section 127 of the Criminal Justice Act, which prevents our members from taking ANY form of Industrial Action. The POA will continue to make our members’ voice heard as we push for improvements to the legislation as the Bill goes through Parliament.

Mark Fairhurst, National Chair of the POA said:

Section 127 of the Criminal Justice Act, which prevents my members from taking any form of Industrial Action must be removed. If the Employment Rights Bill is an important part of Government’s plan for growth and to raise living standards for everyone, everywhere, POA members cannot be excluded from this. The POA will not rest until we get justice. Our fight will continue and will go on regardless of support from the wider Trade Union movement.

 

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For further information, contact:

POA Press Office                                                  020 8803 0255 Option 7