Prison officers across England and Wales have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike today to protest against a 1.6-per cent pay increase made earlier this year.
The Prison Officers’ Association (POA) said that 83 per cent of members who voted in today’s ballot approved “strike action if necessary” and gave warning that such a strike would prove dangerous to the general public.
Colin Moses, the chairman of the POA, said that the approval for industrial action followed a pay review in April, which raised prison staff salaries by 1.6 per cent, or £425, whichever was the greater. The union has accused the Prison Service of meddling in a process which is supposed to be independent.
“Our members have demonstrated their frustration and anger at the lack of independence of the Pay Review Body,” Mr Moses said this afternoon. “The ball is now firmly in the Government’s court and we call upon Gerry Sutcliffe, the minister responsible for prisons, to meet with us as soon as possible.”
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The POA said that a strike would be “catastrophic” as the prison population nears 80,000. Brian Caton, POA general secretary, said police could be called off the streets and into prisons to look after inmates and deal with unrest.
“If strike action or industrial action proves necessary, I fear for the safety of the general public,” he said. “I am aware that the Prison Service will have contingency plans in place to deal with any unrest within prisons.”
“These contingency plans may well result in police officers being taken from streets to look after prisoners, when they should be dealing and protecting the public from serious and imminent threats.”
The strike vote comes at a turbulent time for the Britain’s prisons. John Reid, the Home Secretary, has announced plans for 8,000 more prison places but jails are struggling with unhappy staff and allegations of corruption. Yesterday, 14 officers were suspended from Pentonville Prison, in North London, after an investigation into the smuggling of mobile phones and drugs into the facility.
Today’s vote took place at 132 prisons across England and Wales. According to the POA, 71 per cent of its 29,000 members took part, with 83 per cent approving the strike. Mr Moses said that equated to 15,000 prison staff supporting a strike. The Northern Ireland branch of the union said its members would also join a strike.
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The Prison Service denied that Mr Sutcliffe was refusing to meet prison staff and said the POA would be breaking the law if it resolved to strike.
“Clearly the Prison Service is disappointed at the result of the ballot,” read a statement released by the Home Office this afternoon.
“The Prison Service will continue to seek a negotiated outcome. But it is of grave concern that the POA is likely to take action in breach of a legally binding agreement that has been jointly signed by the POA and the Prison Service.
“The Minister for Criminal Justice and Offender Management, Gerry Sutcliffe, has not refused to meet the POA. He has written to the POA asking them to outline the areas for discussion so he can ensure he is fully briefed before a meeting.”