Post by CC on Nov 20, 2009 6:42:28 GMT -5
Prison officers' union set for talks over strike action
Allegations of bullying and harassment at Liverpool prison led to two days of unofficial action by 200 staff
Talks between senior prison service officials and the prison officers' union are to take place next Monday following unofficial industrial action today by hundreds of prison officers.
The talks will look at allegations of bullying and harassment by management at Liverpool prison, which led to two days of unofficial action by 200 staff. They were joined today by 150 officers at Risley prison, near Warrington, and staff at Lancaster Castle, Lancaster Farms and the Verne prisons.
The Prison Officers' Association confirmed that staff had returned to work after a series of lunchtime meetings at other jails, including Preston, Wandsworth and Cardiff. The walkout at Liverpool left the old Walton jail, which holds 1,200 inmates, being run by 20 officers and 30 managers. Police patrols outside the jail were stepped up.
The Ministry of Justice said the 1994 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act made it illegal to induce prison officers to go on strike or to take other industrial action which could put the safety of the public, prisoners or staff at risk.
A POA statement said the dispute had been sparked by an officer at Liverpool prison who had raised a grievance against the jail's governor, Alan Brown, being put on "detached duties" and transferred to nearby Kennet Prison.
The officer had brought an employment tribunal case against the prison which led to both the governor and his deputy being "heavily criticised" by the tribunal chairman.
Phil Wheatley, the director general of the National Offender Management Service, which runs the Prison Service, said the union had asked for a special Whitley Council meeting to discuss the issue.
He said the walkouts had endangered the public: "What is going is dangerous. Running prisons without staff is never a good idea. It is potentially dangerous for the public."
The POA said prison staff had grown tired of being "managed by fear. We have had a management at Liverpool prison that has constantly bullied staff. It works with a two-tier system. Allegations of a manager being a bully are always pushed under the carpet, but prison officers are finding themselves in trouble over a whole range of things. Staff have been moved, dismissed by a wrong and unjust management."
A Prison Service spokesman said there was an ongoing investigation was being carried out into allegations at Liverpool prison: "It is our belief that the actions taken so far by the prison management are appropriate within the circumstances."
Allegations of bullying and harassment at Liverpool prison led to two days of unofficial action by 200 staff
Talks between senior prison service officials and the prison officers' union are to take place next Monday following unofficial industrial action today by hundreds of prison officers.
The talks will look at allegations of bullying and harassment by management at Liverpool prison, which led to two days of unofficial action by 200 staff. They were joined today by 150 officers at Risley prison, near Warrington, and staff at Lancaster Castle, Lancaster Farms and the Verne prisons.
The Prison Officers' Association confirmed that staff had returned to work after a series of lunchtime meetings at other jails, including Preston, Wandsworth and Cardiff. The walkout at Liverpool left the old Walton jail, which holds 1,200 inmates, being run by 20 officers and 30 managers. Police patrols outside the jail were stepped up.
The Ministry of Justice said the 1994 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act made it illegal to induce prison officers to go on strike or to take other industrial action which could put the safety of the public, prisoners or staff at risk.
A POA statement said the dispute had been sparked by an officer at Liverpool prison who had raised a grievance against the jail's governor, Alan Brown, being put on "detached duties" and transferred to nearby Kennet Prison.
The officer had brought an employment tribunal case against the prison which led to both the governor and his deputy being "heavily criticised" by the tribunal chairman.
Phil Wheatley, the director general of the National Offender Management Service, which runs the Prison Service, said the union had asked for a special Whitley Council meeting to discuss the issue.
He said the walkouts had endangered the public: "What is going is dangerous. Running prisons without staff is never a good idea. It is potentially dangerous for the public."
The POA said prison staff had grown tired of being "managed by fear. We have had a management at Liverpool prison that has constantly bullied staff. It works with a two-tier system. Allegations of a manager being a bully are always pushed under the carpet, but prison officers are finding themselves in trouble over a whole range of things. Staff have been moved, dismissed by a wrong and unjust management."
A Prison Service spokesman said there was an ongoing investigation was being carried out into allegations at Liverpool prison: "It is our belief that the actions taken so far by the prison management are appropriate within the circumstances."