This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/nov/15/uk-prison-officers-stage-protest-over-health-and-safety-fears

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Justice secretary condemns 'unlawful industrial action' by prison officers High court orders prison officers to end protest and go back to work
(35 minutes later)
The justice secretary has condemned a 24-hour walkout by thousands of prison officers across England and Wales as “unlawful industrial action” and said “necessary legal steps” were under way to bring it to an end. The high court has ordered up to 10,000 prison officers to end a 24-hour protest over rising violence in jails and go back to work following legal action brought by the justice secretary, Elizabeth Truss.
Elizabeth Truss told MPs in the Commons that the protest by up to 10,000 prison officers over health and safety concerns was putting more people in danger. Mr Justice Kerr granted an injunction on Tuesday afternoon restraining the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) from “inducing any form of industrial action” and reaffirming the legal ban on prison staff striking.
Truss made her comments in response to an urgent Commons question as the high court hearing was under way to hear the government’s request for an injunction to force the prison officers to end their demonstration over the soaring levels of violence in jails. Government lawyers accused the POA of trying to “impose their own limited regime” in jails across England and Wales against the wishes of the prison service by taking action that amounted to a strike.
The justice secretary claimed Labour’s refusal to join her in condemning the action by the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) was “a disgrace” and accused the union of walking away from talks and taking action without any notice. “What they are doing is seeking to take over the control of jails from governors and run them on a controlled lock-down basis,” said Daniel Stilitz QC, counsel for the Ministry of Justice. “Each hour that goes by with the prisons unmanned, the danger ramps up.”
The POA had insisted that their 24-hour protest, which included a provision for emergency cover, was needed to keep staff and inmates safe in the face of a surge in jail violence and a prison system in “meltdown”.
The igh court injunction came after Truss had condemned the protest as “unlawful industrial action”. She told the Commons the 24-hour walkout, which had been due to end at midnight on Tuesday, was putting more people in danger.
Truss called Labour’s refusal to join her in condemning the POA a “disgrace” and accused the union of walking away from talks and taking action without any notice.
The protest has disrupted hundreds of trials across the country, including at the Old Bailey and the court of appeal in London. Among these was that of Thomas Mair, the man accused of murdering the Labour MP Jo Cox.The protest has disrupted hundreds of trials across the country, including at the Old Bailey and the court of appeal in London. Among these was that of Thomas Mair, the man accused of murdering the Labour MP Jo Cox.
The shadow justice secretary, Richard Burgon, did not respond to Truss’s demand that he condemn the POA, instead blaming Truss for refusing to recognise a prisons crisis that she could not control.The shadow justice secretary, Richard Burgon, did not respond to Truss’s demand that he condemn the POA, instead blaming Truss for refusing to recognise a prisons crisis that she could not control.
The Conservative chair of the justice select committee, Bob Neill, joined Truss in condemning the POA action but asked her to recognise that there was an underlying issue of prison officer morale and the loss of many experienced staff.The Conservative chair of the justice select committee, Bob Neill, joined Truss in condemning the POA action but asked her to recognise that there was an underlying issue of prison officer morale and the loss of many experienced staff.
Though emergency cover is being provided, the POA action at every jail in England and Wales means prisoners are being kept in their cells – a situation described as “dangerous” by the chief executive of the National Offender Management Service, Michael Spurr.Though emergency cover is being provided, the POA action at every jail in England and Wales means prisoners are being kept in their cells – a situation described as “dangerous” by the chief executive of the National Offender Management Service, Michael Spurr.
Spurr said the prison officers’ protest amounted to a strike, which the POA is banned from taking by law. The Ministry of Justice is to ask the courts to ban the 24-hour protest action.Spurr said the prison officers’ protest amounted to a strike, which the POA is banned from taking by law. The Ministry of Justice is to ask the courts to ban the 24-hour protest action.
“We will be seeking relief from the courts later today … Rather than talk to us the prison officers have taken protest action, which by any other means would be classed as industrial action. They are not working. Prisoners are not being unlocked and that is a dangerous situation,” he said.“We will be seeking relief from the courts later today … Rather than talk to us the prison officers have taken protest action, which by any other means would be classed as industrial action. They are not working. Prisoners are not being unlocked and that is a dangerous situation,” he said.
He was given support by Sir Martin Narey, the former director-general of the prison service, who said the POA action had come after the new justice secretary had undertaken ‘a massive reversal of inept staffing’ cuts: “Hard to fathom, impossible to support,” he said of the POA action. He was supported by Sir Martin Narey, the former director-general of the prison service, who said the POA action had come after Truss undertaken “a massive reversal of inept staffing” cuts. He called the POA action: “Hard to fathom, impossible to support.”
The union’s instructions to its members asks them to stage protest action outside their jails for 24 hours until midnight on Tuesday. Emergency cover will be negotiated at each prison to deal with fires, incidents of self-harm, issuing essential medication to prisoners, hospital bedwatches and maintaining unit patrols. Each POA branch is asked to negotiate on a jail-by-jail basis on an action plan to establish minimum safety levels at that jail. The union’s instructions to its members asked them to stage protest action outside their jails for 24 hours until midnight on Tuesday. Emergency cover will be negotiated at each prison to deal with fires, incidents of self-harm, issuing essential medication to prisoners, hospital bedwatches and maintaining unit patrols. Each POA branch is asked to negotiate on a jail-by-jail basis on an action plan to establish minimum safety levels at that jail.
. @Andrew_S_Hatton POA instructions to members pic.twitter.com/n2wpNb8Pv6. @Andrew_S_Hatton POA instructions to members pic.twitter.com/n2wpNb8Pv6
The protests also led to the cancellation of a Commons justice select committee hearing during which MPs were to hear evidence from prison governors on the government’s safety and reform programme outlined by the justice secretary, Elizabeth Truss, two weeks ago.The protests also led to the cancellation of a Commons justice select committee hearing during which MPs were to hear evidence from prison governors on the government’s safety and reform programme outlined by the justice secretary, Elizabeth Truss, two weeks ago.
The POA said it had consistently raised the “volatile and dangerous state of prisons, as chronic staff shortages and impoverished regimes has resulted in staff no longer being safe a lack of discipline and prisoners taking control of areas”.The POA said it had consistently raised the “volatile and dangerous state of prisons, as chronic staff shortages and impoverished regimes has resulted in staff no longer being safe a lack of discipline and prisoners taking control of areas”.
The statement from its national executive said the continued surge in violence and unprecedented levels of suicide and acts of self-harm, coupled with recent murder and escapes showed that the system was in meltdown.The statement from its national executive said the continued surge in violence and unprecedented levels of suicide and acts of self-harm, coupled with recent murder and escapes showed that the system was in meltdown.
Dave Todd, the POA south-east representative, who was outside Pentonville prison in London, where there was recent jailbreak, said conditions in jails were “volatile and dangerous”.Dave Todd, the POA south-east representative, who was outside Pentonville prison in London, where there was recent jailbreak, said conditions in jails were “volatile and dangerous”.
“We need to act to protect ourselves,. It has not come about quickly, it’s a build-up over probably years actually. It’s just unsafe. To me, prison officers taking this type of action speaks volumes for what’s happening inside,” he said.“We need to act to protect ourselves,. It has not come about quickly, it’s a build-up over probably years actually. It’s just unsafe. To me, prison officers taking this type of action speaks volumes for what’s happening inside,” he said.
Todd, a former soldier, added: “I served in Northern Ireland and I felt more vulnerable walking the landings in prisons than I did on the streets of Northern Ireland.”Todd, a former soldier, added: “I served in Northern Ireland and I felt more vulnerable walking the landings in prisons than I did on the streets of Northern Ireland.”
The MoJ said there was no justification for the action: “We have been engaged in constructive talks with the POA over the last two weeks and have provided a comprehensive response to a range of health and safety concerns.The MoJ said there was no justification for the action: “We have been engaged in constructive talks with the POA over the last two weeks and have provided a comprehensive response to a range of health and safety concerns.
“The government has announced an additional 2,500 frontline officers to help reduce violence in prisons. We have well-established contingencies in place to manage prisons and keep the public safe, but we are clear that this constitutes unlawful industrial action, and we will seek remedy in the courts.”“The government has announced an additional 2,500 frontline officers to help reduce violence in prisons. We have well-established contingencies in place to manage prisons and keep the public safe, but we are clear that this constitutes unlawful industrial action, and we will seek remedy in the courts.”