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Prison officers' strike spreads Prison officers' strike spreads
(20 minutes later)
Hundreds of prison officers are joining a picket line outside HMP Liverpool at the start of a second day of unofficial strike action. Strike action among prison officers has spread to a second jail, the Prison Officers' Association has said.
Up to 200 officers walked out on Tuesday, amid claims of bullying and harassment by their supervisors. Hundreds of officers have been on a picket line outside HMP Liverpool on a second day of unofficial action there.
Hundreds of officers from Risley Prison near Warrington have now joined them. They first walked out on Tuesday, amid claims of bullying and harassment by their supervisors.
Hundreds more officers from Risley Prison near Warrington have joined them and staff at three other jails are threatening to walk out later.
The Prison Officers Association (POA) said it wanted to have "meaningful talks" with the Prison Service but it would continue its strike.The Prison Officers Association (POA) said it wanted to have "meaningful talks" with the Prison Service but it would continue its strike.
The Prison Service has condemned the action as "wrong and unsafe".The Prison Service has condemned the action as "wrong and unsafe".
At the moment the prison is being run by 20 officers and 30 managers, and police patrols outside the building have been increased. Staff at Preston, Wandsworth and Cardiff prisons are threatening to stop work at lunchtime unless managers agree to talks, POA deputy general secretary Mark Freeman said.
'Olive branch'
Mr Freeman said he expected prison officers across England and Wales to follow suit. He said: "The Prison Service's intransigence on this issue is ridiculous.
"They would not agree to a meeting to discuss this issue. The POA are holding out the olive branch."
"We have said to the Prison Service you can end this dispute now by agreeing to a dedicated meeting to discuss the bullying and harassment by senior management at Liverpool.
"They are refusing to do that. Some prisons had meetings this morning to discuss this issue. I would expect other prisons to follow suit."
On Wednesday morning HMP Liverpool was being run by 20 officers and 30 managers, and police patrols outside the building have been increased.
'Constantly bullied''Constantly bullied'
The POA said that prison employees had grown tired of being "managed by fear". The POA said prison employees had grown tired of being "managed by fear".
A POA spokesman told BBC News: "We have had a management at Liverpool prison that has constantly bullied staff.A POA spokesman told BBC News: "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."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.""Staff have been moved, dismissed by a wrong and unjust management."
The dispute centres on an employment tribunal brought by one of its members against the Prison Service in September.The dispute centres on an employment tribunal brought by one of its members against the Prison Service in September.
It said both the governor of the prison and a deputy governor were "heavily criticised" by the chairman of the tribunal.It said both the governor of the prison and a deputy governor were "heavily criticised" by the chairman of the tribunal.
Prisoners were notified of a "disruption to regime" by notices, signed on behalf of the prison's governor Alan Brown.Prisoners were notified of a "disruption to regime" by notices, signed on behalf of the prison's governor Alan Brown.
It is understood that staff who were already booked for duty continued to work during the walkout.It is understood that staff who were already booked for duty continued to work during the walkout.