by René Lavanchy
UNITE has raised the threat of co-ordinated industrial action in the prison sector this autumn as it announced a strike ballot over a pay offer it called “the last straw”.
The union hopes to join forces with the PCS civil service union and the Prison Officers Association – which called for a general strike at the TUC Congress this year – with strikes that could paralyse the criminal justice system.
A well-placed source told Tribune the PCS was “definitely up for” co-ordinated action.
Some 3,500 prison support staff are being balloted after the union rejected an offer worth up to 3 per cent, more than 1 per cent below the Government’s inflation measure.
Ian Waddell, Unite national officer for the prison service, told Tribune: “The pay offer this year is the last straw in a decade of poor pay rises and abysmal treatment.”
He said some skilled staff earn up to £10,000 less than their private sector counterparts.
“We’re looking to expand this action into other sectors of the public sector. We’re working with PCS to ensure that the ballots and the timescale for industrial action are co-ordinated, so we deliver action of the same type on the same days.”
Brian Caton, POA general secretary, told Tribune he promised to help Unite members: “We do recognise that while they are a very big union, in the prisons they will need the support of their comrades in the POA to try and make a big impact”.
“There’ll be no POA members doing any work whatever of any other union members”, he promised. Prison officers are banned by law from going on strike.
About The Author
