poa gatelodge june 2012

The POA Members’ Magazine

The Professional Trades Union for Prison, Correctional and Secure Psychiatric Workers

June 2012

68 IS TOO LATE01 Cover.indd 1 7/6/12 13:51:00

Whatever life throws at youPOA Legal will help protect you.

Free legal advice and representation on:• Personal injury at work (including assaults)• Work-related road traffic accident• Industrial disease or illness• Criminal law representation (for work-relatedmatters)

• Free will writing service• 30 minutes free telephone advice for anynon-work issues such as landlord disputes,neighbourhood disputes, matrimonial andconsumer issues

• Employment law accessed through the POA

For more information call POA Legal on 0800 587 7515

Free legal advice and representation on:• Personal injury (non-work related)• Road traffic accident (non-work related)

• Reduced rates for conveyancing and familymember wills

• Special terms for clinical negligence cases

As a POA member you’re covered for:*

POA members and their families benefit from:*

* Exclusions apply. Services only apply in England and Wales. Thompsons Solicitors is a trading name of Thompsons Solicitors LLPand is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

2244 - TP400 - POA Umbrella Ad:Layout 1 18/5/11 17:26 Page 1

p02gatejun12.indd 1 6/6/12 16:04:19

Gatelodge is published every other month by the POA. It is circulated free to all members of the Union and is available on general subscription. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor or the National Executive Committee. The Union does not accept responsibility for any statements made or opinions expressed in any of the articles, papers, correspondence or reports published in the magazine.

Subscription Rates: Non-members £15.00 Overseas £20.00

Editor: Glyn Travis

Sub Editor: Nicky Rogers

Editorial Board: Pete McParlin, Glyn Travis, Steve Gillan, Pete Chapple, Steve Bostock

Secretary to the Editorial Board:Carol Strahane-mail: [email protected]

Editorial Offi ce: POA HQ, Cronin House, 245 Church Street, London N9 9HWTel: 0208 803 0255 Fax: 0208 803 1761

Editorial: Contributors to the magazine are requested to send material for theAugust 2012 issue by Friday 20th July 2012.

Editorial Design: Ady Braddock

Advertising SalesKatrina Browning 01778 395022e-mail: [email protected]

Production Co-ordinator Sue Woodgates 01778 392062e-mail: [email protected]

Advertising Design Development Design

Publisher: Juliet Loisellee-mail: [email protected]:01778 391067

Publishers & Printers Warners Group Publications plc, The Maltings, West Street,Bourne, PE10 9PH. Tel: 01778 393313 Fax: 01778 394748

Dear Reader,Welcome to the June issue of Gatelodge which contains the outcome of all Conference motions, including the emergency motions which were debated by all delegates at the POA’s 73rd Annual Conference.

All delegates will be required to hold a branch meeting to give a report back on Conference and set out their decisions in respect of the emergency motion from Holme House, which Conference allowed on the order paper as Emergency Motion 83A. It is vital that all members consider the outcome of each motion, which now form part of the Union’s policy.

The POA held protest meetings on 10 May 2012, as the coalition Government presses ahead with pension reforms which will impact on every POA member and public sector worker in the future.

The link to State Retirement Age and Normal Retirement Age for POA members has to be challenged if we are to have safe, decent and secure prisons.

During Conference, a number of motions set out the Union’s future stance as we continue to protest, challenge and campaign against these draconian pension reforms.

The POA is committed to improving communications at every level and I urge you to help us achieve this aim by using the pages of Gatelodge and accessing our website atwww.poauk.org.uk

The Editorial Team would like to thank Carol for all her eff orts in ensuring we have a quality, diverse magazine.

Yours SincerelyGLYN TRAVIS

WHAT’S INSIDENational Chairman 4

Obituaries 7

General Secretary 8

Awards and Conference Report 10

Campaigns and events 12

POA Learning Conference 21

Scotland 24

Dispersal of Motions 29

Welfare Fund 35

Healthcare 37

Branch News 41

Sports Scene 52

Postbag 54

Strictly Private 61

Thompsons 62

CONTENTS

WELCOME

www.poauk.org.uk June 2012 3

24

12

52

3 Contents.indd 1 12/6/12 13:25:46

NATIONAL CHAIRMAN

4 June 2012 www.poauk.org.uk

STRATEGIC CHOICES TO SECURE OUR FUTURE

As we prepare for Annual Conference we have the opportunity to refl ect on the successes and setbacks of the last year.

The theme for Annual Conference – ‘Strategic Choices to secure our future’ - was chosen with

care to refl ect a pragmatic and realistic strategic approach to the problems we must overcome as the POA, the Trade Union for custodial services.

The membership is aware of the changes that the Coalition Government appears determined to introduce into public sector pensions. What Government describes as its fi nal off er is admittedly diff erent from the original reference scheme with a new and improved accrual rate, the Fair Deal, and the protections for a section of the workplace.

Ultimate betrayalAll well and good, but there is no escaping the fact that we are all being forced to accept that the pension contract we agreed to on appointment is being ripped up. This is the ultimate betrayal of the workforce in which loyal, hardworking, conscientious public sector workers had been promised that their pension formed a part of their remuneration package as compensation for years of staged and often inadequate pay awards. Add in the increasing contributions in the midst of the on-going pay freeze, the change from a fi nal salary scheme to career average, and the increase in retirement age and the anger is understandable. It is understandable to everyone except the architects of the changes, those career politicians who never ever wanted to be nurses, teachers, admin assistants, cleaners, and they certainly never wanted to work in a custodial setting.

The POA position is clear that we cannot and will not accept imposed changes that among other changes mean that in an operational environment staff will work until 68 years of age. It will never be good enough. It is not what we were promised, and in an operational environment it cannot be safe, secure and decent.

Recipe for disasterIn our workplace there are thousands of assaults each year on our members, year in, year out, physical and sexual assaults. There are thousands of assaults, prisoner on prisoner that our members have to intervene in and resolve. Control and Restraint (C&R), mandatory for the safety of everyone. The need for teams that are riot trained. Then there is the workplace, the operational environment, tense, volatile, dangerous and overcrowded. In recent weeks, police have conducted an operation to capture a fugitive wanted in connection with a serious crime.

What did we see? Armed police response units, body armour, pepper spray, media coverage. Then he’s captured, he’s put in prison awaiting trial.

What do we see then? No body armour, no pepper spray, no armed response, a prisoner placed with other violent and refractory prisoners in an overcrowded and volatile prison with minimum staffi ng, and they then want to add into the workplace an elderly workforce. This is a recipe for disaster.

The Prime Minister claims that he gets it with regard to the eff ect on the people of this country of the cuts. Well, he and his Coalition Government do not get it that the increase in retirement age will have devastating implications for staff , the prisoners in our care and the visitors to our prisons. It will put the main purpose of the prison service at risk, i.e. the protection of the public. We cannot allow it to happen and we will not allow it to happen.

We have invited every MP over the age of 60 and Francis Maude to a C&R demonstration, and invited them to participate and/or observe. The Chief Executive Offi cer, Michael Spurr, has agreed to facilitate that demonstration. To date one MP, Conservative Pauline Latham, has accepted our invitation. The NEC will ensure that the public is informed that politicians do not get it and do not want to know what we do on behalf of society.

Pension changesThe NEC has always had a strategy to defeat the pension changes. We asked you to be patient while we were at the negotiating table with Cabinet and Treasury offi cials. Yes, the lines of communication remain open but what is on the table to date is unacceptable. So on 10 May 2012 it was decided by the Executive to enact your mandate for action, to protect our pensions.

We chose the 10th to protest, to coincide with planned action by other trade unions. Let me remind you what the NEC instructed and what you then did on Thursday, 10 May 2012: “The NEC instructs our branches in England, Wales and Scotland to take protest action”, and you did that. • 80 percent of our members responded in

England and Wales. • In Scotland every prison was aff ected and 90 percent of our members responded.

That is successful action. We then asked you through that action to raise

awareness of the linkage of normal pension age to the state pension age. Your action did that. By mid-morning on Thursday our press and media register at Cronin House confi rms that the NEC had responded to over 50 diff erent media outlets, and media coverage continues to this day on the issue. I take this opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of branch offi cials in their dealings with the media on the day.

Responsible and professionalAnd what else did the Executive instruct you to do? Provide minimum cover, which you did. Whereas the increase in pensionable age is irresponsible, the POA once again acted in a responsible and professional manner. As ever, it is the members of this Union who protested but also protected the public on 10 May. No diff erent from 30 November when our members took action in the secure hospitals and we locked down in prisons to protect the health and safety of staff , prisoners and visitors.

Francis Maude, the Minister, claims the action had no eff ect and was futile. Yet, by the amount of calls I received from his offi ce, from NOMS, from area managers and so on, it certainly appears they were somewhat over-excitable on Thursday. My message to them all is change the provisions of your pension imposition or get used to sustained action from this Union in partnership with other trade unions.

4-6 Nat Chair comment.indd 4 7/6/12 10:29:25


There are many and diverse strands to our strategy, with opportunities to keep the profile of the campaign live and relevant. Our strategy must, of course, follow the policy of the Union as determined by the membership, and at some stage we will need to ballot you on the changes and that promises to be a complicated process.

Sustained, on-going actionIn Northern Ireland, in Scotland, in the secure hospitals in both England and Scotland, the final schemes on offer may well have subtle differences. 10 of May revealed to the Executive a confident Union prepared to take action on the right issues. But we have to recognise that pensions will not be changed with one day of action. We must be prepared for sustained, on-going action, and win it we must for those on the landings, those in the wards and the halls, and for those to come. Thank you for supporting the NEC call for action and putting this Union to the forefront of the pension battle.

Market TestingIt has always been clear to the NEC that in this aspect of Government policy there are lies, damned lies, statistics and competition policy. Nevertheless, at a previous Annual Conference it was determined that the POA would support the principle of public sector bids within competition policy. Within that determination the NEC have had to accept that NOMS is under no legal obligation to disclose details of their bids to the trade unions within the workplace.

On 10 April 2012, members of the Executive met with the Business Advisory Group to discuss the timetable for the bid process. At this meeting we were informed that OSG work would be transferred to MITIE as part of the current bid process. In addition, the OSG work at HMP Everthorpe, a prison not identified in this round of competition, would be added into the bid and transferred to MITIE. No other aspect of the bids, for example the proposed staffing levels, has been disclosed to the Executive.

I am not prepared at this time to enter into speculation and conjecture as to the reasons and/or motives for the decision of the Business Advisory Group to inform us of this key aspect of their bid. It has now emerged that other trade unions had been informed of the transfer of work to MITIE prior to our meeting on 10 April. It further appears that this aspect of the bid had been in the public domain since 29 March 2012.

We must remember that this aspect of the bid would have become public in June when preferred bidder status was announced. If there is any good news it does allow us to debate the issue at Annual Conference. Our policy is clear that we do not accept the need to contract out any public sector prison or part therein but our practical response will be determined by our emergency motions.

This is a worrying and disturbing development for OSGs and the POA. We want the public sector to win the bids but do we want to win at any cost? Effectively once the public sector bid had been signed off by the governors of the competed prisons the work of the OSG grade was privatised. We must remember that if the private sector wins the bids all of our OSG work alongside that of the unified grades will be transferred to the private sector.

Our membership density among OSGs is not as high as it could be. In the past some OSGs have voiced the opinion that the POA has failed to recognise their specific needs and aspirations. At this critical time, I call upon all OSGs to become members of the POA and enable us to protect your interests within the competition policy.

I have been told that some governors have been saying to their branch officials that the POA has failed to appreciate the strictures of and the need for confidentiality. I take this opportunity to confirm that no member of the current executive has been invited or agreed to sign up to a confidentiality agreement on the public sector bid process.

Facility time and restructuring Following the conclusion of the pension debate, the Coalition Government intend to revisit the allocation of facility time within the public sector. Ministers will consult

NATIONAL CHAIRMAN

Continued overleaf


NATIONAL CHAIRMAN


directly with the trade unions but we can expect some input from the employer. The POA is aware that the stated position of Ministers is that there can be no secondment of employees on a full time facility arrangement in the future.

I remain confident that local facility arrangements in line with the 1984 agreement can be protected. However, at national level if the current full time facility arrangements are to end it will result in a restructure of the Union. In addition this, Conference may well be the last in its current format. It has been my long held opinion that the POA will only face up to the reality of a restructure when the gun is pointed at its head. Well that gun is loaded and Ministers are caressing the trigger. Again in my opinion, the “do nothing” approach is not the answer. There are conference motions that address these issues. I look forward to the debate.

Fair and SustainableThe benefits of Fair and Sustainable must by now be apparent to even the most ardent sceptic. The Organisational Restructure within headquarters at NOMS has resulted in the issue of a number of letters of compulsory redundancy with a departure date of January 2013. You will recall that within the Fair and Sustainable document, the POA negotiated a no redundancy agreement for uniformed grades. This has to be the most significant achievement of any trade union in the current recession.

A small number of governors, out of spite or ignorance of the mapping arrangements, continue to try to avoid adhering to the principles of Fair and Sustainable. This is not acceptable to the POA. (Please see POA Circular 39/2012 which has been acknowledged and approved by NOMS which outlines how to resolve any such issues.)

The NEC was criticised by some members for the seemingly undue haste to ballot on the document once Treasury approval had been given. Any delay in the ballot process would have endangered our strategy to resist calls for regional pay. Fair and Sustainable is a national agreement that has provided the necessary flexibility, area supplements and recruitment and retention payments. Following the overwhelming endorsement of the Fair and Sustainable document by the membership, the employer has now resisted calls for regional pay in its evidence to the Pay Review Body. Our message is clear - pay must reflect what you do not where you live. The NEC was justified in endorsing the document, calling the ballot within the timescales, and recommending acceptance. The NEC looks forward to a meeting with the Pay Review Body in May to discuss our evidence.

Northern IrelandIn Northern Ireland, a significant number of our colleagues have left the service taking advantage of exit packages as a significant workforce restructure

takes place. There will be further departures. It remains to be seen whether the workforce restructure is successful. On this side of the water we have long and bitter experience of ill-conceived structural change. The NEC pays tribute to Finlay and his team for their continued good humour in the midst of what has been a busy year.

I have lived in Northern Ireland and retain many links to the community there. We must not forget that there remain difficult and at times seemingly intractable issues within the custodial estate. Our support to our colleagues is unconditional.

ScotlandThe General Secretary and I now meet with Phil Fairlie and Andy Hogg on a regular basis to discuss issues of mutual interest. In my opinion, the communication between us is all the better for structured and face-to-face meetings. Pensions have been a central theme of our discussions as you would expect. Hopefully I have been able to reassure them that revisiting the terms of our Union is not on my agenda. I will of course leave decisions and speculation on the historical Acts of Union to others.

Secure healthcare At Annual Conference, the AGM for healthcare services takes place on Wednesday. This year we will have the opportunity to applaud them for the action they took on 30 November 2011 in defence of their pension rights. Our members within secure healthcare remain an integral part of the POA and I thank them for their commitment to the principles of their chosen Trade Union. It can be no coincidence that by the time of publication I expect Conference to have initiated an annual award in recognition of the exceptional work of branch officials in Great Britain and Northern Ireland to be known as the “Steve Oxby Branch Representative of the Year”. A fitting tribute to Steve and indeed, our members within Secure Healthcare.

CONCLUSIONAt Annual Conference alongside an understandable focus on current issues the POA must not lose sight of long term aspirations. The POA is, in my opinion, on the verge of momentous change. Change has the potential to alter the way in which the membership relates to its Union. It has been easy and populist in the past, in response to attacks on the POA, to say that it is not fair and find yourself receiving sympathy and applause at the conference rostrum. We need a more strategic approach than that. We must expand and increase our membership base. A national recruitment officer from the GMB related to me that at a recruitment meeting in a private prison the question was asked: “Where is the POA?” The answer given was truthful, accurate and of its time – “they do not want you”. As National Chairman, I want the POA to represent working men and women throughout the criminal justice system. I want everyone to pull in the same direction, to invest in their Trade Union, to prove that we can represent workers in the private and public sectors.

As we deal with new and on-going problems the POA must learn to manoeuvre every situation to its advantage. I look forward to Conference.

PJ McParlinNational Chairman

Trade union rightsWithin the last year, our application to the European Court for the return of our trade union rights has been submitted. It has always been a source of frustration to me and others that it has taken so long. The application was submitted with attendant publicity at the TUC Conference in September. We were pleased that a number of general secretaries together with Brendan Barber and heir apparent,Francis O’Grady joined with us to mark the submission. There can be no guarantees within legal process but binding arbitration arrangements has to be a minimum requirement to enable the POA to move forward as a progressive and modernising Trade Union.

I take this opportunity to pay tribute toBrendan Barber who has announced his retirement. Brendan will step down in December having been in post for ten years. The POA is of course affiliated to the TUC and Brendan has advised and supported our Union on a variety of difficult and contentious issues. He has addressed our Conference in the past with humour and passion. In difficult and unprecedented times for the trade union movement Brendan has been a passionate supporter of the need for equality and social justice in the workplace. His successor will be announced following theTUC Conference in September.

Continued from previous page


OBITUARIES


James William Henesy (Jim) 28.12.1933 to 25.04.2012Jim joined the Prison Service in 1969 at HMP Exeter for two weeks induction before attending OTS Leyhill for training. On completion of his training he was posted to HMPYOI Ashford (Middlesex), Jim spent many happy years here and he made lots of friends. On the closure of Ashford, Jim was posted to HMYOI Feltham where he remained until his retirement in 1993.

In retirement Jim moved to Devon but over the last couple of years suffered from ill health.He passed away peacefully at home.

Paul KayIt is with much sadness and regret we advise the passing of Paul. Paul trained at Wakefield OTS and on qualification was posted to HMP Norwich, his home town. Here he spent the rest of his working life in a variety of roles in a changing Service, earning promotion to Senior Officer, and often acting up to Principal Officer in the later years of his service.

Popular with staff and inmates alike, Paul merited a justified respect in his daily work and dealings with people.

Those of us who have seen him in his ‘on a mission’ mode will remember his diligence and application.

Paul spent much time on the branch POA committee where his measured and sensible approach was supportive, and valued by all those with whom he came into contact.

On retirement, sadly Paul’s health deteriorated, but not his spirit. He was supported by a personal faith which gave great comfort and solace to him and his family through many months of trial; his suffering was borne with a fortitude few could muster as he enjoyed the time he had.

Paul leaves his wife, Tricia, sons David and John, and many friends and colleagues, of whom a pleasing number attended the final ceremony as a mark of enduring respect

RIP Paul Kay, a gentle and highly respected Officer and family man.

Alan “Willie” Rushton 1949-2012 It is with great sadness that the Stafford Branch announces the passing of Officer Alan Rushton aged 63. Willie as he was better known spent just over 21 years in the Service working at Albany and Sudbury before arriving at HMP Stafford. He spent much of his early service at Stafford as Cleaning Officer on the Main Hall.

Most of us here however, will remember Willie for his decade spent as the smiling (?!) face of Stafford’s reception. Over the years, hundreds of prisoners entering the jail were greeted by his unique views on life and if they were expecting a warm and friendly welcome were sorely disappointed.

An Officer who shall remain nameless summed up Willie perfectly by saying: “He was a daft old bugger, but he was OUR daft old bugger and that’s why we loved him.” There are many Officers here at Stafford who can put down their knowledge of the job from learning off Willie and he always had time to tell a few tall stories to anyone who had the time. He was a man who was immensely proud to work for the Prison Service and in particular, Stafford.

Willie will be missed by everyone who knew and loved him and in particular his wife, daughter, son-in-law and grandson.

God bless you Willie, you were one of the best.

07 obituaries.indd 7 7/6/12 10:41:37

GENERAL SECRETARY

The POA General Secretary, Steve Gillan reports on the 10 May 2012 protest meetings on pensions and also on the POA Annual Conference held this year in Southport.

The National Executive Committee has been negotiating on pension reform over the last

year. The protest meetings that the membership took got massive public attention and it is my belief that the general public is on our side on this issue. Let me be clear, I do not believe it is right that Ministers should treat POA members as if they were not part of an essential uniformed service. POA members do a diffi cult and sometimes dangerous job to keep politicians and the general public safe. Year on year POA members are subjected to some awful assaults that are taken for granted by the authorities. That situation must change. Each and every member has a responsibility as part of this Trade Union to campaign and bring to the

GENERAL SECRETARY OVERVIEW


On 10 May 2012, POA members in England, Scotland and Wales protested against proposed changes to pensions that would ultimately see members work until the age of 68 years of age.

PROTEST MEETINGS

attention of politicians of all parties and the general public that it is quite wrong to expect a workforce to ultimately work to the age of 68 years of age.

It would also appear that if life expectancy rises then the Government may increase the link to the state pension age for retirement of POA members. We must continue our campaign to break the link between state pension age and normal pension age for our members otherwise we might not see our members retiring with dignity. In due course the Executive will be raising awareness on this issue through a variety of high profi le campaigns and every member who cares about their pension must play an active part.

Further details of our campaign will be released as part of a careful strategy by the NEC. I am extremely grateful to those that took part in the protest meetings on 10 May 2012.

The POA is becoming extremely diverse in the areas that we work in and we need to ensure

that the representation is equal in all areas. With the Coalition Government intent on using a competition policy under the guise of obtaining quality and cost effectiveness the Union needs to be aware that this could mean further public sector prisons being contracted to the private sector.

CONFERENCE 2012 Conference has now come and gone and the mandates will be progressed by the National Executive Committee on behalf of the POA membership.

Whilst the principled values of this Union will not alter that, we believe in public sector prisons and we must face reality that for the foreseeable future this policy of competition is not going to alter even under a diff erent Government regime, after all, Labour was no diff erent in its approach to market testing.

As a member of this Union it does not matter where you work - what matters is that the POA is better equipped to look after its members interests in representation and that is why we need to look at our internal structures to ensure that is going to

happen and to make us the Union of choice within the areas where we recruit and organise.

I was pleased to be one the key negotiators in obtaining voluntary recognition rights at HMP Oakwood with G4S. Some members may raise an eyebrow given my previous statements on the privatisation agenda. My fundamental objection remains the same; however my argument is not with G4S, SERCO, or indeed Sodexo or any other private company for that matter. Our argument remains with the policy makers which is the

Protecting your interests is vital and the way you do that is to join the POA family

8-9 Gen Sec.indd 8 31/5/12 16:21:25

GENERAL SECRETARY

June 2012 9

GENERAL SECRETARY OVERVIEWGovernment of the day. I have told all the private companies that the POA wants to represent workers within penal establishments, as that is our role as the biggest union within the Criminal Justice System and they have nothing to fear from the POA as long as they treat their workers and our members with respect and dignity. I now look forward to putting the correct structures in place with the POA to ensure our continued growth so that we can ensure the very best of representation for all members irrespective of where they work.

Opposition to thecompetition processOur opposition to the competition process remains. The partnership arrangement with NOMS and MITIE brings concern as to how our members within the Operational Support Grades are being treated. The POA used to boast that 98 percent of unifi ed grades in prisons were POA members. That may have been the case in the 1970s and 1980s and even perhaps the 1990s but it certainly is not the case today. A more realistic density for our Union in the prison service is about 82 percent. That is in itself pretty impressive but we also need to improve to give adequate protection.

If each grade was broken down then the density may be higher in certain grades but in the Operational Support Grades with around 7,000 who are currently employed by NOMS I would suggest that the density is between 50 and 60 percent. I would urge local branch offi cials to map their establishments and recruit those OSGs who are not currently members, and I would urge those OSGs to join the POA in order for us to protect your interests.

For that matter I would encourage all non-members where ever they work to join the Union and protect your interests because if you think things are diffi cult now then I am afraid things could get even rockier whilst austerity measures are in place. Every day seems to bring a new challenge for the POA and its membership and the attack on ordinary workers in this country. Protecting your interests is vital and the way you do that is to join the POA family.

A mature Trade UnionIt was the National Chairman Peter McParlin’s fi rst Conference as your Chairman and I thought his key messages were vital regarding facility time, Fair and Sustainable and the strategic choices

that the POA had to make in order to protect its membership. I also thought he chaired the Conference with humour, fairness and authority. The business was concluded on behalf of the membership in a timely manner.

The professionalism and quality of debate particularly on some of the big challenges ahead, for example on pension age, and competition policy was excellent. Some delegates had to deliver messages that may not have been popular but that is showing maturity as a Trade Union and also honesty as to what can be achieved by certain branches. I welcome the open debates at Conference and branches should never be afraid to come to the rostrum and deliver their speeches in an open and honest manner even if it is not what others wish to hear.

That is democracy speaking on issues where your branch has mandated you to do so. Perhaps if politicians behaved in the rules of debate and represented the views of their constituents then this country would be far more representative. Maybe the politicians could learn something from the openness of the POA Conference.

Honorary Life MembersIt was also good to see our Honorary Life members and they are always welcome at the POA Conference. The Honorary Life Members dinner gives the current NEC a chance to say our thanks to individuals who have played signifi cant roles in this Trade Union. I will not single out any individual Honorary Life Members for praise because they have all played signifi cant parts in our

history and I sometimes wonder if we should be using their wealth of experience to help out our younger members.

It was wonderful to see them all and I think they all recognise these are diffi cult and testing times for everybody. That is not to say that we have not had testing and challenging times in the past but I think most people recognise this is something a lot diff erent and will continue to challenge every trade union for some years to come.

Together we will succeedConference is always a time to refl ect and determine whether this Union is on the correct path and delegates on behalf of the members are given that opportunity to inform the National Executive Committee. I believe there is solidarity about this POA. Everyone is pulling in the same direction and I believe we will come out the other side stronger for the unity that we have.

There will be diffi cult decisions that have to be made along the way. Diffi cult decisions that you, the membership, have elected the NEC to make whilst Conference is not sitting. I believe this is a good National Executive Committee with a committed Chairman and General Secretary who are not afraid to make diffi cult decisions to protect the membership. Together we will succeed.

Steve GillanGeneral Secretary

Politicians could learn something from the openness of the POA Conference

8-9 Gen Sec.indd 9 7/6/12 10:45:10

PJ McParlin, chairing his fi rst Annual Conference in a calm, relaxed and measured manner

ensured the order of business was completed. Whilst the 2012 agenda was not the largest in the history of the Union, motions attracted quality debates and in some cases strong and emotive speeches.

A number of quest speakers addressed Conference including Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons, and Steve Wagstaff e, Director of Public Sector Prisons. Fraternal greetings were off ered from John Clinton, General Secretary of the Southern Ireland POA and John Shannon on behalf of all the Honorary Life Members.

AwardsThe POA has a proud history of recognising the work and contributions of individuals at our Annual Conference and this year was no diff erent. Jim Dawson, Assistant Secretary of the POA was awarded Honorary Life Membership. No one is more deserving in my opinion.

AWARDS & CONFERENCE REPORT


ANNUAL CONFERENCEThe POA held its 73rd Annual Conference at the Floral Hall in Southport, a popular venue for delegates.

Alan Cowell of HMP Woodhill, Paul Gilbert of Ashworth Hospital and Keith Taylor, HMP Nottingham, all received the Cronin Clasp. I have to say that the tributes paid to these members from their local committees were magnifi cent.

The POA has been a proud sponsor of the Shannon Trust for many years and once again we had joint winners of the Toe by Toe Award, Clare Schiff er, HMP Dartmoor and Karen Hardy, HMP Chelmsford. This award demonstrates the commitment and professionalism ofPOA members.

PJ McParlin, POA National Chairman

Cronin Clasp recipients

Once again, Tom Robson, Vice Chairman of the POA, has been an active supporter of the Shannon Trust and I take my hat off to him.

Fringe meetingsA number of successful Fringe Meetings took place at Conference and once again the Union’s POA Learning staff ; Phil Kelly, Alison Manion, Jenny Gore, Don Head, Ellen Schofi eld,Stewart Harkes and Lorraine Lewis represented the Union in a professional capacity.

Paul Gilbert

Keith Taylor Alan Cowell

10-11 Awards/Conference Report.indd 10 11/6/12 12:33:23

AWARDS & CONFERENCE REPORT


Mark Freeman, Deputy General Secretary, has been instrumental in promoting POA Learning in the last two years as we encourage members back onto the learning ladder.

Hard work and dedicationThis year’s Conference was only possible because of the hard work and dedication of the NEC, FTOs and support staff . Steve Gillan, General Secretary of the POA, has been involved in a number of high-powered negotiations in the month’-s leading up to Conference, but still ensured that all the necessary administration was completed in a timely manner. Steve as General Secretary has certainly put his stamp on the administration of the POA.

At Conference, the Union’s support staff work extremely hard in supporting the NEC, delegates and members. Angela Sinclair,Steve Lewis, Sheila Bromfi eld, Cindy Creighton, Brian McMahon and Nicola Newing deserve a vote of thanks from the membership for their eff orts during this year’s Conference.

Pete Chapple, Finance Offi cer and Chair of the Union’s Conference Committee worked with the NEC, staff , FTOs, the hotel, the Floral Hall and Sefton Council to ensure the order of business was maintained.

Once again, delegates supported the Union’s annual charities raising almost £1,500 on the Irish Night; I thank each and every one of them for their support.

Finally, I cannot leave this report without mentioning Steve Bostock, Vice Chairman of the POA. Steve only arrived at Conference on Wednesday following a family bereavement. His address to Conference was heartfelt, honest and demonstrated his commitment to the POA and his family. The support of Conference to Bozzie and his family brought a tear to many (if not all) the delegates.

Glyn TravisAssistant Secretary

Steve Gillan, Jim Dawson and PJ McParlin

Toe by Toe recipients L-R Karen Hardy and Clare Schiff er with David Ahern

SHEILA BROOMFIELDIt is with great pleasure that the POA and NEC pay tribute to the professionalism and commitment to the POA of our regional offi ce administrator, Sheila Broomfi eld. Sheila is retiring from the POA after almost 20 years. She has been part of the support staff responsible for the production of Gatelodge and all of the Union’s Whitley committees.

The support from her husband, Peter, throughout her tenure in offi ce has been invaluable. We wish Sheila and Peter well on their retirement and trust it will be a long and happy time.

At this year’s conference, POA National Chairman, PJ McParlin, congratulated Sheila on her retirement

10-11 Awards/Conference Report.indd 11 11/6/12 12:33:55

The Butler Trust is an independent charity which relies on donations and

sponsorship to continue its work in promoting excellence across the UK correctional services. It is proud to have HRH the Princess Royal as its Royal Patron.

In 2011, the POA National Chairman, Peter McParlin met with Simon Shepherd, Director of the Butler Trust to discuss ways of improving the POA’s links with the Trust and of course promoting the work it does on an annual basis.

The Butler Trust produces an annual report and has its own magazine ‘Inspire’. It also has a

new searchable online directory of good practice, which it launched in December 2011. You can visit the site at www.butlertrust.org.uk to try the good practice directory yourself or check out recent award winners and commendees.

Award sponsored by POAThe National Chairman of the POA attended this year’s award ceremony at Buckingham Palace on behalf of the POA. He was pleasantly surprised to see so many POA members and uniformed staff being recognised and nominated for the work they do within the Prison Service.

I was pleased to see Keith Naughton receiving a Butler Trust Award for his

AWARDSThe Butler Trust celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2010 and the POA has beena proud sponsor for a number of years.Glyn Travis, POA Assistant Secretary reports.

CAMPAIGNS & EVENTS

2011/12


work as the Employment Liaison Offi cer at HMP Liverpool, especially as this award is sponsored by the POA.

Emma Milne, Diversity Manager atHMP Morton Hall, received a commendation for her work in developing and piloting an innovative personnel offi cer training package.

Harry Rox, HMP Manchester, also received a commendation for his work with the Prison Protection Unit as did Maureen Ritchie ofHMP Shotts. Congratulations to you all.

The full list of Award winners and commendations is on the opposite page.

On behalf of the POA and Butler Trust, I would urge you all to visit the Butler Trust

www.poauk.org.uk

Emma Milne receives her Butler Trust Award from HRH the Princess Royal The Butler Trust Royal Patron, HRH the Princess Royal and Harry Rox, who received a commendation for his work with the Prison Protection Unit

Keith Naughton receiving his Butler Trust Award for his work as the Employment Liaison Offi cer at HMP Liverpool

Maureen Ritchie of HMP Shotts being congratulated by HRH the Princess Royal

12-13 Butler Trust.indd 12 11/6/12 12:38:41

2011/12

CAMPAIGNS & EVENTS

www.poauk.org.uk June 2012 13www.poauk.org.uk June 2012 auk.org.uk June 2012 auk.org.uk 13

AwardsBrenda FraserHMP&YOI Doncaster

Cat JonesHMP&YOI Doncaster

Mark Danvers, Peter Holdsworth, Steve Lightbody, Trevor Lorking, Stephanie Simpson and Philip TaylorHMP Gartree

Janet LockhartHMP Kennet

Philip RaistrickHMP Leeds

Keith NaughtonHMP Liverpool

Fawzi T FawziLondon Probation Trust

Kate KnightSurrey and Sussex Probation Trust

Cathryn RichardsHMP Swansea

CommendationsPeter WithersHMP Bristol

Bertil Boyles, Stephanie Chick,Piers Harris and Adam PaynHMP Bullingdon

Kate FenwickCounty Durham Youth Off ending Service

Peter JonesHMP&YOI Doncaster

Karen MorganCity of Edinburgh Criminal Justice Services

Elaine Anthony, Suzy Ingram andSarah TyssenHMP Full Sutton

Jemma JewkesHMP&YOI Gloucester

Scott BoalHMP Kennet

Barry BarringtonHMP Kirkham

Mike Crowther, Robert Orange,Susan Ratcliff e and Charley WilkinsonLancashire Probation Trust

Teri WalkerHMP Leyhill

Paul MoloneyHMP Liverpool

Harry RoseHMP Manchester

Emma MilneHMP Morton Hall

Clive SumpterHMP Preston

Patricia Haren, Mary Lemon,Sile McLean and Jean O’NeillProbation Board for Northern Ireland

Maureen RitchieHMP Shotts

Austin SmithHMP Swansea

Jacqueline Brocklebank and Rita EvansHMP&YOI Swinfen Hall

Tariq MahmoodHMP Whitemoor

Joyce ThompsonWoodlands Juvenile Justice Centre

Jacqueline Armitage, Ian Cunningham, Amy Fenwick and Ed GrayYork & North Yorkshire Probation Trust.

Website at www.thebutlertrust.org.uk to view past Award winners and commendees. I would also ask your manager if they are considering putting forward members of staff

to the Butler Trust for their outstanding work in prisons, probation and youth justice.

Glyn TravisAssistant Secretary

The Butler Trust promotes excellence in prisons, probation and youth justice. It’s recent award ceremony was held at Buckingham Palace

12-13 Butler Trust.indd 13 11/6/12 12:38:56

John Brenchley, Senior Manager, Partnerships and Leader of Offender Learning and Skills Group Oxford Cambridge RSA Examinations (OCR) explains the key principles for the effective delivery of learning and skills in prisons.

People are often surprised when we tell them that OCR is the leading provider of

qualifications for prisoners in the UK. As one of Britain’s largest exam boards we’re more often associated withA Levels and GCSEs in UK Schools.

While our significant presence may not be high profile, we miss no opportunity to put forward our views on how learning and skills in the prison estate can be improved. Those views are based on our first-hand experience of practice in prisons – in recent months we have visited well over 20 – and the wealth of high-quality research which has been produced by well-respected organisations.

For several years now we have consistently promoted what we consider to be five key principles for the effective delivery of learning and skills in prisons:

1. Secure IT facilities and internet access for offenders: because institutional policies sometimes needlessly block them, putting prisoners at a disadvantage in the 21st century

2. A service-wide database of transferable offender records: If course and achievement records do not follow offenders when they’re moved, we all have to start again

3. Incentives – in particular, equal or higher pay for offenders to participate in education: If they are paid significantly less than in other prison departments, education can slip to the back of the list

4. The integration of learning programmes and other prison activities: To maximise rather than fragment the opportunities for offenders to accumulate employability skills

5. Relevant training and development for prison officers and other contributors to learning and skills programmes: Not all officers are confident about engaging in learning programmes but prisoners really value their support.

The first three principles will certainly require a change of Government policy, but points 4 and 5 may be of more direct practical interest to you.

PRISON OFFICERS ARE INTEGRALTO OFFENDER LEARNING AND SKILLS

CAMPAIGNS & EVENTS


Improving offenders’future employabilityIn recent months the OCR team has seen excellent examples, from Parc in South Wales to Highpoint in East Anglia, of staff across prisons – particularly those in learning and skills, gyms, workshops and industries – combining and coordinating their purposeful activities to improve offenders’ attainment and future employability. The outcomes show how effective coordination can be when they get it right.

Our five principles are not derived from OCR’s observations alone. We have also drawn on excellent reports by organisations which have taken the trouble to find out what those in the front line think and do.

Encouraging prison officers intheir support for prisoner learningBack in 2006 the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies published its excellent ‘Wings of Learning: the role of the prison officer in supporting prisoner education’. It is perhaps the most directly relevant report for Gatelodge readers. It pulls no punches in reporting officers’ views on the tension between the top priority of effective security and the desirable aims of productive activity across prisons’ departments. It also reports the findings of the House of Commons Select Committee – consistent with the fifth of OCR’s principles - that “the government should be aiming to develop a culture in prisons in which education is a much greater priority. This cannot be achieved without a significant shift in the investment in training given to prison officers.”

Complementing this study of the views of officers, in 2009 a joint project by the Prisoners Education Trust, Inside Time and RBE Consultancy Ltd resulted in the publication ‘Brain Cells: Listening to prisoner learners’. Among their many positive responses, prisoners affirm strongly the support they receive from prison education staff and 18 percent unprompted said that “prison officers were supportive”. The report emphasised the need to encourage prison officers in their support for prisoner learning, the main message of this article.

A third report worth mentioning is ‘Learning Through Life: Inquiry into the Future for Lifelong Learning’, which also reported in 2009 and included a Crime and Social Exclusion Thematic Paper. With specific reference to prison officers, the expert seminar which contributed to the final report emphasised “the need for investment in training of staff ... Prison officers are potentially key intermediaries for learning”.

More broadly the Thematic Paper quoted OCR’s frustration that “Offender learning is a sector hallmarked by extensive research with clear findings followed by at best inconsistent and in some areas negligible action.”

In respect of the crucial role of prison officers as essential partners in effective prison-wide offender learning and skills, we believe the case has long since been made. What is needed now is determination and system-wide action to enable them to carry out this role.

14 C&E_Offender Learning.indd 14 7/6/12 11:13:05

Are you fed up of seeing the same old faces back in prison, time after time?

Prison staff supporting prisoner peer mentoring can make a real difference for both those who mentor and those who learn.

CAMPAIGNS & EVENTS

Justin’s story shows how Shannon Trust Reading Plan (Toe by Toe) can be the start of someone’s journey to rehabilitation:

Justin came to prison with no formal qualifi cations and struggled to recognise the alphabet, let alone read full sentences. At induction, Justin’s Tribal CIAS Adviser explained how the Shannon Trust Reading Plan (Toe by Toe) could help him improve his reading skills by matching him with a peer mentor. Justin was helped to set achievable goals, starting with

learning the alphabet and the basics of reading. As Justin’s skills progressed so did his confi dence and, in turn, his goals.

Justin’s next set of goals included reading letters from home, motorbike magazines and starting to think about a career in the construction industry. The ability to read would be essential to ensure his own and others’ safety on a construction site, so Justin was encouraged to take a CSCS course. His hard work paid off and Justin achieved one of the highest scores in the class!

In Justin’s own words:“I’ve never been able to read properly.

Before I couldn’t read a newspaper and my mum had to help me fi ll in application forms. I’ve passed my CSCS test with 38 out of 40! When I get out of here I’m going to get a job, not sign on again.”

Many thanks go to the prison staff and partner agencies at Reading YOI who made this possible.

READING PLAN (TOE BY TOE)


15 Shannon Trust.indd 15 7/6/12 11:23:31


If you are looking for reliable service and welcome savings, join me along with hundreds of other

POA members and enjoy real peace of mind along with incredible value.

With Total SuperService, the all-inclusive breakdown cover from Autonational Rescue for just £60, POA members benefi t from all of the following services:

BREAKDOWN COVER FROM AUTONATIONAL RESCUEWITH PREFERENTIAL PRICES FOR POA MEMBERS

POA members can now get all-inclusive breakdown cover from Autonational Rescue from just £60!

• Roadside SuperService • Emergency Travel or Accommodation • Caravan SuperService

• Message SuperService • Recovery SuperService • Home SuperService.

POA members also qualify for an extra three months breakdown cover FREE in the fi rst year of their membership.

Enjoy a 50 percent discount for second and third cars kept at the same address.

Autonational Rescue service covers the UK with more than 1,200 specialist recovery operators, and they are ready to help you with 24-hour, 365 day cover.

Your car is covered following breakdowns and accidents, plus vandalism and theft; and all legal drivers of the specifi ed vehicle are covered.

To take advantage of this and many other exclusive money saving off ers visit the membership benefi ts section of the POA website www.poauk.org.uk today, or call Autonational direct at theirUK call centre on 0845 604 6359 and quote ‘POA’.

I believe this all inclusive breakdown cover represents great value for money and I will continue to source similar membership benefi ts in an attempt to off set the cost of your Union subscriptions.

Pete ChapplePOA Finance Offi cer

CAMPAIGNS & EVENTS


16 C&E_Autonational.indd 16 7/6/12 11:26:04

The POA is proud to invitePaul Callanan, National Organiser for Youth Fight for

Jobs and Education (YFJE) to contribute to the pages of our magazine.

No jobs, no education, no services and no homes. This is the bleak future mapped out for young people by mainstream politicians. They want ordinary people to pay for a crisis caused by the spivs and speculators in the banks. And young people are being hit disproportionately hard.

At the moment, over a million 18-25 year olds languish on the dole. Instead of creating real jobs the Government wants to force us into slavery. Workfare is designed to provide their big business mates with a source of cheap labour, as opposed to a programme of genuinely socially useful job creation. This will also undercut the pay and conditions of those already working.

We have played a pivotal role in the struggle against Workfare by organising protests up and down the country and naming and shaming those who won’t pay a decent day’s wage for a decent day’s work.

The Government has made education something that is only available to the sons and daughters of the super-rich. The hike in fees and the scrapping of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) will mean that education is out of reach for many working class and poor students.

At a time when we need help fi nding work the most vital youth services like Connexions are being cut by local councils.

The changes to housing benefi t will mean that aff ordable housing is out of reach to young people. These cuts could potentially see a

YOUTH FIGHT FOR JOBS & EDUCATION


It is not just the trade union movement which is campaigning and fi ghting the injustices brought about by the coalition government, the young people of this country are also fi ghting for their rights.

whole generation infantilised as they have tostay at home with their parents. It could also lead to a drastic rise in homelessness amongst young people, which is already rising dramatically.

Fighting backBut the fi ght-back has started. Youth Fight for Jobs and Education is building a movement of young people, students and workers to push back the tide of ConDem austerity. We have played a key role in the struggle for decent jobs, starting in April 2009 when we marched through the poorest boroughs of London to the G 20. We also organised demonstration in Barking of over 200 people in the run up to the 2010 council elections. We marched under the slogan of “jobs and homes, not racism”. This demo played a key role in the in the BNPs electoral wipe-out.

We have most recently just done a re-enactment of the Jarrow March to mark the 75th anniversary. Up and down the country we held protests and demonstration against the cuts and attacks on the rights and living standards of young people. This would not have been possible without the support of the trade union movement.

In Britain it was the students who fi red the fi rst shot in the fi ght against the cuts, with the magnifi cent movement of strikes, occupations and protests which began at the end of 2010.

Say no to all cutsWe need to combine the anger and dynamism of young people with the economic power of the working class. The strikes on 30 June and 30 November last year gave us a glimpse of the might that workers potentially wield with millions of people taking part in strike action which bought the country to a standstill. That’s why YFJE stands shoulder to shoulder with workers wherever they go into battle.

We want to build a movement that says no to all cuts. • We say that the Government should create

jobs by investing in the public sector • They should provide jobs and training by

unrolling a programme of socially useful public works

• We say that education is a right • We call on the Government to cut all fees

and bring back EMA. This could take young people off the dole queues and give them the opportunity to gain vital skills and experience. This crisis was caused by the super rich and

the bankers. We should not be paying for it. We say the banks and monopolies that control the economy should be taken into democratic public ownership. All the vast wealth and resources that exist in society, that we created, should be used to provide a decent standard of living for us, the 99 percent. Not the one percent at the top. Now is the time to demand a future!

For more information about YFJE, visit: www.youthfi ghtforjobs.com

DEMAND A FUTUREFIGHT THEIR SYSTEM

17 C&E_YFJ.indd 17 11/6/12 12:50:15

TUC 2012CAMPAIGNS & EVENTS


WOMEN’S CONFERENCE14 -16 MARCH 2012

Every woman, in every workplace, stronger together

Con-Dem Government wants women back at the kitchen sink!

Held at Congress House this 82nd Women’s Conference was attended by over 280

delegates, which included the four POA women representatives of the Equalities Committee; Barbara Baker, Anne Ruzylo, Su Akram and Helen Hutchinson. The theme of taking a stand against the vicious cuts agenda permeated the two days, whilst being held at a time of great hardship for ordinary women and their families.

The Conference was chaired by Max Hyde, the recently elected Junior Vice-President of the NUT, who will be NUT President in 2014. A teacher of physics and chemistry since 1977 and elected to the National Executive in 1996, she describes herself as a ‘science ambassador’ and believes the country needs the best scientists and mathematicians, not just those who are rich enough to aff ord to go to university.

Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary, who recently gave notice of his intention to retire, gave a short opening address. His statement that ‘women need unions and unions need women’ was applauded.

Women bearing the brunt of proposed cutsMany of the motions this year pertained to the cuts - all £2.37 billion - of which 73 percent was coming from women and families, either directly or indirectly - through job losses and cuts to benefi ts and services. At the end of 2011, women’s unemployment was the highest for 25 years. The consensus was that PLAN ‘A’ HAD FAILED! And that a plan ‘F’(eminst) was needed.

It was pointed out that so far, only 12 percent of the cuts programme had been delivered so there is far more pain on the way. The impact on women is threefold:• Women make up the majority of public

sector workers whose jobs are being cut • It is women who mainly rely on cut services

(advice centres, refuges, children’s centres) and

• Women carry out the bulk of elder and child care. The whole cuts agenda is perceived as

the most sustained attack on women in a generation - and one intended to drive us back to the kitchen sink! A leaked document from No.10 Downing St. recently highlighted that the Government is worried about their claims to be ‘women and family - friendly’ have backfi red and that they intend to launch a ‘charm-off ensive’ on women voters. Recent local elections would appear to suggest that this policy has also dramatically failed!

More voluntary complianceIn addition, the Equalities and Human Rights Commission has been scaled down; and plans to close the grants programme will eff ectively prevent hundreds of community groups fi ghting plans which discriminate against them.

Also, systematic watering down of the Equality Act (see the RED TAPE challenge) appears to (though not actually) dilute the necessity of organisations to consider the impact of policy and practices on minority groups.

• This Government clearly does not want workers to know their rights

• This Government views the Equality Act as unnecessary and wants more

voluntary compliance. Equality Impact assessments are no longer

mandatory - despite being a much lauded tool in previous times - and amounts to ‘gesture policies’ which states implicitly that public authorities should not listen to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). It also implies irresponsibility, off ering less clear advice and putting the onus on the individual to claim his/her rights rather than having them protected by the state.

Workers perceived as disposable commoditiesConference voted for motions which condemned the Government’s reckless disregard of deepening inequality and reaffi rmed that there is an alternative, including the collection of £120billion of avoided, evaded and uncollected tax from wealthy individuals and companies. Not a day goes by without a news report of another company managing to pay lower levels of tax than the average man in the street. That these attacks are driven by ideology rather than economic necessity becomes more starkly obvious day by day. One ideology not supported by this Government is that ‘Equality works and makes good business sense’ - rather, they fear it, as it threatens their capitalist ideals which places the working man and woman at the bottom of the pile, making money only for the bosses, as workers are perceived as disposable commodities.

Attack on pensionsAs working families endure pay freezes and drops in living standards, bankers continue to take obscene bonuses, and high tax-rate payers see a drop in tax rates. Additionally, the attack on pensions has, this year, led to workers fi nally making their feelings known and taking industrial action which leaves the Government in no doubt. The strikes by public sector

Barbara Baker (Babs)

Women need unions and unions need women

18-19 C&E Womens TUC.indd 18 11/6/12 12:53:41

CAMPAIGNS & EVENTS


workers received huge support. The fact that two thirds of women pensioners rely on pension credits makes the UK one of the worst providers for pensioners in Europe. To add insult to injury, the Government’s decision to accelerate the increase in women’s State Pension Age will aff ect many thousands of women who will have to work much longer in order to receive their basic state pension.

For many women, this is likely to be very diffi cult or even impossible because of their own health problems and/or even their caring responsibilities, which can be dually realised in relation to both children and elders. The attacks on pensions, which look more and more like an intention to dismantle pensions schemes, is driving pension entitlement backwards but also will ultimately make privatisation easier. Ideology at work again. There is no doubt that time spent in opposition was well used by this Tory Government. To quote the Morning Star - ‘the role of mass unemployment is to neuter the trade unionists and to reduce workers employed, if at all, to low pay rates, poor conditions and few employment rights.’ Sound familiar?

Services for women experiencing violence‘EVERY WOMAN SAFE EVERYWHERE’ panel discussion focussed largely on the eff ect of the cuts on the provision of services for women experiencing violence of all kinds. This impact is huge as funding is no longer guaranteed;60 women are turned away from refuges every day; changes to policy and organisations is creating chaos as no-one accepts responsibility for the commissioning of these services.

Also discussed were the changes in employment law which basically will off er LESS employee protection and equates to abuse of democracy, as women and men will fi nd it increasingly harder to access justice. The fact that European laws require competitive tendering processes delivers massive cuts to employers, driving down wages; as workers’ economic position deteriorates, increase in domestic violence is inevitable (recent increase of 35 percent). This is the path CHOSEN by this Government - the fi fth richest nation in the world.

The only way to protest is to continue to strike and protest about the austerity measures, as cuts are directly aff ecting women’s safety, which is not a luxury. And to insist that services remain statutory, with ring-fenced funding, as other countries in the EU do. That our society condones and normalises the sexualisation of women, supported by all branches of the media, makes violence against women a major problem, hugely aff ecting their safety in society. www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk for the report: ‘A diff erent world is possible’ - we need a revolution in this arena.

Equal treatmenton trade union rightsMotion 15 - Barbara Baker (Babs) moved this motion: ‘Equal treatment on trade union rights’ and had unions queuing to support! Babs delivered her speech with passion, deliberation and power! (See the POA website at www.poauk.org.uk) for more information. Later in the Conference, Babs was also elected to serve on the TUC Women’s Committee for the year - the fi rst POA member to do this! It came as somewhat of a shock for unionists to hear the draconian laws which still shackle this Union, as well as the threats of bullying and intimidation members and executive endure repeatedly. Well done Babs!

Trade unions and human rights in ColumbiaEmergency Motion 3 - supported by the POA (Helen Hutchinson spoke) - Trade unions and human rights in Columbia. This concerned a Columbian political prisoner, Liliany Obando, visited by a delegation of unionists, including POA, who was falsely imprisoned without trial. As it happened, just days prior to Conference she was released and video footage of her was shown to delegates. It is good that unionists support solidarity action - Justice for Columbia and the TUC has maintained its campaigning and protesting for the last four years. Columbia is the most dangerous place in the world to be a trade unionist, and has high levels of inequality and violence against women. The POA’s speech called for all charges against Liliany to be dropped and for a peace process that allows people to organise without fear of assassination or imprisonment.

More issues and motionsOthers issues and motions debated by conference included:• NHS • Abortion rights • Remploy closures • Legal Aid cuts

• Women’s role models (see the very interesting Miss Representation clip at

http://vimeo.com/28066212)• Women’s rights in the Middle East and Afghanistan • Misogyny in the media • Women in teaching • Loan sharking and • Cuts to railway services and staff .

Fringe meetings were well attended and debated issues around pensions, maternity rights, and sex workers, impact of cuts on women and black workers, and sexism in the media industry. Much debate about all these issues gave delegates valuable insight into the wider impact of the austerity measures being used by this Government to assert power over workers.

It gives further credence to the idea that their intention is to take advantage of the fi nancial crisis sparked by the banks’ unsustainable speculation to force through changes to entrench capitalist advantage over the working class. In addition, that trimming the state, particularly public services, the NHS, pensions and benefi ts, is part of a strategy to hand over these areas to the private sector for profi table expansion. Did we ever doubt this?

What more evidence do we need to strengthen our belief that now, more than ever, that women need trade unions? And unions need women.

Encourage workers to join the fi ght, join the union - for strength IS in unity.

‘The most common way that people give up power is by thinking they don’t have any’

Alice Walker author of ‘The Colour Purple’

Quote for current times: ‘First they ignore you, then they laugh at you. Then they fi ght you, then you win’

Gandhi

Helen Hutchinson,Women’s’ Lead, Equality CommitteeBranch Secretary, HMP Eastwood Park

Helen Hutchinson, Pete Allen, Anne Ruyzlo, Brian Traynor, (NEC), Barbara Baker, Su Akram, Joe Simpson, (NEC)

18-19 C&E Womens TUC.indd 19 11/6/12 12:53:56

A Long Service and Good Conduct medal presentation was held at the Verne on23 March 2012. John Hancock, NEC

Representative reports:37 recipients and members of their families attended and the

presentation was made by the Lord Sherriff of Dorset,Mrs Valerie Pitt-Rivers accompanied by the Governor of the Verne, Mr James Lucas. The Lord Sherriff reminded the guests she was there as the Queen’s representative and commended those staff who carried out a diffi cult and dangerous job on behalf of the public.

This was an extremely enjoyable event culminating in a superb buff et lunch.

Commenting on the presentation, the National Chairman of the POA, Mr Peter McParlin, stated that recognition of our members is an important issue he felt the Verne had gone the extra mile in making this presentation such a worthwhile event.

I would also take this opportunity to congratulate Tim, Ian, and Andy on their medal awards and thank them for their continued support.

MEDAL PRESENTATION

CAMPAIGNS & EVENTS

Every day, thousands of people across Britain receive emails that appear to come from HM

Revenue & Customs, telling them that they are entitled to a tax refund.

These emails contain the offi cial HM Revenue & Customs logo and even have the correct HMRC email address. However, all is not as it would seem. These are “phishing emails”, and they are defi nitely not coming from HMRC!

The email typically says that following a review of your fi scal activity you are entitled to a tax refund and asks you to enter your credit card or bank details in order that the refund can be re-paid. If you provide your details, it is very likely your bank account will be cleaned out or your credit card used to its limit.

What these emails look likeThe email on the right is a recent example of these emails. With this email, all the ‘links’ take you back to the HM Revenue & Customs website, so you could easily be fooled into thinking it has come from them. The catch is the link for ‘Claim My Refund’. This takes you to a website in Croatia where you are asked to provide your bank or credit card details.

Other tell-tale signs it is bogus are the poor use of grammar, the use of capital letters in the wrong places and the fact it is not addressed personally to the recipient.

You can see more examples of these emails on the HM Revenue & Customs website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/security/fraud-attempts.htm

WARNING!BOGUS EMAILS FROMHM REVENUE & CUSTOMSPete Chapple, POA Finance Offi cer warns of emails purporting to come from HMRC.

Recipients of these emails often wonder how they came to receive such an email but go to Google to search “How do spammers get my email address” and you will see just how easy it is for your email address to fall into the wrong hands.

It is worth remembering that HM Revenue & Customs never advise taxpayers that they are due a tax refund by email.

If you do receive an email that looks as if it has come from HM Revenue & Customs and it tells you that you are due a tax refund, you should delete it. You should not visit the website contained within any email or disclose any personal or payment information. If you receive an email claiming to be from HM Revenue & Customs, you should forward it to [email protected]

POA’s approved taxrefund servicePlease do not confuse these bogus emails with emails you will receive if you apply for the POA’s approved tax refund service. This service is provided by the UK’s leading tax refund experts, The Tax Refund Company. If you want to fi nd out if you are due some money back and you register for this No Refund – No Fee service, you may well receive an email from The Tax Refund Company requesting more information. It will not contain the HM Revenue & Customs logo, nor will it request and bank or credit card details.

For more information on this service, call 0161 480 7717.


20 Short Stories.indd 20 7/6/12 11:35:21

As part of this Strategy, NOMS identifi ed the need for locally based advocates to promote

‘Skills for Life’ activities within the workplace. The advocate post is open to all staff, both operational and non-operational and to Union Learning Representatives (ULRs).

Skills for Life advocates form a national network of peer volunteers who support their colleagues with literacy, language and numeracy signposting. They off er colleagues a confi dential service and help promote national campaigns such as ‘Reading for Pleasure’ and‘Adult Learners’ Week’.

Advocates are supported by the National Skills for Life Business Support Manager, based at Newbold Revel, who can also off er staff confi dential initial assessments in literacy, numeracy, ICT and ESOL as well as online up-skilling.

SKILLS FOR LIFE

ADVOCATES

POA LEARNING

In September 2009, NOMS launched its Skills for Life Strategy for staff.

NOMS works closely with unions who have given the Strategy their full support and advocates are encouraged to signpost to POA Learning in the fi rst instance, if staff would like to do a course or obtain a qualifi cation.

The following is a quote from one Skills for Life advocate who signposted a member of staff to the Skills for Life Business Support Manager to do the assessments and online workbooks:

“Because this offi cer has been a long serving offi cer at Cardiff and staff regard his opinion highly, I am sure that this will be the start of the process, as he will tell his colleagues.”

The Skills for Life Business Support Manager frequently refers staff to POA Learning for support following their initial assessments. Here are two of many positive quotes from establishment staff :

“Well it looks like there is a way forward”

“I have been passed on to a learndirect tutor at Whitemoor. He has enrolled me on a computer course and I’m working my way through Level 1 Literacy at the moment. Thanks again for getting the ball rolling.”

Invaluable opportunity for staffThe Skills for Life Business Support Manager has also worked closely with POA Learning to carry out skills checks in several establishments. This provides an invaluable opportunity for all staff on duty to participate in short literacy and numeracy skills checks and receive advice and guidance about up-skilling. As well as the benefi ts the day provides for staff , results allow the establishment to build a more accurate picture of literacy and numeracy levels amongst staff .

The Skills for Life Business Support Manager also regularly attends well-being and training days in establishments, giving advice and guidance and ongoing support on upskilling to staff . An example is a recent visit toHMP Wormwood Scrubs’ Occupational Health Day where staff were given the opportunity to try the online assessments and OSGs were given advice and guidance about improving their skills in order to help with promotion to prison offi cer. This is a quote from the TrainingCo-ordinator after the visit:

“Hopefully you’ve managed to whet the appetite... (for up-skilling)”

The photo on this page shows a visit to the Well-Being Day at HMP Shrewsbury, where staff had the opportunity to try out the online assessments as well as obtain information from the Skills for Life stand.

Well-Being Days also provide an ideal opportunity for the Skills for Life Business Support Manager and POA Learning to provide on the spot advice together to staff who need support.

www.poauk.org.uk June 2012 auk.org.uk June 2012 auk.org.uk 21

Contact Kay Vaughan on 01788 804139 or at [email protected] for further information.Contact Kay Vaughan on 01788 804139 or at Contact Kay Vaughan on 01788 804139 or at [email protected]@noms.gsi.gov.uk for further information.

Untitled-11 21 7/6/12 11:50:20

One hundred and twenty fi ve delegates attended the two day event which comprised a combination of learner success stories and speeches from our partners.

POA Deputy General Secretary, Mark Freeman, did an excellent job of chairing the conference supported by Phil Kelly, Manager of POA Learning.

The theme of the conference was ‘Securing the Learning Agenda’ and we had a variety of speakers from several sectors to address that topic:• Judith Swift, Union Learn Development Offi cer

POA LEARNING’S ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2012

POA LEARNING

POA Learning held its Annual Conference at the Cedar Court Hotel, Wakefi eld on 1 and 2 of May 2012, the event was a resounding success.

• Stacey Tasker, NOMS Deputy Director of Corporate Learning

• Ray Walker, Executive Director of High Secure Services and Executive Director of Nursing Mersey Care

• PJ McParlin, POA National Chairman • James Shanley, Governor, Isle of Wight and • David Taylor, a personal and leadership coach.

Judith Swift said that: “We don’t all have equal chances in life ... but we as trade unions are now righting that wrong” and that “We are making sure learning is interwoven into the fabric of trade unions at every level.”

Learners and Union Learning Reps (ULR) also played a huge part in both days, Katie Archer, admin offi cer from HMP Northumberland talked about her learning experience with Brightsparks Learning Centre and how it had given her more opportunities at work and also increased her confi dence.

Steve Wrighton, ULR HMP Bullingdon and Dave Manning, ULR HMP Full Sutton gave an insight into the life of a ULR and the impact that their role had, not only on their lives, but the lives of their colleagues.

Pete Brotherton, a ULR from HMP Whitemoor and Don Head, Centre Manager, Brightsparks,

Judith Swift, Union Learn Development Offi cer Stacey Tasker, NOMS, Deputy Director of Corporate Learning

Ray Walker, Director of High Secure Services and Executive Director of Nursing at Merseycare with Mark Freeman, POA Deputy General Secretary

PJ McParlin, POA National Chairman James Shanley, Isle of Wight Governor and POA Deputy General Secretary, Mark Freeman

gave us a very interesting slant on using skills gained within our HMPS workplace and using them in another work environment. Tescos for example, probably couldn’t use C&R methods and ACCT training in dealing with customers, the point being that if we are considering further education we should whenever possible ensure that the skills we are gaining are accredited and transferable.

Learning at homeBev Nolker, our Learner Support on the Isle of Sheppy introduced two of her learners in a very diff erent way: Heather and Jim are both older learners who Bev visits in their homes on a weekly basis taking their learning to them, they gave us the story of their learning journey by SKYPE conferencing which is amazing when you consider that Heather is 74 and Jim is 92 years young and neither of them owned a computer three months previously. This was just another example of the inspirational ways that POA Learning has helped their learners overcome their fears and lack of confi dence in order to improve their quality of life both at home and at work.

Ian Carson, Learner Support Holme House and Nicky Volley, Regional Centre Manger Isle of Wight, both gave examples of how learners in their centres had benefi ted from studying with us; Nicky’s learner had realised that she was a person in her own right and Ian’s learner had saved a fortune by using the Internet to shop around for deals.

We hosted a formal dinner during the evening of the fi rst day after which we had the Learner

LEARNINGWITH THE POA


22-23 Union Learning.indd 22 7/6/12 11:56:58

POA LEARNING’S ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2012

of the Year Award ceremony, which Judith Swift of Union Learn, very kindly agreed to carry out.

Ten Foot Fez, brought a very lively conclusion to our evening’s entertainment taking everyone on a trip down memory lane, thank you to them for such a great climax to the evening.

The regional winners were:Robert Pengelley Dartmoor Learning Centre Lorraine Moir Brightsparks Learning Centre Darren Birchall Eastchurch Learning Centre Mark Ogden Hatfi eld Learning Centre Andrew Holford Highdown Learning Centre Michelle Woods Maghull Learning Centre Michele Whitfi eld Isle of Wight Learning Centre Natalie Wiley Bullingdon Learning Centre.

Our overall National winner was Mark Ogden from HMP Moorland who has carried out his learning with Hatfi eld Learning Centre.

LEARNINGWITH THE POA

PJ McParlin, POA National Chair opened up proceedings on the second day, pledging the POA’s continual support for POA Learning stating that POA Learning has supported the POA and its members and that we the POA will repay that support by continuing our support to POA Learning.

During the course of the two days we held a raffl e, the proceeds of which are to go to Hounds for Heroes, we raised the very impressive sum of £321 so a huge thank you to everyone that donated a prize and bought tickets.

Thank you to everyone that took the time out of their busy schedules to attend our conference and for your continuous support of POA Learning. Without that support we would not be able to carry out our roles as eff ectively as we do.

POA LEARNING


POA Learning Conference delegates Nicky Volley, Regional Centre Manager, HMP Isle of Wight Nominees for Learner of the Year

Phil Kelly, POA Learning Manager, Mark Freeman POA DGS

Pete Brotherton, ULR, HMP Whitemoor

22-23 Union Learning.indd 23 7/6/12 12:32:27

As first years go it’s been an interesting one to say the least! It is exactly a year since I took

up post as Chairman in Scotland, and I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every minute of it, including those ones that caught me unawares, that had me treading new ground, and that had me unsure of the answers as I learned to adapt to the new role.

You can watch from the sidelines for as long as you like, hoping that you are taking in as much information as you can while someone else is in the role, but it can never quite prepare you for taking up the reins yourself. I have always had great admiration for our previous Chairman while I worked alongside him over the years, I have even more now.

In the course of the past year we have seen people change roles within the SNC, and new people join the committee for the first time. The make up of the committee today is vastly different to the one in place not that long ago, and members of the committee are going through the process of finding their feet and establishing themselves in their posts.

To that end, and in an effort to improve both communications and visibility of the SNC, I have been taking the full committee round branches in an attempt to give the membership a better insight into the work of the committee mainly through a ‘Hustings’ type meeting within the branches. We are only half way through that process, but the feedback so far has been very positive and the branch members seem to think it has been worthwhile. Once we have completed

SCOTLAND

National Chairman of POA Scotland, Phil Fairlie, reports

on his first year in office.

REPORT FROMPOA SCOTLAND


this round of visits, we will evaluate what works and what needs to be changed in an effort to keep improving the communications between us.

HMP Low MossThe past year has also seen the successful

opening of HMP Low Moss, albeit slightly prematurely due to the ever climbing prisoner population forcing an early start for the staff within it. When we see what is happening to our colleagues in England and Wales within the competition process and the constant threat of privatisation, we should take great satisfaction to see a brand new public sector prison open here in Scotland, and never take for granted that it will always be that way.

With the new prison comes a new branch and committee of course, and I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all our new members to the POA, and give particular mention to the new committee members who have taken up the challenge. We are working alongside them just now in an effort to assist them in their respective roles, and look forward to a positive and fruitful relationship between us all.

PensionsThe main issue of the whole year of course has been the pensions, and that is likely to continue to be for the foreseeable future. After what seems like an eternity we finally got to the position of the

Westminster Government providing their ‘final offer’ which amounted to no more than what you retire on at the State retirement age, unless you buy and pay for the opportunity to go early. Given that we have already been ‘paying’ for that right throughout the whole of our service, as reflected in every pay deal I have ever witnessed or been involved in negotiating, it didn’t amount to an offer that was going to get any reaction other than the one it got.

10 May 201210 May 2012 was as inevitable as was the offer, and although much has been made of the ‘lightening strike’ on that day I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone was taken by surprise that the response was what it was. It is true, as a Union we are not renowned for downing tools and resorting to days of protest, withholding our labour, or going on strike. We are not a politically motivated or affiliated union who welcome the opportunity to stand against governments of any colour, nor do we go looking for causes to attach ourselves to.

That fact should be warning enough to the Westminster Government to listen to us when we speak, otherwise we find ourselves making sure we are heard above the din. I am not writing about this in triumphalism or in a celebratory way, nor am I looking to rub anyone’s nose in what took place that day. There is a huge irony in that every prison in Scotland was affected by strike action on 10 May, and yet we have no dispute with our employers, and are at one with the Scottish Government as to the retirement age of prison officers.

“For the first time we got the message out that

prison officers will be working until they are 68”

24-25 Scotland.indd 24 11/6/12 13:00:45


SCOTLAND

Other than the very strong response of the membership in Scotland on a day when the weather threatened otherwise, it surely cannot be lost on some when the Justice Minister in Scotland appears on TV, and in an unprecedented way states that although he was relieved that the staff were back at work, he had every sympathy with their position.

If nothing else, 10 May achieved one thing that appeared lost in this debate. It managed to highlight to the media that this wasn’t just about the generic pensions issues being faced by all public sector workers, for the first time we were getting the message out there that prison officers will be working to a retirement age of 68. That more than any other point was what we tried to get them to listen to that day, and as the morning wore on every interview focused on that in a way that hasn’t happened until now. It is that point that we as a Union can and should expect public support over, and it is that point we should hammer home at every opportunity.

POA Scotland membership levels risingNot just outside the service. One of the positives for me of that day was the rise in memberships to the POA in Scotland. We had over 60 on

that day alone, with quite a few of those being members returning to the POA from other unions. If nothing else I think 10 May finally got over the point that while there are some pension issues that are common across the unions, there is only one union that has been involved in the negotiations over our retirement age, and only one union that that has the operational staff within the service as the group for whom we hold recognition rights.

There has been almost a 10 percent increase in the membership of the POA in Scotland in the last year alone, which is a fantastic achievement in the current climate.

To those who have returned, I say welcome home. To those still to return, haste ye back, the door is open.

Phil FairlieScottish National Chair

24-25 Scotland.indd 25 11/6/12 13:01:26

SCOTLAND


It reads:‘To recognise our members’ abhorrence

of the excessive Recruitment and Retention packages given to some senior managers within the Scottish Prison Service (SPS). Further, our members are outraged at the fact that this package is by all accounts a non consolidated pensionable lump sum. It is in the public interest to urgently establish a Government led investigation into the legality and ethics of such an undertaking by the senior managers of the SPS especially at a time of effi ciency driven savings and cost cutting exercises we therefore call upon the SNC to canvas the Finance Minister to investigate this matter’

I further outlined that I would communicate to you all the content of the ‘Brief on the Payment of Recruitment and Retention Allowances (RRAs) for Operational Jobs in Pay Band H & I’ received through a freedom of information request. In the last issue you were given the details in relation to the background and the jobs aff ected in relation to the payment of Recruitment and Retention Allowances. This article further explores the brief, as previously, I don’t intend any exaggeration. This is the content of the business case on which you can form your own opinion. I have given some personal notes though.

There are eight points/headed topics in the brief, 1 and 2 have already been covered so we therefore begin with point 3.

Reasons for intervening Now we start to get into the nitty gritty ofthe argument.

1. Q. Why is the payment of RRA for these jobs necessary?• A. Following many years of stability we have

had unprecedented numbers leaving the service not for retirement but for other employment with higher rates of pay. At the same time, we have experienced signifi cant diffi culties in the recruitment of people to replace those leaving. The lack of competitiveness of our pay levels has been identifi ed as a recurring issue in unsuccessful recruitment campaigns. Over the next four years the majority of our most experienced governors in charge and deputies in larger establishments are likely to leave the service through retirement. Although job holders can remain in employment until age 65 without

On page 18 of the April 2012 issue of Gatelodge, Tony Quinn (Scottish National Committee) detailed Scottish Conference motion 42/2011 submitted by the Shotts Branch.

RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION ALLOWANCES FOR SENIOR GOVERNORS IN THE SCOTTISH PRISON SERVICE. MONEY WELL SPENT?

YOU DECIDE!

requesting an extension to employment, once pension age at 60 is achieved, experience of other staff members in that situation is that they tend to leave then, or at any event before 65. We will therefore need to be well placed to recruit a signifi cant number of people to replace them. Therefore, we need to act now in order to make sure we have the best chance of success for recruiting new people with the right qualities and retaining those we already employ.

Now before we look at the evidence, it’s important methinks, to note that this paragraph of less than 200 words outlines the SPS reasons for a considerable uplift in salaries and pensions to its most senior operational management.

Evidence of turnover and diffi culties in recruitment1. Q. Who has left the SPS in the last three years?• A. This is outlined in a redacted table in the

brief but to maintain privacy I will tell you that in the previous three years to the bid submitted in 2009, six had left - three to the private

requesting an extension to employment, once

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

18-19 Scotland.indd 18-19

25/5/12 13:43:15

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

� ��

��

� ��

��

��

� ��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

18-19 Scotland.indd 18-19

25/5/12 13:43:15

sector, two to prison services outside the UK and the other to another Scottish Government post. Of the six, I believe three were at I Band and three at H Band.So to put this in a little perspective, six senior

managers had left not through retirement but, assuming the reasons for intervening are correct, for other employment with higher rates of pay.

Six had left. Six... over a period of three years, an average of two per year. These numbers may be unprecedented but dearie me.

2. Q. How many I Band and how many H Band Governors are due to reach pension age by 2013?

• A. Four I Band Governors (four out of eight posts or 50 percent) and fi ve H Band governors (fi ve out of 17 posts or 29 percent) will reach (or will have already reached) pension age by 2013. This means that a large proportion of corporate knowledge and skill will exit the organisation in the next four years and that is without counting those who might leave for other job opportunities (as three I Band governors and three H Band governors have done in the last three years).

Looking at print and seeing the imminent departure of half your I Band governors and nearly a third of your H Band governors would potentially fear any employer and may instil some panic, but in this instance it’s worth noting here that these fi gures are based on a worst-case scenario, there is an assumption that all these individuals would leave, some may yet do so. But at the time there was also four years to address this, four years to identify and develop staff within the organisation and encourage recruitment and suitable training from outwith.

3. Q. How many unfi lled vacancies do we have?• A. We are presently up to compliment inI Band, but that will rapidly change with four I Band

26-27 Scotland.indd 26 7/6/12 12:34:37


SCOTLAND

potential to be over £30k and H Band, £55k and over £27k”, and I’m making a point that this is not low pay. Furthermore the fact is that one of these trawls, at these prices wouldn’t fund either all of the I Bands or all the H Bands RRAs for a year, never mind them all.

5. Q. What about succession planning – won’t that remove the problem, of insuffi cient candidates?

• A. We have now set in train arrangements to support succession planning having not had any in place for many years. We anticipate that these will begin to bear fruit after a fi ve year timeframe and we would hope that SPS staff members benefi ting from development programmes become promotable to H Band jobs. However, the H Band vacancies will arise before these staff members are ready and we cannot aff ord to wait.

Not much to say on that but I wonder what would have happened if they did wait? Why the hurry? Remember a rapid change is four governors in four years.

6. Q. What role does the appointment of external candidates play going forward?

• A. Given the evidence that internal promotions will not produce the numbers required at Pay Band H for some considerable time, we will need to recruit suitable external candidates. Our pay rates therefore need to be competitive with those off ered in the wider jobs market for people with the necessary qualities to operate at the level of senior manager and leader.

I suppose some of us have opinions on external and internal recruitment for senior posts. The suggestion here is that not only were current middle managers likely to take some considerable time to attain H Band posts, but also that internal applicants may have accepted the wage package on off er but that external would not. It fails to consider the possibility that internal candidates who have accumulated considerable service would be more reluctant to leave the service than an external candidate with the necessary qualities to operate at the level of senior manager and leader who is motivated by ‘competitive’ pay rates.

Evidence of pay rates being insuffi cient to attract enough suitable candidates1. Q. Where is the evidence that current pay

levels are not attracting enough candidates?• A. We have recently tried and failed to recruit

operational H Band vacancies that exist, having only just achieved enough suitable candidates for vacant I Bands. Whereas a few years ago

governors due to leave by 2013 and two new I Band governor posts being created during that period for HMP Bishopbriggs and HMP Grampian. We currently have fi ve H Band vacancies which in part anticipate the departure of existing governors when reaching pension age by 2013. We need to start recruiting enough new H Band governors with the right qualities to replace those I Band managers who will leave. Given our policy of appointing people to these roles from within the service with enough previous operational experience the process of eff ective recruitment to H Band jobs needs to take place this year if we are to have a healthy number of individuals in the system to be ready for applying for I Band roles in the time to 2013.

I like the use of the word ‘rapidly’ in this context, I may be wrong but there is some worth in noting that rapid change in the SPS happens in four years. A fact here is there were no vacancies at I Band when this allowance was implemented; this has remained the case to date. And I don’t know if ‘We currently have fi ve H Band vacancies which in part anticipate the departure of existing governors when reaching pension age by 2013’ means there were fi ve vacancies at the time, or that this is what would be dependant on those retiring at pension age. What I’m sure of is that there aren’t fi ve vacancies now, nor do I believe there ever has been since 2009. So all the vacancies identifi ed since 2009 have been fi lled. Is this because of RRAs or would they have been fi lled anyway as years of previous experiences would suggest?

4. Q. What is the cost of trawling these H Band jobs?• A. The last H Band trawl process cost £113k

and resulted in fi ve appointments from the last 10 required at a cost of £22,600 each. The process will have to be repeated this year. That fi gure excludes the cost of the SPS personnel involved. If pay levels are so low that we must trawl excessively to fi nd suffi cient candidates, then there is certainly merit in considering the argument that funding tied up with these trawl costs could be better used to address the underlying problem of pay in the fi rst instance.

These are 2009 fi gures remember, £113,000 for a trawl process that would need to be repeated, (don’t know if it was, but if so, maybe over £200,000). £113,000, oh dear!

The subsequent point made in this answer though is a bit confusing, it suggests that low pay (for the role) is an underlying problem and that there is merit in taking money for recruiting to fund the RRAs. I mentioned pay in the last article stating, “I’m not sure about incentives but at the time an I Band could expect to get £66k a year and a fi nal salary pension with the

we were able to fi ll all operational H Band jobs we have recently failed to do so. For example:

i. In 2007 we tried to recruit to 10 H Band governor / deputy governor vacancies using the normal H Band salary range. We had 78 applicants from internal and external candidates. Only four were appointable and none of those successful were external candidates, most of whom fell well short of the mark.

ii. In 2008 once more we tried to recruit 10 H Band governor / deputy governor vacancies, this time using a more attractive salary of circa £50,000. Only fi ve could be appointed. Three were external candidates. Most of the external candidates not appointable once again fell well short of the mark. Examples of this were individuals working in quite junior jobs in their organisations thinking that jobs of the size and weight of governor were attainable to them in one step because that is what the SPS salary level was telling them.

These results showed two things. One is that we don’t have enough managers from within SPS ready for promotion to fi ll vacancies. Second, in supporting the strategy of looking to fi ll vacancies from external candidates, the background and experience of most external candidates told us that our salaries are too low in the jobs market to attract enough candidates with the qualities we need.

Is this evidence enough for you that pay rates are insuffi cient? In essence, two previous recruitment exercises at a time when the economy was booming into bust did not supply suffi cient candidates. Two years from however many were previous to that that did produce enough candidates. You might want to ask why a short-term crisis, has resulted in a big time pay rise?

Well as I’ve mentioned before, you need to make your own mind up and most of the evidence is now before you. The ‘Brief of Recruitment & Retention Allowances (RRAs) For Operational Jobs in Pay Band H & I’ has only three more topics to cover, those of:• How SPS pay rates compare with others elsewhere?• Consequential issues and• Other issues.

Back soon

Tony QuinnScottish National Committee

26-27 Scotland.indd 27 7/6/12 12:34:52

Diamond House, 7-19 Royal Avenue, BELFAST, BT1 1FB

Tel: (028) 90243726 Fax: (028) 90230651Web: www.diamondheron.com Email: [email protected]

LITIGATION - Road traffi c accidents, motorcycle and car; personal injury, accidents at work, commercial disputes, debt recovery,

transit claims. - Members of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and Motor Accident Solicitors Society.

CONVEYANCING- Residential and commercial sales and purchase; remortgaging.

- Members of Home Charter.

WILLS, TRUSTS AND ADMINISTRATION OF ESTATES- Members of Society of Trust and Estate Practitioner.

For all your legal needs at competitive rates with a personal professional service.

- Road traffi c accidents, motor

For all your legal needs at competitive rates with a personal professional service.TOP

RANKED

PERSONAL

INJURY

LAWYERS

Northern Ireland’s POA

Solicitor for over

25 years with a proven track

record!

• ANY NON POA BUSINESS ATTRACTS A DISCOUNT ON LEGAL FEES WITH POA MEMBERSHIP

��

��

� ��

� ��

� ��

� ��

��

��

��

� ��

� ��

� ��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

POA Poster p77.indd 56 26/3/12 12:18:38

p28_gatejun12.indd 1 6/6/12 16:22:10

Pull Quote

First para

Body copy

HEADERSign off

Standfi rst

POAThe Professional Trades Union for Prison,

Correctional and Secure Psychiatric WorkersU

NIT

Y IS STREN

GT

H

UN

I T E D W E S T OO

D29th AUGUST 2007

Dispersal of Motions

DISPERSAL OF MOTIONS


29-34 Motions.indd 29 7/6/12 13:08:54

RULES AND CONSTITUTION

A To amend Rule 8.2 to readEach full member (apart from any member who is exempt under some provision of these Rules) must pay the current monthly subscription in arrears on the first or fifteenth working day in each month:a. By deduction from salary (where this facility exists); orb. By direct debit.NEC Carried – Standing Orders Committee

1.This Conference agrees to the change to Rule 12.2 as outlined below.12.2 A special conference will be summoned by the Chairman and General Secretary for the whole of the Union.12.2 c within any period of 4 weeks, branches representing a majority of the memberships requests a special conference.SWALESIDE Lost

2.That Conference amends Rule 21.1 and subsequent Rules as set out in Conference Paper ONE relating to the membership of the National Committee for Secure Health Care Services, to include the Assistant Secretary for Scotland in order that the SNC can fulfil its responsibilities under Rule 23.3.NEC Carried – Standing Orders Committee

GENERAL MATTERS

3.That Conference accepts that the POA is in need of a comprehensive review of our Rules and Constitution.To carry out this work a restructure committee is formed from within the field, with a remit to provide an interim report to Conference by 2013.With the full comprehensive review and all recommendations to be dealt with at the National Conference in 2014.HOLME HOUSE Lost

4.This Branch ask Conference to instruct the NEC to obtain a firm definition from the UK Governments what constitutes a frontline service and seeks legal advice as to where we fit in.DUMFRIES Carried – Legal Aid Committee

5.POA members and branches in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales can only vote on issues that solely pertain to them.LIVERPOOL Lost

6.Conference authorises the NEC to initiate an annual award in recognition of the exceptional work by a POA Branch Official in the Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in line with Conference Paper TWOThe award to be known as the “Steve Oxby Branch Rep of the Year” and awarded to the recipient at Annual Conference, starting in 2013.NEC Carried – NEC

7.Conference authorises the NEC to initiate an annual award in recognition of the exceptional work undertaken by a POA Health and Safety Representative in the Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in line with Conference Paper THREE.The award to be known as the “David Evans Health and Safety Representative of the Year” and awarded to the recipient at Annual Conference, starting in 2013.NEC Carried – NEC

8.That conference applaud those branches and members who demonstrated and took strike action on 30th November 2011, giving due regard and thanks to those members who lost pay during that action fighting for the pension rights of all POA members and public sector workers.NEC Carried – NEC

9.Conference approves the appointment of Wilkins Kennedy chartered accountants as the accountants and auditors to the POA from the1st June 2012 until 31st May 2017.NEC Carried – NEC/Finance Committee

10.Once a suitably appropriate and willing existing credit union is sourced, conference authorises the NEC, on behalf of the membership to enter into a partnership arrangement with them.NEC Carried – NEC/Finance Committee

11.All our national committee members in the UK are treated equally with remunerations and expenses.CORNTON VALE Withdrawn

12.Conference condemns “the membership recruitment competition”.CORNTON VALE Lost

13.Conference instructs the Executive Committee of the Welfare Fund, to revisit the application for assistance document and develop a less intrusive and more dignified application form.CORNTON VALE Lost

14.Conference authorises the Executive committee of the POA Welfare Fund to enact a 3 month suspension of the word “ANY” from rule E1 of the POA Welfare constitution. Thus allowing non-contributing members another opportunity to join the charity. NEC Carried – Welfare Committee

15.That on joining the POA new members are given a 50% reduction in their POA subs for the first 12 months, thus encouraging recruitment.EDINBURGH Lost

16.That any new member of staff joining the prison service is asked to join the POA and is covered for the first year free, after which their subscription will start on the second year.ROCHESTER Lost

17.To debate the inclusion of managers as representatives of the POA at local and national levels. Furthermore, do we support the Rules and Constitution that allows any member to be elected to such positions?SWALESIDE Debated

18.That Jim Dawson is awarded Honorary Life membership of the POA.NEC Carried – NEC

19.That with effect from 1st January 2013, the Miscellaneous Expenses Grant (MEG) paid to members of the POA National Executive Committee and Full Time Officers is reduced to £2500.00 per year gross. Any future increase or change in the MEG will be subject to approval from Annual Conference. The Expenses Manual to be updated to reflect this change.WORMWOOD SCRUBS Falls – No Seconder

DISPERSAL OF MOTIONSS


29-34 Motions.indd 30 7/6/12 13:09:13



20.That a vote of “no confidence” be given to the POA NEC for their decision to close the Latchmere House branch without first informing and discussing the proposal with the Latchmere House branch committee.WORMWOOD SCRUBS Falls – No Seconder

21.Due to the failure of the NEC to enact conference motion 42/2010 which stated, “Because of the political spin used by NOMS management board regarding the outcomes of staff surveys and the fact that information gathered in these surveys is used against the POA when submissions are made to the PSPRB. This Association adopts a policy of non-participation in any future surveys and instead conducts its own survey to act as a direct contrast HOLME HOUSE.We ask Conference censures the NEC for failing in two years to enact this motion.HOLME HOUSE Lost

22.That the NEC be censored for failing to mount national opposition to the Specification Benchmarking and Costings programme as per Motion 21/2010.RISLEY Lost

23.Once an incident occurs that subsequently leads to an investigation, members who have joined the POA after the event are not represented for the period prior to becoming a member of the Union.MORTON HALL Withdrawn

24.That the NEC should provide representation where a member of staff could face losing their job on either a disciplinary or capability hearing.BRINSFORD Lost

24A.Conference welcomes the release of Liliany Obando on the 1st March 2012 from the Buen Pastor prison Bogota and recognise the part that the POA played in that release.Further, Conference supports the Justice for Colombia Peace Campaign and asks members to contact their MP asking them to call for peace in Colombia. Conference notes that more information is available on this at –www.justiceforcolombia.org/campaigns/peace/Conference continues to support Justice for Colombia and their campaigns, and encourage branches and individual members to affiliate to Justice for Colombia, to support their work in solidarity with Colombian trade unions.NEC Carried – NEC/Parliamentary Committee

25.Conference mandates the NEC to lobby Parliament for a change in Employment Law that the burden of proof is changed from one of probability to one of beyond reasonable doubt.LIVERPOOL

Carried – NEC/Parliamentary Committee

26.That the NEC actively seek to recruit Operational Support Grades into the Union by way of the national OSG committee.CHELMSFORD Lost

27.That the NEC do not take part in any roadshows in support of the Ministry of Justice or their policies.CHELMSFORD Lost

28.We call upon Conference to continue and give emphasis to their work with other constables within the Criminal Justice System, notably the Police Federation, with the view of forming a joint working in order to strengthen both sides in future negotiations with the Home Office of Government.STOCKEN Withdrawn

29.That the NEC organise at a national level a C&R planned removal and riot demonstration for MPs. Ideally targeting those MPs over the age of 65. Then cascade out to all branches to invite their local MP to see a local demonstration of a cell removal.HOLME HOUSE Carried – NEC

30.Branches who wish to withdraw a motion once Conference has begun must give a reason for the withdrawal at the lectern; any branch wishing to take the motion forward should be given the chance to move the motion. Once the reasons for withdrawal have been established conference should vote on whether or not to allow the motion to be withdrawn.MORTON HALL Withdrawn

31.That this Association make available Rally pack for regional TUC events and rallies, for use by Branches; these are to be held at Cronin House and each of the regional offices.It is suggested that each pack contains the basics of a table, some chairs, gazebo or other form of shelter and a banner highlighting the POA and any campaign that is on-going at the time.POA memorabilia will be at the discretion of the Finance Officer to decide what is included.BURE Carried – NEC/Finance Committee

32.That when the NEC ballots the membership for Industrial Action/Strike Action that two separate proposals are mandated.FORD Lost

33.With effect from 1st July 2012, all Whitley meetings attended by members of the POA National Executive Committee and/or any full time official of the POA, to be minuted and all minutes published to the membership by way of POA circular within 3 months of the meeting.WORMWOOD SCRUBS Carried – NEC

34.Conference instructs the NEC to invite back the Northern Irish pipeband to National Conference as they have been part of the folklore of our Conference.CORNTON VALE Lost

OPERATIONS

35.That NOMS should introduce a framework for the categorisation of Detainees in line with the prison estate to ensure Staff and Detainee Health and Safety is not jeopardised.MORTON HALL Carried – Operations Committee

35A. (Was 69)The NEC seek that all IRCs be immediately re-risk assessed and all SSOW are reviewed once a categorisation of detainees has been established to ensure safe working conditions for all.MORTON HALL Carried – Operations Committee

29-34 Motions.indd 31 7/6/12 13:09:25



35B.That the conference supports a mandate for the NEC to seek negotiations with both UKBA and NOMS to establish a zero tolerance policy within all NOMS run Immigration Removal Centres with immediate effect, with the aim of this policy being implemented as soon as possible and no later than by 2013 conference.MORTON HALL Carried – Operations Committee

36.That the NEC seek from the Prison Service full disclosure on HMP Ford staff only the Mulholland report into the disturbance at HMP Fordon 01.01.11.FORD Carried – NEC/Operations Committee

37.The NEC to negotiate with NOMS a nationally agreed policy of what is acceptable in an MSL.WYMOTT Carried – Operations Committee

38.That the NEC insist that NOMS apply the Specification and Benchmark to administration staff in the same way that they apply it to discipline staff.HOLME HOUSE Lost

39.The branch calls upon Conference to fully embrace the 1952 Prison Act notably that, every prison officer whist acting as such has all the Powers of a Constable (Prisons Act 1952 15 & 16 geo 6 and Eliz 2 section 8).STOCKEN Carried – Operations Committee

HR

40.The NEC negotiate with NOMS as part of the OSG agreement the OSG grade be allowed to undertake constant watches.STYAL Withdrawn

41.That the NEC have the fitness test removed and replaced with the health screening test which is currently in service in the Scottish Prison Service.ROCHESTER Carried – HR Committee

42.That if the current proposals to raise the pensionable age of prison officers is adopted that the Prison Service immediately ends the practice of mandatory fitness testing for prison officers on the grounds of equal opportunities, age discrimination and disability discrimination. If this is refused then it would be challenged legally through the courts.SWINFEN HALL Falls

43.Due to the proposed pensions changes and subsequent increase in retirement age of prison staff. The NEC to negotiate with NOMS a reduction in the minimum mandatory fitness test requirement of staff over the age of 60, to a standard which is fair and reasonable.STYAL Falls

44.Conference mandates the NEC to challenge the ethics and legality of the mandatory fitness test; regarding members aged over 60 years old. Given that the present test is based on the ability to carry out basic C&R when our employer fails to recognise prison officers as “front line” staff.HOLLESLEY BAY Falls

45.In the light of the changes to the retirement age of prison officers, the NEC negotiate reasonable adjustments to the fitness test to allow for a drop in personal fitness ability as we age.STOCKEN Falls

46.That the NEC seek to reach an agreement with the appropriate body that any sickness taken by staff due to injury at work should not count within KPT figures for the establishment.STOKE HEATH Lost

47.That the Prison Service immediately end the practice of fitness test supervisors taking the blood pressure reading of staff who have declared themselves being treated by their Doctor for high blood pressure. This should only be done by qualified medical staff in private.SWINFEN HALL Falls

48.That the NEC seek to reach an agreement with the appropriate body that any sickness taken by staff due to accidents at work should not count within KPT figures for the establishment.STOKE HEATH Lost

49.That the NEC seek to reach an agreement with the appropriate body that any sickness taken by staff due to assault at work should not count within KPT figures for the establishment.STOKE HEATH Lost

50.The NEC negotiate with NOMS a nationally agreed policy for the facilitating and granting of annual leave.WYMOTT Lost

51.That the current process for gaining references for future employers by staff who have left the service is reviewed by the relevant Whitley Committee, with a view to making the process relevant to the needs of ex staff and their prospective employers.WORMWOOD SCRUBS Carried – HR Committee

52.That the NEC seeks to agree with the Prison Service that when a prison is to be closed, staff in that establishment will be offered “voluntary redundancy” as well as suitable redeployment to other establishments.WORMWOOD SCRUBS Lost

53.Debate the rising age of prison officers against the stationary age of the prisoner population and the effect it will have on our members.CORNTON VALE Debated

54.That this Union enters into a national failure to agree on the impact that the extra savings that branches have been burdened with, due to the cost of incremental pay scales not being accounted for at the start of the financial year.This is over and above the 10% that we have already been told to save from our budgets.HOLME HOUSE Withdrawn

55.Staff who attend the establishment in cases of emergency for Payment Plus should not have those hours put on the bloodline. The bloodline should only be used when staff volunteer with prior notice.MORTON HALL Lost

56.When a senior officer volunteers to “act down” for payment plus they agree to be included to cover officer shortfalls should they have the lowest TOIL balance should payment plus not be available.MORTON HALL Withdrawn

29-34 Motions.indd 32 7/6/12 13:09:35



57.Conference mandates the NEC to negotiate with NOMS that in the process of the Conduct and Discipline the hearing authority should reside with a Governor from outside of the establishment.LIVERPOOL Lost

58.In line with efficiency savings the JSAC process is discontinued and replaced with a Promotion Board for uniformed staff.LIVERPOOL Carried – HR Committee

59.That the NEC engage in urgent discussions with NOMS regarding the sickness policy that full time staff are suffering a detriment when measured against those on part time/work life balance or compressed hours.CHELMSFORD Carried – HR Committee

59A.That Conference Condemns Prison Governors, Deputy Directors of Custody and The Prisons Board for flagrantly abusing discretionary roles contained within Fair and Sustainable. Thus placing individual establishments at risk of privatisation should they be Market Tested as they will be unable to complete financially with private sector companies.RISLEY Carried – NEC

HEALTH AND SAFETY

60.That the POA actively pursue a total ban on smoking in HM Prisons in order to protect staff from second hand smoke which is a proven significant health risk.HOLME HOUSE

Carried – Health and Safety Committee

REPORT BACKS

61.That the NEC report back on Hollesley Bay motion 114/2011 and informs Conference what has been achieved in regards to challenging PSI 49/2010. Given that this instruction has severe implications to security and good order of prisons.HOLLESLEY BAY Report Back

62.That the NEC report back on the progress of Annual Conference Motion 61/2011, with regards to the comprehensive examination of the current POA structures.HOLME HOUSE Report Back

SECURITY AND CUSTODY

63.That the NEC negotiate with NOMS to provide uniformed staff with one good quality pair of footwear per year.HUNTERCOMBE Lost

64.That the NEC negotiate with NOMS for the reintroduction of the boot and shoe allowance. HUNTERCOMBE

Carried – Security and Custody Committee

65.That prison officers working in the open estate and in particular at Thorn Cross be issued with batons.THORN CROSS


66.Conference debates the rise in violence and assaults within Prisons in order to highlight the vulnerability of staff working in PrisonsNEC Debated

67.That Conference accepts that all prison officers must be fully trained in PACE as are all other constables within the Criminal Justice SystemSTOCKEN Lost

68.That the NEC look at the Mutual Aid Agreement with regard to public sector prisons responding to disturbances and providing other support in privately run prisons, to ascertain which are provided at nil cost.CHELMSFORD


69. (Now 35A)

70.This Conference adopts the motion that all prisons; whether public or private; should staff their security departments with prison officers in roles that involve the making of operational decisions and in any area where the Powers of a Constable are needed.STOCKEN Withdrawn

MARKET TESTING/COMPETITION

71.That Conference debate the policy of the Union on engagement in the Market Test/Competition process.MOORLAND Debated

72.That this Union re-affirm the policy of engagement with the Market Test/Competition process.MOORLAND Carried – NEC

73.This Union withdraws its engagement from the Market Test/Competition process.MOORLAND Falls

73A. (Was 78)Conference debate the impact on the Service in general and the Union in particular of NOMS entering into partnerships with the private sector.MOORLAND Debated

74.We call for the NEC to form a Market Test strategy group utilising experienced staff from prisons with the aim of providing advice and guidance for our members to win a future Market Test.HOLME HOUSE Carried – NEC

75.Conference debates the issue ... If the Government allow a Private Sector to compete for Custodial Business on a contract, are the staff who work in the Private Sector not a part of that contract with particular regard to Personal Protection and terms and conditions of employment? If Public Sector Bids have to be adjusted to create a level playing field, why should a Private Sector Employer gain an advantage by paying less for its staff and their terms and conditions of employment?BIRMINGHAM Debated

76.That individual branches that are subject to a market test are the only body that has the right to endorse a bid on behalf of the members. Where the bids are for clusters, a collective workplace ballot will be conducted for all the sites included within the bid.BIRMINGHAM Withdrawn

29-34 Motions.indd 33 7/6/12 13:09:51



77.To debate the inclusion of the private sector as a partner within the public sector bids unit.SWALESIDE Withdrawn

78. (Now 73A)

78A.That Conference debates NOMS decision to privatise sections of its workforce and the consequences this decision has upon OSGs and all other members.NEC Debated

78B.That Conference ratifies the decision of the NEC on the 17th April 2012 to ballot all OSGs for industrial action in a response to all OSGs work and OSG’s being transferred to MITIE as part of the Public Sector Bids.NEC Carried – NEC

78C.That this Conference hold a vote of confidence in NOMS following their action by entering into a Partnership Agreement with MITIE and then contracting out all of the work of OSGs as part of this Public Sector Bids without engagement with this Union.NEC Lost – NEC

78D.That Conference condemn NOMS and their decision to privatise sections of its workforce without consideration to the effects this decision has upon OSGs and all other members.NEC Withdrawn – NEC

PRIVATISATION

79.Conference mandates the POA Private Sector Committee be organised to include two representatives from within the membership of each Private Sector Employer. That the representative will be a Branch Committee Chair or Secretary or Committee person and be voted to the Private Sector Committee by the whole of that particular Private Sector Employer’s membership of the POA.BIRMINGHAM Lost

80.Conference mandates the POA Private Sector Committee be organised and include representation from within the membership of each Private Sector Branch. That the representative will be the Branch Chair and Branch Secretary or a delegate from the Branch Committee.BIRMINGHAM Withdrawn

81.Conference mandates that the minutes of the Private Sector Committee Meetings be published in the manner of Full NEC Meeting minutes, to the Membership on a Branch Circular.BIRMINGHAM Carried – NEC

82.That the NEC enquire into whether senior NOMS staff are allowed to when retiring /transferring or leaving the prison service, can immediately go and work in the custodial service provided by the private sector.CHELMSFORD Carried – NEC

82A.The POA condemns NOMS and SSCHRPay Admin for their handling of the Uniform pensionable pay underpayments and the manner in which they informed the people affected by the mistakeFurthermore The National Executive negotiate with NOMS SSCHR-Pay Admin and any other relevant parties for any back dated payments under of Uniform pensionable pay contributions to be waived.BURE Withdrawn

PENSIONS

83.That this Association condemns those responsible for agreeing to the terms of the NUVOS Pension Scheme for prison officers, firstly for not engaging the membership and discussing it and secondly for agreeing a retirement age of 65 for prison officers.DUMFRIES Lost

83A.That Conference commends the NEC for instructing this association to take national action on Thursday 10th May 2012 over the linkage of the Normal Pension Age to the State Pension Age and further instructs the NEC to increase the campaign for a realistic retirement age for prison officers by taking similar national action in the future.HOLME HOUSE Carried – NEC

84.That the Finance Officer look into the feasibility of our own or TUC Pension Scheme, as an alternative to the MOJs career average pension scheme which they are imposing.WINCHESTER Lost

85.That the NEC seek a reduction in the rate of actuarial reduction from staff who wish to retire at their original contracted age of retirement so that these staff do not suffer any detriment.DUMFRIES Carried – NEC

86.That the POA respond to the criticism of gold plated civil service pensions and highlight the fact by producing figures that this was in fact deferred salary.CHELMSFORD Lost

29-34 Motions.indd 34 7/6/12 13:10:09

“Conference authorises the Executive Committee of the POA Welfare Fund to enact a 3 month suspension of the word ANY from rule E1 of the POA Welfare Fund constitution. Thus allowing non-contributing members another opportunity to join the Charity”.

POA WELFARE FUNDNON-CONTRIBUTING MEMBERSIn accordance with Annual Conference motion 14/2012

WELFARE FUND

This article is to inform all eligible POA members who are not contributing to the POA Welfare Fund Charity of this one final opportunity to join the charity.

The Charity’s objectives are in the relief of the poor and of sickness.

In brief, in satisfying these objects, the assistance can include grants of money in the form of:

• Weekly allowances • Special payments to relieve sudden distress • Payment of travelling expenses for

visiting people, for example in hospital, convalescent home, children’s homes etc

• Donations to other charities • Payments to assist in meeting electricity, gas

and water bills, or payment of television license fees

• The provision of items such as furniture, bedding, clothing, food, fuel, heating appliances washing machines and fridges, radio or television sets for the lonely, the bedridden or the housebound

• Payment for services such as essential house decorating, insulation and repairs, laundering, Meals on Wheels, outings and entertainment, child minding.

The Welfare Fund Charity also funds attendance of POA members at the Fire Fighters rehabilitation centres.

The Welfare Fund cannot furnish assistance in debt related matters.

The monthly contribution to the charity is 50p and you can ascertain if you are anon-contributing member by simply checking your latest bank statement –

• If your POA subscriptions are £13.50 you are contributing and need do nothing

• If you pay only £13.00 you are not contributing to the Welfare Fund and should take this opportunity to join as only those POA members contributing to the charity are eligible to receive assistance from it.

If you wish to take up this final opportunity to join the POA Welfare Fund Charity please complete the pro-forma (overleaf ) which must be received by the membership department at Cronin House no later than midday onFriday 24 August 2012.

A Full copy of the POA Welfare Fund Charity constitution can be found on the POA website at www.poauk.org.uk all members of the charity are bound by its constitution.

Pete Chapple Finance Officer


PLEASE TURN OVER FOR

APPLICATION FORM

35 Welfare Fund.indd 35 7/6/12 12:49:06

POA WELFARE FUND CHARITY MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION (ACM 14/2012)

In accordance with the provisions of POA Annual Conference Motion 14/2012I wish to become a member of the POA Welfare Fund Charity.

I accept in doing so I will be bound by its constitution.

Full name: .....................................................................................................................................................................................

POA membership number: .........................................................................................................................................................

Home address: .............................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................................................

Establishment or place of employment: .....................................................................................................................................

Signature: .................................................................................... Date: ....................................................................................

Please return this form to:The Membership Department, Cronin House, 245 Church Street, Edmonton, London N9 9HW.

(Photocopies are acceptable).

WELFARE FUND


35 Welfare Fund.indd 36 7/6/12 12:50:43

TUBERCULOSIS GUIDANCE FOR INCIDENTS AND OUTBREAKS IN PRISONS

very helpful fl ow charts, which we suggest are made available in your POA offi ce for reference. These fl ow charts are clear and lay out both the routes to take and the lines of communication and responsibility in the prevention and control of this infectious disease.

We have printed the extract in order that you are properly informed that there is a procedure to follow which is mandatory and clear. The information will hopefully give both guidance and instil confi dence that we have a robust and practical procedure in place for the Prison Service. We suggest that you obtain a full copy of the report which will be available from your Governor, via health care or contact the Health Protection Agency on www.hpa.org.uk

Tuberculosis is to be taken seriously;it may well become a growing problem. It is our duty to protect one another.

Good health and best wishes.

Tom RobsonNational Vice Chairman &Chairman of the Nursing & Health Care Offi cers’ Consultative Committee

information will hopefully give both guidance and instil confi dence that we have a robust and practical procedure in place for the Prison Service. We suggest that you obtain a full copy of the report which will be available from your Governor, via health care or contact the Health Protection Agency on www.hpa.org.uk

The Health Care Committee is keen to support this article by reminding the membership that

guidance is available and has been agreed as the policy to be adopted in circumstances when TB is suspected or becomes a real problem.

The POA Health Care Committee had input into the content of the policy, in consultation with the Off ender Health Directorate at its Whitley meetings.

Prevention and controlIn order to help the membership, we have reproduced the front cover and just two pages from the document. These pages consist of two

On page 71 of the April 2012 edition of Gatelodge the article called ‘Tuberculosis a Warning’ was produced for us by a personal injury lawyer, giving advice about this infection, its symptoms and culture.

Tuberculosis is on the increase

HEALTHCARE


37 healthcare TB.indd 37 11/6/12 15:15:47

HEALTHCARE



BRANCH NEWS


It may be somewhat crass to compare Winchester with Titanic, but many here feel that Winchester has hit its own iceberg with these profiles, and that there are certainly not enough lifeboats for all the crew at the prison.

Winchester is an old prison (it opened in 1849) and it has a long and noble history. Staff were once proud to say they worked at Winchester, heads were held high, and chests puffed out when they talked about the place, sadly that pride has been all but beaten out of us in recent years by managers who only have their own agenda at the forefront of their mind.

But there is optimism that the phoenix of Winchester will rise once more and give new birth and hope from the ashes of the staff whose moral has been shattered by said managers, and that once again we will be able to say with a glowing pride that we work at Winchester Prison.

ProfilesThe story behind the new profiles is not happy one. Senior management wanted engagement and input from the branch committee. This engagement and input was duly given, only to find that management’s idea of engagement and input was to have the occasional meeting, (for which branch committee members actually had to arrange their own joint interest time) lasting about an hour. At these meetings we were told what management were going to do with the profiles, when we raised any objections to what was being proposed, or offered any thoughts of our own, we were told “this is what we are going to do, and if you don’t like it, bad luck”. So much for the Governor’s wish to improve relationships between management and unions. Clearly his idea of improving relationships is to dictate and control, because, he is, after all said and done, in charge, and because he is in charge, he is always right, and we, and everyone else is always wrong.

However, we do, and did, accept and acknowledge, that management has the right to manage, and so, it was with this at the forefront, that the profiles were not FTAed and to allow management to do, what they are paid to do. MANAGE.

It remains to be seen how the profiles will

impact on us all, but one thing is certain, it will be down to humble prison officers to maintain the peace and keep control when the system is failing and breaking down, while in the meantime, management hold their head in their hands asking what to do, while blaming everyone else for their mistakes.

Messages• To our new members of staff; we wish a

hearty welcome and hope that you find all you are looking for

• To our long term sick; we wish a full recovery• To our new mums and dads; we say may all

your nappies be full and your nights sleepless• To our senior managers; we wish the

foresight and wisdom for them to make changes before someone is seriously injured

• To all in the prison we say; stay with the faith, if we work together we will overcome, and return the prison to place it once was.

And finally, you know you’re getting old when you know the words to songs by the ‘Pet Shop Boys’ when they’re played on the radio.

April 2012 saw the nation commemorating the sinking of RMS Titanic and remembering the 1,500 souls lost. Here at Winchester, April saw us waiting with anticipation the imposition of new profiles in May.

WINCHESTER

41-51 Branch News.indd 41 11/6/12 15:22:27


BRANCH NEWS

HIGHPOINT SOUTH

It has been a while since anyone from our establishment sent anything in so I have taken it upon myself to put fingers to the keyboard to enlighten the membership of the ups and downs of “screw life” here in sunny Suffolk.

What have we put up with so far this year and what have we to look forward to?

• Yet another profile• More cuts less staff• Less pension• More contributions• Petrol increasing in price• New Governor• Fair and Sustainable• Ridiculous changes implemented• Incredibly stupid disciplinaries • Jerry Fielding retiring• And lots more.

Summer of discontent (otherwise known as new Profiles)So British Summertime is on its way. And it’s raining. Although we have drought warnings up and down the country, it is April and it’s raining, raining, raining. What a great start to the summer months. If that was not enough doom and gloom, read on.

The reason I mention the weather is that with our new profiles, we have binned two OSGs opening gates and letting prisoners through in favour of employing two officers full time to do it... What a great saving! And that is without cutting staffing.

So the profile has been implemented. The vote was apparently very close and it got voted in by the skin of its teeth, considering it is the management’s profile not the staffs it will never ever work - and guess what? It doesn’t.

Cutting staff on units but still with the same number of prisoners.... But don’t worry, they are trusted and enhanced. No. They are prisoners! When will the management realise this? If they are so good, take them home with you and you look after them.

Another corking idea is during the low points during the morning and afternoon, let’s reduce the staffing and get them to do other jobs, and then they can go back and help feed and lock up. What job around the prison only happens between 08:30 – 11:00? I can only think of one. Not sure where everyone goes?

The core day• Start time 08:00• Unlock 08:00• Move to labour 08:15. How does that work then?

Bell test. • Commence bell test at 07:35 when patrol

staff arrive at 07:30. • They carry on calling this on the net till 08:10

when the rest of the staff come on duty. JUST SHUT UP...

There is so much radio noise now that I know that a lot of officers turn their radios down so they miss important radio messages, then radio in to find out what’s happening... Compounded impact. Never. Let’s hope that they are never needed in an emergency.

And let’s change all the OSG’s lunch break from 12:30 – 13:30 to 12:00 – 13:00. Why? Everyone else’s lunch is 12:30 – 13:30, so why change it? So now we have OSGs doing nothing across a two hour period instead of one hour.

So yet again, another profile that does not work properly and was apparently put together by someone from outside the establishment who never even entered the prison. It is rumoured that he jumped ship to the private sector for a pound of flesh. The only other people that were involved with the profile were... yes, you guessed it, Management. I am also led to believe that our Camms department also had a hand in the cuts... That’s great as they are uniform staff, not management. Sometimes they forget this fact.

Summer of discontent – Take 2What other wonderful things have we to look forward to? April’s pay packet when we see how much extra pension will disappear from spending money. And we can look forward to it happening again in 2013, and again in 2014. What does that buy you? Nothing. The only thing it gives you is less pension when you do eventually retire. I have, like others, probably another 25 to 27 years till I get mine. So I will contribute in excess of £20,000 to this stupid Government for their failings and get sod all out of it. Thanks.

Couple this with the price of fuel, at home and for the car, and I have even less to spend on my family and children. Cheers Osbourne. Try living on our wages. Now, they have said that public offices have to save another five percent just in case we need it. Take it from the banks and financial institutions that are using the taxpayers’ money for funding their big lunches

and bonuses.When the committee kept on trying to

get us to attend a protest March in London, it got on my nerves. Leave me alone, it does not affect me. Now I can see the affects. It affects everyone. I pay my dues to the Union and we are all well informed, though I hardly ever read Bungle’s e-mails, now I wish I had paid a little more attention. I would have gone to London. I would have protested. Fellow staff at Highpoint; watch out, because they (Government or Management) will screw you one way or another.

Unfair and UnsustainableThis Fair and Sustainable rubbish. Lots of stuff on the Intranet about it, but not overly sure how it affects me. According to the Bungle circulars that I have read, as long as I don’t sign my life away to new terms and conditions, nothing changes. It seems that those on “specialist” jobs may have problems, but hey, I am a basic screw, doing a basic job and for basic pay. Do I want to lose any more money? No. A friend of mine in the NHS said that they had something similar to this called “Agenda for Change” and that they are still fighting about some of the changes... It was implemented a few years ago. So don’t hold out any hope that if this goes Pete Tong, it will change. It won’t.

New broomWe have yet another new Governor, Governor Damian Evans formerly ofThe Mount. Seems OK. That is if you ever see him. What is it with these Governors? They are rarer than an Ipswich win, or like a Wolves win, even rarer. When you say to any of them we never see you, they reply we get is “we come round every day”. In fairness that is true. They sign the visitor log and observation book and leave. Thanks for that. He has been here for about two maybe three months and I think I have seen him once. The only reason I know what any of the Governors look like is because there are pictures at the gate.

For years we have received the meals from the kitchen, set them up and dished them out and banged up on time. Now we are expected to line the routes, then immediately commence exercise for 30 minutes and not start to do the meals till 12 and start bang up at 12:15. Have the Governors ever worked on a wing before? I am sure that they do not know what goes on.

TBSR or MBSR?Another little gem that is on the go at the moment is TBSR. The management now want to restrict what we can and cannot apply for.

41-51 Branch News.indd 42 7/6/12 13:25:53


BRANCH NEWS

HIGHPOINT SOUTH

There was a branch meeting that I attended in the Visits Hall, and it was obvious what they wanted was to have an easy life in Camms and to stop those staff rostering themselves what they wanted and more towards what the establishment wanted. To me, this is not TBSR but MBSR, Management Based Self Rostering. So we are currently voting on whether we accept the new compact or not. Talking to others on my unit, they are scared that the Dep will take it away if it is not voted in. Is this not supposed to be put through our committee first? Did they not say in the meeting that this had never been negotiated? Was there not a management table in the room trying to defend it? Just think who was on that table. Nuff said.

Local news There have been some high points at Highpoint over the last few months. Paul and Louise Spurling had a new addition (Paul was hoping for a new cricket bat, but got a baby instead). The Highpoint 5 a side football team lifted the Service’s Cup beating the Norwich Police 7-1. I picked up my new boots from stores... Sorry that was a low point.

One of our nicer Officers is retiring this month and will be missed. Jerry Fielding. Seems to have been here forever - always smiling. Rides his bikes back and forth to work every day, picking up litter in his carrier bag, and then takes on the unenviable task of “Piss Tester”. How did he do that for so long? Still, a good night was had by all those that attended his bash down the Barny Arms and I thought I saw a tear... But that was when he had to buy his own beer. Happy retirement Jerry.

So there you have it, a view from one of the members on the wings for a change and not from one of the cushy “job for the boys” committee members. Let’s wait and see what happens this year when it is open house at Highpoint and with reduced staffing levels we try an put away almost 1,000 prisoners on a hot sunny day, serve them their lunches and they all refuse or a mass brawl starts because they will now be able to get into each other’s compound because we have no staff.When does safe become unsafe?Thanks for listening to my rants.

Happy days. The Ghost writer

Ian was diagnosed with terminal cancer at the turn of the year and was taken from us onI April 2012. The huge turnout for his funeral was a show of lan’s popularity both inside the jail and in the community.

Our thoughts are with his family Angela, Scott and Gemma. Special mention to Jim Callander for assisting and supporting Ian and his family through these difficult times.

The good wishes of us all go out to Big Tam’s missus who had quite a serious road accident. Our good wishes go to him and his family.

New management teamPartnership in Dumfries has turned a significant comer and has improved dramatically over the past twelve months with the arrival of a new management team (including three members of the POA(S) in their ranks!) We currently have no failure to agree (which is a first for Dumfries for a considerable period of time) and relationships between individuals on both sides has improved considerably. This is down to both sides acting like adults!

As a distinguished colleague stated:“The key to good industrial relations is not now

you agree; it’s how you disagree,”We welcome all the new recruits to

Dumfries. Some have seen the light and joined the POA; some unfortunately are undecided because Big Tam was nightshirt!

Explaining the benefits and the recruitment of new members is the role of ALL members not just the local committee.

The secret diary of Dickie aged 44 and three quartersApril - fell off my bike today at the traffic lights - somebody had tied my shoes to the pedals! Nobody helped me.

Special mentionsSpecial mention this month regarding:• Our resident chef, Yig Apparently his pockets are now always full with sweets, in particular, Midget Gems. Yig was heard to say: “I like a wee midget now and again”!

• Big Aidy For buying100 sick bags from Ryan Air for staff nights out! Keeping his food down!

• Toddy For leaving nights out early -AGAIN!A special thanks to Jim Davidson andNeil Hainey (our detached duty officers) for assisting us with staff shortages and nights out!

Quote of the Month “What’s the Union doing about this?”

DOONHAMER

DUMFRIESUnfortunately, we start with very sad news from Dumfries. (Clouds appeared when we were informed) of our dear friend and colleague, Ian Ken, passing away to that great rugby field in the sky.

41-51 Branch News.indd 43 7/6/12 13:27:38


BRANCH NEWS

If Carlsberg did rumours? Anyway rumour control has it that we might be getting a new computer-style entry system for the car park. By the time this goes to print it will probably have been hacked into, duplicated and the cards up for grabs for anybody with a sob story. Anyway, it has to be cheaper than having someone from the head shed stood at the barrier for a couple of hours with a bit of backbone taking fobs off people who aren’t authorised to have them and asking civilian staff “why are you in the car park at 0630hrs when you don’t start work till 0830?!” But you never know, if someone complains it might not even go ahead, which is more than likely. Anyway, Offi cer Vince and his chapter of the Chelmsford Mucky Muppets Motorbike Club are planning to do a car park fl ash mob; one bike, one parking bay. Hey, MOT, tax and insured, why not?

After all, the secure motorbike park has been removed to make way for car parking. This leaves a designated bike parking area for about fi ve motorbikes, at a push. Dare ya Mr Vince? Have you got the minerals? (That ‘minerals’ comment was for all you southern shandy drinkers.) Because atIan Campbell’s leaving do, I saw the other person who attended ask for a larger top. Since when has the Odd Fellows been a cocktail bar? I would love to see an umbrella in Paul Cook’s Guinness.

Anyway I digress.

On the menu today...Governor Kev Fresle (AKA the milkman from the Coco Pops advert) has pulled or torn something. Do we know? Do we care? It was probably done when he had his annual wallet opening event. Just as an off -the-cuff comment, have you ever looked at what people bring to work for dinner?Offi cer Bownes had a Tupperware box fi lled with what could only be described as a packed lunch for the gibbon house at Colchester Zoo; two bananas, two apples, two pears and a tangerine. Offi cer Johnson eats non-stop; yours, his, and anybody else’s food he can get his crab-like hands on, and he always eats in a corner, with his back to the wall, like an angry Jack Russell. Vic Watson hovers about looking over your shoulder like a stray dog looking for scraps whereas our illustrious senior offi cer Clavey better known as Chubs in the security department can’t understand why he’s put on a few pounds. It might have something to do with you shovelling anything in your gob that’s dead and being addicted to the naughty boy sweets on off er daily from Storming Norman Duncan.

Hi de hi campers and welcome to sunny Chelmsford’s news, views, sleaze and slander instalment. Where truth and fact should never be confused with a good scandal or a sniff of gossip.

NewsAt Chelmsford, we have our very own staff suggestion box. Yeah OK, after you’ve trolled through the usual suggestions that, let’s be honest, some are a physical impossibility and some are against the law and would involve the RSPCA. I was informed that one suggestion was that Offi cer Moran should be entered in a lady boy look-a-like contest on Canvey Island. Please feel free to phone him up and ask him how he got on...

Anyway let’s get back to news about the prison. Offi cer John Cook has a new nickname, so I’ve been informed. From now on he should be known as Autoglass. I was told that the reason for this new nickname is because he can’t ignore a chip. Oh, and please don’t mention to Offi cer Snowden that his Land Rover is reminiscent of a Trumpton fi re engine, gets a bit tetchy does our Jeff . Ding ding.

‘Where’s my detail’ Joy Howden was asked to go on a sponsored no-swear day. 15.2 seconds later and fi ve quid lighter it was declared untenable. Were also going to put a length of string on her detail and thread it through her sleeves just like the mittens ya mum used to make you wear as she always loses the detail and goes into rant mode.

On a slightly brighter side, who were the two offi cers in the communications room, performing a blood sugar level test with the dulcet tones of ‘your fi nger’s too hard it’s going to hurt,’ ‘look now its bleeding,’ ‘see told you it wouldn’t hurt once it’s in,’

This was beaming over the radio as it was on permanent send. The phone and radio were red hot, but you couldn’t make out what people were saying due to the laughter on the other end. Offi cer Chittenden put this down as a ‘what-not-to-do in the communications room’ project. At time of writing Emma Brown is on her last day at work before she has her baby. Funny how this coincides with the new Ridley Scot alien fi lm. Remember Steve no one can hear you scream in Southend - we wish you well. UPDATE: It’s a girl! Maisy Jean at 7lb 6oz, loads of hair; more than Steve has at the moment and certainly more than he will have in a couple of months.

Anyway I’ve been informed the Governor will be renting out his offi ce to either Comet, PC world or Curry’s as he has 26 plug sockets in his offi ce. Honest, 26. Never use the word ‘some’ to the works department i.e. “Could you fi t ‘some’ plug sockets in my offi ce?”

Pee Wee McLoughlin has been told to man up after his selection of music was bought into question. I mean, you can only listen to so many love ballads before you start ordering a Babycham and putting little sparklers and umbrellas in it. Offi cer France was mortifi ed and nearly dropped his crème-de-menthe.

Anyway back to what’s been happening around this place.I read Bullwood Hall’s last jottings in relation to the staff awards given out for 15, 20 and 25 years in service. All I can say to that is, ‘ain’t you the lucky ones!’

Not one person at Chelmsford has got a sniff of an award in relation for long service, [NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE MEDALS] but get nominated for doing what you’re paid to do, and you get vouchers. Mmmm.

Reference long service awards, please feel free to email phone or knock onGovernor Lee-Ann Williams’s door as she’s told me she needs as much information as possible on long serving members of staff . Ohhh this should be good - can I have a tankard for my ten? A plaque for my fi fteen and my own parking space for my scooter for my twenty please?. ‘Ere, can we have an offi cer of the month parking space? And can I have a voucher for suggesting this?

I would like this opportunity to wish Maxine Harvey well. Maxine has had the misfortune to have one arm in plaster and the other in a sling. Stop it, it’s not funny.

We all know that it’s at times like this that you know who your friends are!

That reminds me, Andrex is buy one get one free now.

I would like to end this issue of the jottings with a few words of thanks, fi rstly to the Governor and secondly to staff . This is in relation to our Maggie. Maggie passed away after a short illness and I know her illness and untimely passing came as a shock to all of us. I know we each have our memories and thoughts but I will always remember her turning up for work, on her powered pushbike each morning, moaning about that ‘poxy hill’!

Her funeral was, as expected, well attended, and a dry eye was not to be seen as the sound of the bagpipes lamented across the church grounds with staff in full uniform doing the pall bearing. All the OSG staff were in attendance to say a fi nale goodbye to Maggie, and I think she would have been moved to see how loved, respected and well thought of she was. A thank you must go to Rob Davis for letting as many staff as possible attend and also those members of staff that came in on rest day to enable other staff to attend the funeral.

PS. Any chance of some vouchers for doing the jottings?

Go on ya know ya wanna!

CHELMSFORD

41-51 Branch News.indd 44 11/6/12 15:29:18


HMP FORDSadly, I must start these jottings with the sad news of death of Maurice Young(Retired Offi cer) who died 25 February 2012.

BRANCH NEWS

Maurice retired in September 2002 and moved to Spain with his wife, Barbara, before they returned to live in Suff olk. There was a good turnout of ex offi cers from Ford at his funeral, but of those on duty who knew Maurice, only a limited number were allowed to attend. This was at the Governor’s request, and even then they had to use TOIL to attend. Our thoughts are with Barbara and their family at this sad time.

On the anniversaries of the following recently deceased members, spare a thought for them and their families:

• Offi cer Lee Gatland (15.06.08) • Offi cer Jim Heason (25.02.09) • OSG Eddie Reilly (17.03.09) • Offi cer Mark Lewendon (14.06.09) • OSG Stuart Morley (27.06.09)

You all may be gone but you’re not forgotten.

We welcome Offi cer Steve Moncriff from HMP Littlehey and OSG Dave Rintoul from HMP Latchmere House. We hope you enjoy your stay at Ford, We also say goodbye to OSG Amanda Chambers who has left to start a job nearer to home.

A year onThere was apprehension (or intrepidation) within, on the anniversary of the riot, along with the media and others people’s interest in Ford. However, pleasingly, the New Year passed off without any major incident with a

more relaxed atmosphere than last year. Big sigh of relief all round.

The court case has fi nished with thefollowing results:

Guilty of prison mutinyThomas Regan 7 years Lennie Frankin 7 years Roche Allen 7 years.

Guilty of violent disorderLennie Frankin 4 yearsRoche Allen 4 yearsCarmiel Francis 2 years and 6 monthsThomas Regan 3 years and 9 months.

All sentences run concurrently.

Sentencing for Lee Roberts has been deferred for reports, he was found guilty of arson, being reckless as to whether life was endangered and violent disorder.

Since there was no incident over the New Year period hopefully Ford can now move forward into a new era. Well done to all those staff who gave evidence in court, not made easy with the problem of collusion a major concern for the courts and police.

Categorisation of prisonersWill the events of 2011 ever happen again? Only time will tell, let’s hope we have correct category of prisoners at Ford! The categorisation of prisoners will be a major factor.

A note of caution As we move on, Ford still fi nds itself in the tabloid press. Despite what the management claims, it’s always the staff . Believe it or not prisoners have been known to phone the press or send them emails.

If the management, staff and prisoners just stuck to the rules we wouldn’t be able to give the individuals the ammunition to go to the press.

Building siteCurrently Ford looks more like a building site with the building of the new kitchen which has just been fi nished, a new fence (is that a CAT D fence?), we are fi nally being put on mains drainage and a new gym, (yes you heard correctly)

With summer on the horizon and lots of staff cycling to work, there are rumours that Ford will soon have a cycling club. If it does, it could be that the staff will enter charity events so any ideas of events are welcome and will be supported. As long as it ends at a pub!

Any bits of gossip please pass it on,Just remember it’s a jungle out there. Take care!

Caffeine man

41-51 Branch News.indd 45 12/6/12 10:36:47

HIGHDOWN Well hello and greetings from HMP Highdown.

BRANCH NEWS


I realise it’s been a long time since we’ve been in Gatelodge (ever????) and I have often wondered why there has been no input from anyone here. Not finding any answers I decided to put this right and therefore you must accept my profound apologies for the length of this editorial - so many items to cover!! We shall start with the unmentionable and then hopefully finish on a brighter theme - if I can find one in the cupboard somewhere!

Fair & SustainableNaturally we are in the process of Fair & Sustainable, all are in the dark about much of it, as are just about everyone else it seems, but the rumour mill is working three shifts plus overtime to cope for the lack of concrete or ANY information forthcoming from those in the know. It does seem that we shall be losing many of our SOs and DPSMs - though the ones spoken to have no idea of what they will be doing, most are on a wait and see/fence sitting position, in the dark as well.

From some reckoning, now don’t take this as gospel or any other type of religious verse that one mentions in order to keep the minority happy - but if you are an SO in charge of say, Regulating, Carats or the Mailroom for instance, as there are no ‘clients’ under supervision, this area does not require an SO in place, so therefore there will be many SOs without portfolio - like MPs but nowhere near the salary!

Also, running three SOs on a houseblock will change (possibly/maybe); down to two - with these two running two houseblocks - again, this could be incorrect! The next issue will be the Custodial Managers (or old POs for the advanced generation) - they will run an area, answerable to a Governor, responsible for the SOs and Officers - again, subject to debate. I must reassure all readers that this is merely speculation at this stage - or it could be true, watch the national space in theory.

Most staff are desperately trying to work out what this means to them individually and whilst trying to solve this, the payslips arrive with the new pension deductions - really good news here (NOT), as those lucky enough to receive their annual increment see it taken away just as quick with these new deductions! As for the newly qualified Officers, I can only feel sympathy for them as when shown their payslips - with student loans and so on - how DO they survive on that salary, living just outside London?

Desistence TrainingAnyway, enough of that recyclable garbage - back to the natty gritty. We are currently in the process of Desistence Training. For those who haven’t heard of this new bandwagon yet, this is training for ALL staff, whether uniformed or not, on how to speak to and treat the clients in our care. When I say clients, I of course do mean the prisoners/inmates/guests/ subjects/temporary visitors/long-staying freelancers/residents and all the other descriptions that may describe our clients - please NOTE, they are now our clients until the next re-classification!

So, this new training will teach all staff how to speak to our clients, on the basis that we must encourage them to abstain from questionable activities both when inside or outside the wire/walls/fence and so on. We are encouraged to speak to our clients and ask them what would make a difference to their adverse behaviour which unfortunately allows them to return again and again to our workplace. On trying this new skill out, a cleaner was asked what we could do to make him change his ways - the reply was “let me out of here”!

Re-profilingAnother area of this project is the dreaded re-profiling that will represent Fair & Sustainable i.e. more staff requirements with fewer staff as usual. I hear that one of the DPSMs/Governors/Custodial Managers was chatting over a weekend to staff and suggested that not only could the houseblock tasks be completed by half the workers but also then this particular houseblock could merge with another- again with the idea save staff numbers. When this person asked why this houseblock needed a certain number of workers, it was gently explained it was because of two areas within one houseblock - a fact that this ‘manager’ was totally oblivious of, and these are the people deciding our futures!

Mentioning new staff, we have had an influx of new staff here at Highdown. Some of these are brand new officers, others come from Wanno as detached whilst renovations continue over there. All of these are very welcome and the W-experience shows through - mind you, when a newly arrived Wanno regular says to you, on my first day I should have blown my whistle 10 times, you know why Highdown is called Butlins/Warners/Skeggy!

As noted in previous issues of Gatelodge, violence against staff is on the rise, and we at Highdown experience this as much as

anywhere else. We can only be grateful that no serious injuries have been experienced - but the definition of a serious injury is in question. Talking to many who have been injured over the last year - the usual stories emerge with those in the suits complaining that staff are off sick for too long, even when due to an injury caused by violence at work and on the unfortunate staff member’s return to work, they suffer threats and bullying to return to FULL duties as soon as possible. What will it take for people to realise what we ALL go through every day? A death? Regrettably, probably not as it will be blamed on anything else than lack of staff, lack of discipline, lack of CONTROL!

CLINKAs some dedicated readers may be aware, we have a facility within Highdown called the CLINK. Now, if this had been someone else, that someone would have been disciplined for using such a jail orientated word but that’s fine when honour’s happy! Forgive me, I digress. However, to those not too sure what I am talking about, the Clink is a restaurant within the walls of Highdown that provides meals (to a questionable star rating) that can be consumed by both staff and visitors. Sorry, I put that the wrong way round - to VISITORS and staff (if on their best behaviour and if there are any seats left)!

The Clink provides this service by employing our residents/clients and training them to work in a restaurant type atmosphere - rather than your average Burger King/MacDonald’s, and, I will be the first to acknowledge, allows them to experience a different kind of work experience which, in a few cases, actually benefits them on their eventual discharge from Butlins here. However, practicality must reign and this is where we are all let down - constant roll mistakes, constant sackings of employment for theft and other excesses and an incident recently that was BEYOND belief - read on:

Missing knife...A normal Tuesday afternoon had passed, freeflow, cleaning and so on. Tuesday evenings mean canteen night for half the houseblocks, (with the others shutdown so that there is enough staff to run the canteen recipients!) and the roll had just been asked for. The next thing is a radio message asking all the duty SOs to ring one number - so there’s up to eight SOs trying to ring this single number and naturally we waited, and waited, and waited until the SO rang another

41-51 Branch News.indd 46 7/6/12 13:38:39

BRANCH NEWS

houseblock to find out what was happening!We were then informed that we all had to

go and assist searching all the Clink workers as some idiot had let them return to the houseblocks before completing a tool check - once the tool check was complete it was discovered that a knife was missing - no normal knife, but an eight inch carving knife. So the Duty Governor on that night, let’s just save the blushes and name him or her as ‘wait a minute’/’let me think about this’ or ‘what shall I do’ was in the process of shouting at the Clink staff and then trying to get more staff to search - anyway, the roll came in as correct (how we don’t really know) and evening routine continued as normal - the priorities of both ‘serving the evening meal’ (feeding) and distributing canteen MORE important than locating an eight inch knife!

Fortunately the evening passed without serious incident - apart from a near riot on one houseblock that was actually open and receiving both food and canteen, honestly, you just can’t please anyone these days - however that issue was rectified in good old time honoured fashion i.e. staff willing to help and properly, if you know what I mean!

So, the next morning, we all arrived at work and during the morning brief, we all were expecting a shutdown morning with a full search schedule - DST, Nationals or whoever was available. Unbelievable, we were instructed to continue as normal, with the added threat of a very dangerous weapon at large within the walls! Querying this we were told ‘not to worry’ at first and then when we pressed we were told to ‘get on with it or else’. The reason coming from up high was that NO search would be authorised as it would be TOO disruptive to the routine and our outstanding members of the community have access to all the materials they need to build weapons so a ready-made weapon would NOT make a difference. So when this knife is eventually used, one hopes the victim or victims will be able to sue the decision maker for this outstanding piece of wisdom?? What do you think?

Controlled medicationI was chatting to one member of staff who works with a particular type of client talking about a certain type of controlled medication. This is a particular classic and has, would you believe it, happened more than once - so read on...

With this controlled medication, an officer has to supervise the taking of it and then ensure that it has dissolved before allowing the client leave to exit the treatment room. On this occasion it was noticed that the client had

hidden his medication and on challenging him the medication was subsequently retrieved by the officer concerned.

The paperwork followed and an adjudication (nicking) was scheduled. Now, when this officer entered the court, sorry I mean adjudication room in the block, oops sorry again, I mean the SRU (Separation and Reintegration Unit), and all hopes fell due to the Duty Adjudication Governor on at that time! Bearing in mind this particular Governor has a terrible reputation and not only with investigations! So the adjudication proceeded and the Officer gave the evidence - only to be asked if there were any signs up in the treatment room stating that it was very, very naughty to try and divert your medicine! Truthfully replying that there aren’t any signs up, the case was immediately dismissed, even though all clients sign a contract stating that they will NOT attempt to hide their medicine!

We take the rough with the smooth, (as always), some other Governors give out CC for the same offence but it would be SO nice if all sang from the same song sheet - and just a LITTLE support for us would give us such a boost, now and then! As 1 said, I have heard this was neither the first time nor probably the last either.

Something in the water?On a lighter note, there is definitely something in the water here at ‘Warners’ - there are so many expectant fathers and mothers at the present time there must be a new policy somewhere. Personally, I blame the Government cuts, no really and honestly there are valid facts amongst this fanciful reasoning:

1. There is not much money around so therefore not many people can afford to go out, adjust their mind with fortified water or crops derivatives, therefore most opt to stay inside for the evening, one thing leads to another and hey presto, the errant discharge follows it’s meandering course and hits the target so to speak!

2. With the uncertain futures of all of us, how better to achieve a ‘fireproof status for six months or more with this untouchable medical miracle!

3. If you are single and working here at ‘Haven’, AVOID the gym at all costs, it seems to encourage the already mentioned process even quicker - even if you are attached, no names no pack drill! Anyway, all the very best to all those affected out there; we are very envious of you all.

However, this brings us more or thereabouts up to date with Happy Highdown - I promise for the next time not as long as this but at least it’s all out in the open now!

Carpe Diem - or as I like to say, catch a big carp out there today, as long as it’s an official rest day and not a sickie!


41-51 Branch News.indd 47 11/6/12 15:28:46


BRANCH NEWS

I will start this latest batch of nonsense on a light hearted note. There is definitely something in the water up here at the moment as following on from Amanda and Mel’s new additions, Scott ”Nets” Wood has had a baby boy. Andy Holmes also has a second son to try and fulfil his dream of getting a new Manchester United centre forward for the start of the 2030 season. Si Gurden’s new little boy is growing at a rapid rate of knots and is definitely going to be a back rower unlike his girly back father. Added to this, Chris Morgan has another baby girl to contend with.

Staff are being very careful who they shake hands with at the moment as it may be catching. We have also said goodbye to one of Stafford’s most experienced wardresses’, when, after avoiding Christmas Day and any bendings for nearly 30 years Sue Calladine handed in her keys for the last time, her dry sense of humour and no nonsense attitude will be missed by all on the landings.

Sports reportOne of the biggest events on the sporting calendar recently was the London Marathon and our congratulations once again must go to the charity machine himself; Ridgers.Mark Ridgway once again ran the London Marathon this year and in the process raised thousands of pounds for a local hospice. This year dressed as the ‘Stig’. In one of the strangest moments ever seen on British television, Ridgers was also able to get the honour of telling the rather bemused interviewer the immortal line “You smell nice” in order to get one of the staff to double their promised sponsorship up to £20. Legend! Talking of sporting events, after Man City became new Premiership Champions this season, ACCT books were opened on many staff namely, Duggan, Paul Moreland and Tony Hilton. As for the City side of the coin a certain folically challenged, industries manager has been seen wandering the jail with a self-satisfied, smug grin, winding everybody up and doing very little since the victory. (Insert your own answer there, guys).

Emotions running highFinally, it is often said of screws that we don’t show our emotions enough and we rarely if ever let an occasion get the better of us. However there was not a dry eye in the house or a throat without a lump in it, after a recent farewell get together in the OMU. Gov. KRS popped in and spoke to the staff in the department to say goodbye and thank you for all of the hard work and help they

Welcome once again to the bizarre ramblings of the Stafford Branch. STAFFORD

had done before moving on. In a moment of divine intervention up popped a certain well known gym avoider (I won’t say his name in case people take the Mickey) to make a speech on behalf of all the staff. (It was Egg by the way). He proudly stretched himself up to his full height of 5’2” and spoke eloquently for a good five minutes, extolling the virtues of the particular Governor (That’s Chris, if you haven’t got it yet) before finally ending the heart rending oration with a hug and kiss on the cheek. The rather frightened Gov. was just reaching into her handbag for a can of mace when it was pointed out to the chuffed with himself officer that she wasn’t leaving the jail, just moving to take up the post of Temporary Head of Res. He finishes his SOTP in about two months.

One final congratulation must go as well to the lovely Karen Davenport in our Diversity Office. After many years of unrelenting and often unappreciated work for the equalities department she has finally been recognised and is up for the Diversity and Equality Award at the Prison Officer of the Year awards. Nobody deserves this more than “Our Kaz” and everybody here at Stafford is behind you and wishes you the best of luck.

Enough is enoughNow onto less light hearted things. As you know on Thursday 10 May we as a service finally said enough is enough and in a day of protest went to the gate. We, the committee here at Stafford, want to now put on record our thanks to everyone who supported the NEC’s request and for the morning withdrew to legitimately protest opposite the main entrance. It was disappointing that a very small minority of staff decided to go into the jail and not support their colleagues, I guess the expression “Unity is Strength” does not really apply if you are on PP or have only a few months until retirement. For the record also, can we express our thanks and gratitude to both The No1 Gov. and Dep. who, throughout the day, showed sympathy, courtesy and the respect that is sometimes disappointingly lacking for the staff who had not gone into work.

Not sure how many of the powers that be read the Gatelodge, however I would point out to them, that when you genuinely talk to and empathise with those who you manage, you will find that they will be far more willing workers than those who are belittled and ignored. Mark Twain once wrote <Italics to end of quote> “...it is always true to remember that if a master continues to beat his dog , one day the beast will

turn around and bite the hand that feeds it”. On a last and positive note, on 8 May for the

first time we were able to attend an Area POA Branch Reps meeting here at Stafford, this was an extremely useful and positive event, also attended by NEC members it gave us Branch Reps the chance to discuss matters face to face rather than electronically and real progress was achieved, here’s looking forward to the next one at Newbold Revel.

Stand togetherThat’s about all from us for this time. Colleagues we are facing changes to our way of life that 10 years ago seemed impossible and it is my opinion that this coalition Government will attempt to make things far worse. We need more than ever now to stand together and show that we are not going to stand for this unfair and morally repugnant treatment. We have fired a warning shot, we now await the reaction. The Scottish Patriot, William Wallace told his men when they began their rebellion “...I have brought you to the edge of the floor; now let us see if you are prepared to dance”. To Kenneth Clarke I would say “the music has started to play:

CheersThe Tea Boy

41-51 Branch News.indd 48 7/6/12 13:39:06

BRANCH NEWS


We’re back, and badder than ever with this month’s news, developments and general goings on from the beautiful corner of the world that is East Acton. Brace yourselves...

I throw my hands up in the air sometimes, saying “pension, too small to mention!”There’s no better place to start than with the protest of Thursday 10 May, where a fantastic amount of uniformed staff joined other public sector workers across the country in showing our contempt for this Government and its blatant disregard for our well-being. We aren’t going to stand here and conceitedly say that “we run things in this country” but we do a damn good job of keeping it safe, along with the other public sector workers nationwide.

Full praise must go to all of our members who happily showed their support.

We aren’t going to get all heavy and turn this into a POA Political Broadcast, as it’s not what our regular readers have come to expect from this column, however, we do have to add our comments to those of others regarding the proposed changes ahead...

1. Dear NEC, lovely to read you on BBC teletext stating that the rise in the pensionable age from 65-68 was unacceptable. Slight disregard here for those of us who are supposed to go sit in the garden with a glass of Pinot Grigio Blush at the tender age of 60? So for that group of staff, we are potentially looking at an extra eight years, and not three.

GET IT SORTED!

2. Staff working till 68 will need all sorts of extra provisions. As we currently have specific units for ‘older prisoners,’ are we to assume that there will be units available for ‘older officers?’ And I’m not talking about Comms/OMU, because that’s all younger staff these days. Will uniform include Yardley Eau de Lavender bags? Or slippers? Or Tena Lady allowance?

3. Are the budget holders in negotiation with Stannah, or are we to be located flat?

4. Will there be different shift patterns for elderly officers, allowing extra time for climbing stairs to the fours, and then forgetting why you went up there in the first place, extra toilet breaks, and afternoon naps in front of Countdown?

Be assured, we aren’t, for one moment, making light of the situation, as everyone is pretty clued up on the general feeling among staff. We just feel that these are a few points that the Government needs to consider. The long and the short of it is the fact that having to work in this environment to the grand old age of 68 is ridiculous. “But people are living longer!” They say, but, in this job, we certainly won’t be. Death in service payouts will cost them more than if they’d just let us go gracefully when we’re supposed to, and while we’re still young enough to plant daffodils.

Uniform tax? Does anyone remember the Bunty magazine for girls (before our time) when you could cut out and dress up your very own doll? Well, with the proposals that we are to be taxed on our uniforms, we feel it’s only fair that if they are going to cost us money, can we have a go at designing our own?

www.activityvillage.co.uk/paper_dolls.html is a great place to start. Print out all the bits you need (get a grown-up to help you) and get creative with your crayons. Send any completed efforts to S&M, c/o the POA office at Scrubs, and the best will be displayed in our next posting, and you win a Mars Bar. Probably with a bite out of it.

Furniture thieves on the prowl!Following news that two members of staff recently did a car boot sale, we were just wondering what they displayed their wares on, as the main desk from the Segregation Unit seems to have vanished. Staff in the Seg were informed that “the table was removed, as it promotes laziness.” And there was I thinking that working in the Seg promoted laziness, but apparently not. It’s all the table’s fault. Perhaps it was 68 years old so was put out to pasture?

So now the Seg staff are all sat around a solitary two foot square table, normally reserved for in-cell use, wondering whose tea is whose, and worried about standing up in case someone nicks the chair.

If anyone has seen the desk, can you please contact us at the above address, and we’ll sneak it back into the Seg and disguise it as an exercise bike, thus not promoting laziness.

On yer bike! No, hang on,get off it!While we’re on the subject of exercise bikes (see what we did there?) We have been told that during the lunch hour, a spinning class was taking place in the gym. And, S, this doesn’t

involve plates on sticks or making yourself dizzy. This class was stopped and staff were prematurely evacuated and told they couldn’t ride prison bikes, even if it was in their own time. How times do change, as I remember when officers would queue up to get aboard. Situation ongoing, more to follow. No bikey, no likey!

Staff Behaviour Compacts(no, really!)Rumour has it, that floating around the prison, for staff to find are Behavioural Compacts for staff to sign, agreeing to meet required standards in attitude and professionalism. We aren’t sure what wing they originated on, if indeed they exist, but we are here to help with this new exciting idea dreamt up by idiots, allegedly:

IEP Warnings for staff: • Enhanced (higher chance of promotion,

locate flat at 68, and filter coffee)• Standard (less chance of promotion,

locate low at 68, and Kenco Basic (4’s landing at all times, however ancient you are, and no access to tea or coffee)If your behaviour continues to deteriorate,

you may end up on report, facing adjudication, serving CC in the Seg, without a table, or working with Bridgey (who, by the way, is hovering just above Basic due to the amount of chocolate owed to a certain lady who has been very poorly lately. She’s been in hospital and everything.)

So, that’s about it really. Hope you enjoyed reading this waffle as much as we enjoyed writing it.

Remember, we will always have Worthing.

Information only,S and M standing by...

Wha’ gwan homies?

WORMWOOD SCRUBS

41-51 Branch News.indd 49 7/6/12 13:39:18


BRANCH NEWS

CHANNINGS WOOD

If everybody would like to cast their minds back to Valentine’s Day, some lucky members of staff might have received a card or two from either a partner, or possibly a secret admirer.

One of these fortunate individuals wasRichie Candler. In fact, he has more than just a secret admirer; he has somehow managed to become a future love interest for his whole landing. Richie received a card signed by nearly all of the prisoners, and a nice box of chocolates to go with it. I feel it appropriate to point out that although you might be viewing Richie as some sort of ladies’ man who cuts a dash on the wings, Channings Wood is not a female prison!

Following on from the Hollywood blockbuster film of The Mummy, Tom Whirton has been seen auditioning for a leading role in the next instalment. Having taken a bit of a tumble whilst running for an alarm bell, Tom managed to slide about 10 feet on his bare arms, and spent the next week swathed from fingers to elbows in bandages. Any rumours that Tom was also seen shuffling around, groaning and looking as though he had been dead for 2,000 years are not related to this incident.

Staying on the subject of the living dead, Paul Curtis was on a hospital escort and phoned up reception to inform them that he would be late back. The reason for this delay was that the prisoner he was with was having an autopsy done. Against the odds, he survived this somewhat intrusive procedure. The doctor completing this also had time to complete the biopsy he had gone out for in the first place.

Lights, camera, action...Rich Williams has been thinking about taking up a new career in the film industry. Several years ago, he expressed an interest in completing a course on filming incidents within the prison, whether they be C&R interventions, hostage negotiations, or whatever. He didn’t get the course, but did recently manage to get behind the lens during a roof top protest that was taking place. The footage that he captured, bad though it was is not what this story is about. Rich was seemingly unaware that the camera he used also captured sound as well as vision.

Let me give you an example of Rich’s film making. The opening scene shows two prisoners stood on the roof of a prison wing. “Look at this ******* ******* on the roof. I’m supposed to be on my lunch break. I hope he ******* *****”. Scene 2 shows several members of staff in full C&R gear arriving. “Here comes

*****. He loves this, I bet he’s got a ******* **** on”. I understand that if you don’t mind the x-rated sound track, Rich does a very nice side-line in wedding videos.

Fabulous 40Arron Churcher recently celebrated his 40th birthday, and came up with the novel idea that we should all wear homemade t-shirts bearing photographs of ourselves naked. This was to be done in as tasteful and discreet a way as possible. The night itself went very well, and I’m assured that Arron had a good time, although all I remember is crawling up Kev Smart’s staircase at some ungodly hour. But what was particularly funny, was how Pete Shorland ended up getting his photographs taken. Pete’s idea was that because he is a keen cyclist, he would get some pictures done riding his bike naked. His wife was having none of it, so he instead recruited his son into the process, who thought that it would be highly amusing to play a couple of tricks on Dad whilst they were getting the job done.

Never in Dawlish...I’d like you now to imagine what would have gone through your mind if you had been out for a nice walk one day, and had come across the following scene. A naked man wearing cycling shoes, being whipped with nettles by a younger man holding a camera, in the pouring rain, down a quiet country lane. I believe that there are specialist magazines available for people who are into this sort of thing, but in the sleepy seaside town of Dawlish, such practices are not common.

Simmo

It was to inform him that we were to hold a protest meeting outside the prison. The protest meetings were held against the Coalition Government’s plans to link the normal pension age to the state pension age.

Our members responded positively by taking the brave decision to sacrifice half a day’s pay for a just cause. Approximately 80 percent of our members at Bullwood Hall supported this protest meeting. We, as a committee, would like to say thanks for your support and we appreciate the fact that you lost half a day’s pay and commend your bravery to make that decision.

At least it was worthwhile as we had our photograph and an article in the Southend Echo newspaper. We now hope that the Government will listen to our Union and agree to an amicable solution to this issue.

It has been brought to our attention that Fair and Sustainable has left the SOs with a difficult decision to make in regard to their futures. The predicament is that they have to apply for a job as either a shift supervisor or custodial manager. Surely this is not right, that SOs should apply to secure their job? We do sympathise with the SOs but we must reiterate that this is an issue with the employer and not the Union. It is the employer who has decided to do this and they are the ones creating uncertainty.

Moving onWe have to say farewell to Celia Shanks who has decided to retire from the prison service after 15 years at Bullwood Hall. We hope she enjoys her retirement and can enjoy more time in her apartment in Spain.

Congratulations to Officer Roots who has given birth to a baby girl. Hope you enjoy your sleepless nights. On a more jovial note, Officer Ruffy informed us that TSO Telling got rather exited in C&R training! Last but not least, our new Governor, Helen Carter invited our local MP Mark Francois to the prison. We had an opportunity to speak with him and he stated he is doing his best for this prison.

BULLWOOD HALL DEFENDERS

BULLWOOD HALL

Our Chairman received a call completely out of the blue from the NEC at about 6am on 10 May 2012.

41-51 Branch News.indd 50 7/6/12 13:39:33


I’d like to explain the theory as to why no one wants to do the jottings, three things spring to mind and they go as follows:

1. What with staff cut backs and a greater demand on the individual member of staff to carry out multiple tasks, no one has the time any more to do them.

2. When they are done and sent away to be placed in the Gatelodge, the writers of jottings can be seen worrying about if they have gone too far in what they said, will anyone complain about the contents they have submitted?

3. The laughter has gone, you sit in a briefing room, waiting for a brief before starting work, are people laughing? No, all scared in case they offend someone or reported for something they are alleged to have said.

Remembering twomembers of staff Whitemoor has had its fair share of staff losses over the last year; forgive me if I miss anyone out:

OSG Mick Tarren Mick was a gentleman who was liked by everyone ago and this was evidenced by how well his funeral was attended although he retired 12 months ago. Mick’s colleagues from his Army days came along and a lot of us learnt a vast amount about his past that showed us just how much he was loved and liked by everyone who met him. Goodbye Mick, you will be missed by us all.

Claudio Csernikovics We also lost Claudio Csernikovics (Kojak to his friends). Kojak worked in the prison stores and never once did I see him without a smile on his face, he was a very proud and generous person who would do anything for anyone. Sorry these two mentions are late, Mick and Kojak, may you both now rest in peace, you are both part of Whitemoor’s history and will never be forgotten.

Long service andgood conduct medal Now the Long Service and Good Conduct medal has been issued to those that have worked for HMP for 20 years plus, one can only wonder just how many of these medals will be issued in the future - staff seem to be leaving this job in droves and a long term in the Prison service looks highly unlikely in years to come.

Sorry if Whitemoor has disappeared off the planet as far as the jottings are concerned, but after great demand I have agreed to a one off guest appearance.

WHITEMOOR

20 Year reunion Since the last jottings, Whitemoor has gone past the twenty year mark and this was celebrated by a very successful reunion in the Staff club. As some of us approach the retirement mark and indeed one or two of us have passed it, it has been suggested that the next reunion will be a twenty five year point. Trish Benson who left Whitemoor several years ago organised the event and was presented with a large bunch of flowers by Brodie Clark (Ex No.1 Whitemoor). One of the good things about the reunion was that all ranks could be seen mixing and enjoying themselves. On a final note about the reunion, one of the most common questions that could be heard throughout the night was: “What’s his or hers name over there, just been talking to them for ten minutes I just cannot remember their name”, how about badges next time?

Rank titles Now all of a sudden we no longer have Principle Officers or Senior Officers, their titles have been changed to Custodial Manager and Supervising Officer. Can anyone tell us why this has happened? No, they cannot, looks like another paper exercise by someone with nothing else to do, could be another step closer to privatisation.

Misdemeanours Either no one is making mistakes these days or they are managing to hide them better. Only one bit of advice to a certain Custodial Manager: When trying out your new rocking chair in your office, can you please keep the back of it a little bit further away from the ALARM BELL or don’t rock as hard when trying to figure out your new job description as a CM.

That’s all folks!That’s all for this month. If whoever takes the jottings on, they cannot put anything in if you do not support them and send them snippets of information. Could you be the person to take the jottings on? Don’t just moan because Whitemoor never has any jottings, do something about it.

The Dinosaur


BRANCH NEWS

41-51 Branch News.indd 51 7/6/12 13:41:33


Michael StewartJermaine GordonRobbie Masters

Rob NicholAshley Leenders

EPSFA V RAF POLICE

SPORTS SCENE

Venue PSC Newbold Revel 25 April 2012

EPSFA RAF POLICE5 – 0

Match reportWith the Home International Tournament just around the corner, the Prison Service National team took the opportunity to play the RAF Police at Prison Service College Newbold Revel.

The Service started slowly and struggled to get a foot on the ball but after 10 minutes they found themselves 1-0 up. Out of nowhere Robbie Masters and Marlon Bryan combined down the right and presented Michael Stewart with the opening goal of the game which he finished with no hesitation.

After that, the Service took full control of the game and were 3-0 up by half-time, the other two goals coming from a tight angled finish by Jermaine Gordon and a terrific strike from Robbie Masters. After the change round, the Service struggled to control the game but looked good in patches. The RAF Police were presented with one good chance but only managing to strike the woodwork. Two further goals were added by Rob Nichol and Ashley Leenders; the two lively frontmen proving to be a handful for the RAF Police defence and both finishing well from great attacking moves.

Final score 5-0. After a squad training day on 10 May, the

National Team will be in action when they host the Home International Tournament atDaventry Town F.C starting on 22 May. The Tournament will be completed by teams representing the Prison Service from England, Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.

If you are interested in coming along and supporting your representative side or require any further details please contact National Secretary, Chris Price at HMP Onley.

Man of the Match: Michael Stewart.

Chris Hill (HMP The Wolds) Ricky Hanson (HMP Whatton) Gareth Campion (HMP Ranby)Jamie Davies (HMYOI Lancaster Farms)Neil Lancaster (HMYOI Hindley)Marlon Bryan (HMYOI Glen Parva)Barry Albone (HMP/YOI Littlehey) Michael Stewart (HMP Kennett)Graham Ashton (HMYOI Swinfen Hall)Robbie Masters (HMP North Sea Camp) Jermaine Gordon (Rainsbrook STC) Andy Howarth (HMP Manchester) Rob Nichol (HMYOI Deerbolt)Ashley Leenders (HMP/YOI Holloway)Barry Andrews (HMP Wormwood Scrubs)Kade Lewis (HMYOI Glen Parva).

Squad

52 Sports Scene.indd 52 7/6/12 12:52:18

New Associate Partners Offer

Corsa Limited Edition 1.2i 16v VVT 3dr

Free Insurance‡

22-75 year olds

£1000 Insurance

Contribution‡

19-21 year olds

OR

Choose your car Select any new Vauxhall.*

1

Choose your deposit On selected car lines** we’ll even give you a contribution towards your deposit.

2

Choose your termFrom 24 to 60 months and you own the car at the end of the term.

3

Lifetime warrantyLifetime 100,000 mile warranty.† First registered owner.

PLUS

PLUS

£189 Customer Deposit

£2143per month 60 month term

FinanceFinance

Associate Partners discount PLUS

Model shown is Corsa Limited Edition 1.2i 16v VVT 3dr. *Not available on Expression, ES & ES Tech, Astra Tech Line and Insignia Tech Line and all Ampera models. ** Vauxhall Deposit Contribution available on selected car lines only. Finance subject to status. Terms and conditions apply. Applicants must be 18 or over. Guarantee / Indemnity may be required. Vauxhall Motor Finance RH1 1SR. Offer applies to private individuals, Vauxhall Partners and small businesses 1-24 (purchase only excl. B2B). All other customers are excl. Flexible Finance Offer available on orders or registrations before 2 July 2012. †Terms and conditions apply. Vauxhall Partners includes all employees and pensioners of nominated companies and their nominated eligible Vauxhall relatives. Vauxhall Partners process/savings include Vauxhall Partners discount savings and additional customer savings (incl. VAT) where applicable, number plates, delivery, Vehicle Excise Duty and a fi rst registration fee. Excludes fuel and insurance. We reserve the right to change or withdraw any aspect of the Vauxhall Partners Programme without prior notice. ‡First year insurance offer available on Corsa S and Limited Edition models only. The offer will cover the full premium for drivers aged between 22-75 (motor policy only) and provides a £1000 contribution for drivers aged between 19-21. Only available through Vauxhall Insurance. Policies are underwritten by Ageas Insurance Ltd. Other terms and conditions apply. This offer is valid until 2nd July 2012.

Offi cial Government Test Environmental Data. Fuel consumption fi gures mpg (litres/100km and CO2 emissions (g/km). Corsa Limited Edition 1.2i 16v VVT 3dr: Urban: 39.2 (7.2), Extra-urban: 62.8 (4.5), Combined: 51.4 (5.5). CO2 emissions: 129g/km.

WARRANTY 100,000 MILE

Offers end 2 July 2012 so to fi nd out more about our great Partners Programme offers, simply visit partnersprogramme.co.uk and use the login: POA, call the Partners helpline on 0844 875 2448 or visit your nearest Vauxhall Retailer.

EMPLOYEE AND MEMBERS BENEFIT LOGIN: POA

Procurement… Call For Quantity Discount, see our website to view over 3,000 products online.

Quality Without the CostMens Classic Uniform & Pilot ShirtCode CG041 (Classic) CG048 (Pilot)

(Classic)

(Pilot)

£16.99GREAT DEAL

NITON EXCLUSIVE

65% polyester/35% cotton.Two pockets, pen slot, shoulder and radio loops available as long or short sleeve.

100 lumen output with 100 meter range.��out or break on duty. O-Ring sealed for water/weather resistance,Polymer lens, On/Off push button tail cap for easy activation even with one hand or wearing gloves.Length 140mm - Diameter 35mm - Weight 130g

Belt slide key chains. Double riveted heavy duty leather belt attachment. ��chain. Dog clip key fastening.See LPW056 for 88cm version.

Leather and rugged nickel hardware belt, handcrafted to give you years of service. Sizes:30mm wide Small: 28 -32 inchMedium: 32 - 36 inchLarge: 36 - 40 inchXLarge: 40- 44 inchXXLarge: 44 - 48 inch

The patrol bag has carry handles or a removable shoulder strap. Made from durable 600D water resistant nylon, and reinforced in high stress areas. Designed with compartments, pockets and dividers so you always know where everything is.

Sewn in front crease two slant hip pockets and one back pocket.Grip waistband & 40mm belt loops. Now available up to 48" Waist & 35" Leg. Designed to match the Classic Uniform Shirts.Machine wash and dry.Colours: Black or NavySee Code CG082 - 94 for full range of Cargo Trousers.

Niton Basics Patrol BagCode NB006 £40

GREAT DEAL

NITON EXCLUSIVE

Mens Classic Uniform TrousersCode CG043/4/6/9 £30

GREAT VALUE

NITON EXCLUSIVE

Niton Tactical Original LED TorchCode TAC27 £30

GREAT DEAL

NITON EXCLUSIVE

Niton Leather 50cm Heavy Duty Key ChainCode LPW055 £10.20

ONLY

NITON EXCLUSIVE

Niton Leather Duty BeltCode LPW051 £15.31

ONLY

NITON EXCLUSIVE

This advert is supplied in addition to and forms part of our professional buyers guide in which our terms & conditions are fully described or visit our website www.niton999.co.uk E.&O.E. © Niton Equipment 2012. Prices correct at time of going to press. *Free delivery is standard delivery. All orders received before 3pm are dispatched same day. Please allow up to 5 working days for delivery. Only available when ordering online. Other delivery options available at extra cost.

WWW.NITON999.CO.UK PHONE 01293 549 858 [email protected]

��

p53_gatejun12.indd 1 6/6/12 16:26:10

POST BAG


The book, “Scenes of Murder, Then and Now,” comes from the very well produced stable of “After the Battle” magazines. For those not familiar with them, they comprise a series of thoroughly researched magazines that focus on events during World War Two. They are always illustrated with many places re-visited to show them as they are now.

This book is well illustrated with photos of the time and the murder scenes now. As the book is about murder, there are scene of crime photographs but this supports the fact-based research of the book. Copies of documents and maps show the locations in

plenty of detail. If readers know any of the places mentioned, they will no doubt pause to think of the events of the past.

As most of the perpetrators were executed, there are a couple of articles about Wandsworth and Pentonville Prisons, showing the sites of execution and burial.

Some of the cases covered include “Jack the Ripper,” Dr Crippen, The Acid Bath Murderer, 10 Rillington Place, Ruth Ellis, (the last woman hanged) and James Hanaratty.

It’s a an A4 sized hard-backed book running to 368 pages and apart from the odd spelling mistake, (on page 7, abolutionist should probably read abolitionist for

Violet van Der Elst, the anti-capital punishment campaigner), it is an excellent book for anyone with an interest in crime and especially the facts surrounding the cases. It also serves as a very useful resource tool for anyone interested in further researching the historical cases mentioned.

The book can be obtained from www.afterthebattle.com

Quote “Gatelodge” when placing the order and you will get a fi ve percent discount off the £39.95 price.

Stewart McLaughlinWandsworth POA

BOOK REVIEW: “SCENES OF MURDER, THEN AND NOW”

THE WELSH 3,000FT CHALLANGEMyself and Offi cers Andy Leatham, Lee Carey, John Winning and Wayne Darbyshire will be attempting the Welsh 3,000ft Challenge in 24hrs.

It consists of 15 peaks at or above 3,000ft; the distance covered is approximately 30 miles.

It will be done non-stop and it has been put out to local staff if they wish to come and walk a leg or two with us.

I am hoping that my colleague, whose wife, Tracy, passed away will also be joining us; she died from cancer after a 10 month battle.

All monies raised will be given to him and he will distribute it to a relevant charity.

Many thanks Wayne Powell

FAREWELL OLD COMRADE(Glen Holmes – HMP Parkhurst)Dear GlenWell, it is only one week and it will be my last shift, so it is the end of a glorious career. I just wanted to say thank you for all that you have done for me over the years, and indeed all that you have done for the staff while the mad politicians have been at war with us, in their attempt to impose an extreme form of Thatcherism in our workplace. Thank you for standing up so well to the bullies and those whose ambition was more important to them than welfare of their colleagues.

Finally, Glen, I want to thank you for being you, a good friend and a wonderful colleague over the years. I have more than enough memories to keep me quietly laughing and smiling between now and the day my coffi n is lowered into the ground. I will remain a staunch trade unionist, and will always speak up for those whose rights are being trampled on in the workplace, and will always lay the blame squarely on the snivelling, scheming, sly politicians who betrayed us all.

I will attend Tolpuddle every July for the rest of my years, and I earnestly hope to meet you there some year. When my situation is better than it is now, then do not hesitate to phone me if you are in need, because I know a little of the great work that you do for and on behalf of all the staff . I will miss you, Glen, but please keep in touch with me, and I will let you know how things are for me.

Love and best wishesTom Curran

54-60 postbag.indd 54 7/6/12 13:13:39

POST BAG


It never ceases to amaze me how readily people accept what others say as being accurate without fi rst testing the foundation on which they make their claim. Just because an employee’s manager or someone holding a civic or union post says something, it doesn’t mean that their opinion alone is right or what they base it on is correct.

Managers or post holders of any kind are, after all, only human and have fl aws just as those they purport to lead or represent. Their view will always lean subconsciously in favour of the way they would wish their employees or those they represent meet their company’s needs or line with the least level of resistance, thereby currying favour with the manager’s manager. Likewise, in regard to public representation, that is carried out more often or not in line with the wider aims of some form of political group, though in a few very cases where an individual stands on an independent basis. The so-called ‘independent’ usually has their own objectives and therefore is biased in favour of their own particular beliefs which created the platform on which they stand - and the same could be argued in regard to union representation.

I am not saying that all manager’s, representatives, civic leaders or post holders are out to do nothing but fi ll their own trough off the back of others who work under them or of those they represent, that would be unjust and would do those who are good managers, representatives or post holders an unwarranted disservice.

What I am saying; is that rank or a position of authority in itself does not alone denote that the individual in that position is any better or more intelligent than those under that individual’s leadership, control or behest.

It just means that they have chosen a path or a challenge or a betterment method that others may not necessarily have wanted or even considered.

There is an easy way to test this, ask yourself this; how many of your managers, representatives or post holders could carry out the specifi ed tasks of their employees or those they represent to the same standard and complexity? And do so within the same constraints enforced on them that they themselves enforce on their employees.

Most managers, civic representatives or post holders who manage complex tasks, units or companies wouldn’t know where to start let alone come anywhere near passing this simple test. This is because with each step up the ladder of authority, priorities change and a distance begins to open up between those in authority and their employees. This gap never closes but grows ever wider with each step up the managerial ladder or civic offi ce.

Likewise, the same argument could be put in favour of the manager or post holder and therefore an impasse has been reached with the scales of balance weighing equally for both employee and manager/post holder in regard to both their strengths and weaknesses. Both ‘specialise’ in their own areas of work whilst one’s opinion is no better than the others.

Therefore, before any individual forms a judgement on anything important to them, they should do so only with the aim of forming their own judgement based on all the information available to them and not by following the lead of others just because of a mis-belief that someone in a grade higher, post, or

position of authority than them MUST know better. Any individual doing so does themselves an injustice.

Yes, where anything of real importance to an individual or employee is concerned, you can bet there will be a vast amount of paperwork or information in regard to that subject which may also be complex to some. However, it is at these times when that same individual or employee needs to put extra eff ort into understanding what is happening or proposed or into seeking advice or guidance from as independent a source possible to help them to understand.

The choices we all make in our lives are ours and ours alone. We try to make them in our best interests, to meet our hopes, needs and aspirations. To those who read this I ask only one thing; whether you are considering your position at work in some way, making a life-changing personal choice at home, considering who should represent you in some manner or deciding whether or not to support a particular course of action or need recommended by our union; only make your fi nal decision when and only when you have acquired suffi cient knowledge to give yourself the whole picture to enable you to do so.

One fi nal thought, never be afraid to challenge a manager, representative or someone holding a civic or union post. These people will make decisions or propose actions that will impact on you and you have the right to make sure your interests are considered in full.

Not doing so could result in a catastrophic mistake or choice being made by you that may be irrepairable or irreversible.

Gary Day

RANK DOESN’T AUTOMATICALLY MEAN RIGHT WHETHER WORK-WISE, CIVIC OR UNION

54-60 postbag.indd 55 11/6/12 15:41:38

BEDFORD REUNION

POST BAG


MARY MACARTHUR HOLIDAY TRUSTDear Mr. ChappleRe: MMHT APPEAL 2012Can you please convey our thanks for the generous donation of £500.00 received from the POA Finance Committee, towards the work of theMary Macarthur Holiday Trust.The Trustees are deeply appreciative of your support.

Yours sincerely,CHERYL ANDREWSAdministrator

The evening of Friday 4 May 2012 was a memorable one for those who attended the Bedford Reunion. The event was attended by retired and serving staff who had travelled from Spain, Scotland, Wales and diff erent parts of the UK.

You can imagine the amount of talking that went on relating tales of times past. On a sadder note, everyone spent a respectful moment to remember our colleagues who over the years and more recently have passed away and those who are undergoing treatment at the moment.

It was great to have our senior member, Sandy Masterton with us who at the age of 89 has received his pension for a longer period than he served. A great guy and a great achievement. Keep going Sandy and Ina. With 140 attending it just showed that the family feeling of Bedford lives on. We were also honoured with the presence of one of the most respected Governors and his wife, Brodie and Jenny Clark.

The raffl e held on the evening was a great success raising £415 which was 1divided between Sue Ryder Hospice and The Primrose cancer unit of Bedford hospital. Thanks to all

who donated prizes. I would also like to thank John Collins who acted as my banker and Terry Darlow who booked the venue, living in Spain their help made things much easier for me. If I organise another one it will have to be in the Spanish sun over a long weekend, think about it?

Once again, thanks again for your friendship and faith in me to organise this and other events over the many years. Keep in touch, regards to all.

Malcy [email protected]

THANK YOUDear ColleaguesAt this year’s Annual Conference I had the great honour to be made an Honorary Life Member of the Association.

I want to place on record my sincere thanks to the members, conference delegates and the NEC for this great honour.

It has been said many times before and no doubt it will be said many times in the future, there is no higher or more precious award than one that is given by your peers.

I have represented POA members in several roles for the last 22 years and I feel a very proud man that you have chosen to honour me in this way.

I wish you all the best for the future. STAY STRONG, STAY UNITED and thank you once again.

JIM DAWSONAssistant Secretary

54-60 postbag.indd 56 7/6/12 13:14:19

POST BAG


In July 1987 a letter arrived accepting me into the prison service and as a 20 year old young man I was very proud and excited. Months passed by and after loads of phone calls, I found out I would be starting eight months after my acceptance letter. Little did I know that this would cost me fi ve years of my life as I was part of something called Fresh Start and my retirement age would be 60 instead of 55.If I had have started in July 1987 it would have been 55 but at the age of 20, retirement was a long way off .

Now in my 25th year of service, the Government is changing the Pension Scheme again and I’m set to lose out AGAIN. In 2015 I will be 48 years old which means I [still] have more than 10 years to do and will change schemes and have to more than likely work till I’m 68.Has no consideration been given to long-serving staff between the ages of 40 and 50? It took me 15 years to get to the maximum wage, 18 years to get the extra leave - all things of the past and I can’t remember [when] the last wage rise of any signifi cance was. It seems to me; the longer you have been in the prison service the worse you get treated.

To cap all of this off , I got in to the West Midlands Police the same time as I got in the prison service but decided to follow in my father’s footsteps. This is commonly known as a schoolboy error as I would have had a pension after 30 years in the Police Force. [This is] something I have never understood - why the Prison Service [doesn’t do the same] as both jobs are very demanding and stressful, even though the Police contribute more to their pension. I certainly wouldn’t have had a problem doing the same.

Graham Pinder HMYOI Glen Parva

Highly FrustratedDEAR SIRI have read with interest your continuing support for Healthcare within prisons and your appeal for staff to join the partnership boards.

I would like to ask why the same interest was not given when the Area Manager for the South relieved healthcare offi cers of their duties and responsibilities some four years ago.

As a serving offi cer (ex-healthcare offi cer of over 20 years), I and my colleagues at HMP Winchester were abandoned by the POA as if we had the plague.

When I had my appeal with the area manager in London and was promised support did I get it? Did I heck. I sat in his offi ce awaiting representation which never arrived. We both knew then that the POA was not at all interested.

Did I feel let down by my Union? You bet. Do I feel that this constant ‘support your healthcare provider’ talk is rubbing salt into the wound? Yep.

Do I support the best provision for my establishment? Of course I do; unfortunately we will not get that until the healthcare offi cer is reintroduced - a professional who understands the unique balance of care and custody.

I would welcome your comments.

Chris Muzzall HMP Winchester

This is Tom Robson’s response toMr Muzzall’s letter:It is of vital importance that POA committees gain a place on the local Partnership Board. This has been outlined on many occasions using the Health Care Matters forum. I am sorry that individually you feel let down but I can assure you that there are healthcare offi cers being recruited and trained. Healthcare offi cers of all ranks have been retained and are valued in the Service, largely as a result of the work done by your Trades Union.

Tom RobsonNational Vice Chairman

Retirement ageWould it be fair to say that because the NEC allowed the rank of Prison Offi cer 2, and subsequent new entrants, to have a retirement age in line with state pension age, the NEC have now eff ectively backed themselves into a corner when negotiating the changes to the normal retirement age of long serving offi cers who have more than 10 years to serve?

If this is the case, the NEC should be ashamed of themselves for their short sighted ‘we’re all right Jack’ attitude, as it has now returned to bite them on their arses.

If I have to retire at state retirement age, instead of 60 as planned, I will terminate my membership of this ineff ectual Union and urge everyone else aff ected to follow suit.

Yours disgruntledlyOffi cer Pete Cannon

Editor’s noteIn response to your letter I would like to point out that the acceptance of NUVOS was not down to the NEC. NUVOS was negotiated by the Council of Civil Service Unions, of which we were a part. Our pension scheme does not belong to the Prison Service, it is a scheme that covers the whole of the Civil Service of which we only make up nine percent of the total membership.

When the negotiations on the NUVOS scheme were complete, the NEC was mandated by Annual Conference to accept the scheme, along with the lifetime protection deal that was on off er.

The present Government has set aside that deal and is hell bent on introducing the link to State Pension Age. The POA is still contesting this issue.

It is not the Prison Service or the NEC who are proposing the link to State Pension Age. I therefore respectfully suggest that you direct your anger and frustration towards disreputable politicians and not the POA, NEC.

If you believe this Union is ineff ectual then I suggest you take a look at what is happening to workers worldwide. If you believe you can do better, please stand in the next elections.

Glyn TravisAssistant Secretary & Editor of Gatelodge

54-60 postbag.indd 57 11/6/12 15:42:33

POST BAG


A very good question that deserves an equally good answer! At the present time, we as a Union seem to be in limbo and not moving in any direction. Instead of making our own decisions we tend to follow other unions, or we get dictated to by the powers that be because we have been pressurised to become less vocal and decisive.

We seek help, we seek direction we seek guidance. These questions are posed to me every day and I often wonder how I can answer them. Upon refl ection I think I may have the answers. The answers can be found within the union. What I mean by that is as follows:

1. The help we need comes from within the Union from each and every member. (Your experiences, your support.)

2. The direction we need comes from within the Union from each and every member. (Your thoughts, your contributions.)

3. The guidance we need comes from within the Union from each and every member. (Your knowledge, your opinions.)

It really is that simple. Instead of always going to a union rep, why not take on board some things yourself ? Each and every member can unite and work together to ensure that this Union is together on everything. The knowledge, answers and solutions are there

if we all work as one. Now is the time to set aside our diff erences and unite once and for all to go forward together as one powerful voice. We need to help each other, put forward our ideas to committees and be proactive. Have a bigger say in your Union.

Here is some food for thought, contact your local MP and visit them and highlight the worries and concerns you have in relation to working in the prison. Invite them to visit your prison and build up a good working relationship with them. Keep them informed about what a good job your prison is doing to help the wider community.

Hypothetically speaking, let’s say for example the NEC say we will stop payment plus for two weeks. Now think of the impact that would have on every prison. By just using this example we would be helping each other, guiding each other and directing each other. Ultimately we would be together as one. Then take this to the next level. Who would be running the prisons? Hypothetically speaking, who has control? We do as a Union! We have empowered ourselves, we stand together.

Furthermore this would highlight our plight, our working conditions, our work life balance, our pressures, our equal opportunities, our pay, our leave entitlement, our future, our safety, our pension and our retirement age.

Phil Stanbridge

WHERE DO WEGO FROM HERE?

PC David Rathband’sBlue Lamp Foundation Dear Mr Chapple Acknowledgement of donation

I am writing to express my personal thanks and gratitude for the kind and generous donation of £1000 that was made to PC David Rathband’s Blue Lamp Foundation by the POA Welfare Committee.

This donation will go towards helping the UK emergency services personnel, our unsung heroes, to get back on their feet and back on with their lives when they need it most. Although we have only been operational since October 2010, we have received phenomenal support from kind and generous people, just like the POA Welfare Committee, who have gone out of their way to send a donation.

Once again, thank you so very much for your support; it is greatly appreciated from everyone here at PC David Rathband’s Blue Lamp Foundation.

Kind regards and yours sincerely

Peter SweeneyActing Chairman United in Unity

I have been privileged to be a member of the POA since 1988 and in that time have attended Annual Conference on 17 occasions, some as a delegate and some as an observer.

This year, I attended my fi rst Conference as a retiree and observer and I would like to share some thoughts on various issues and motions with you.

My fi rst observation may not go down too well with our Scottish and Northern Ireland branches or some members of the NEC, but hear me out. Motion 5 was brought to Conference by the Liverpool Branch, and was vigorously debated by a number of delegates, the majority of whom were against it, as was the NEC.

Steve Gillan urged Conference to reject the motion. But this got me to thinking about future conferences. It is no secret that the Prison Service

is coming after ‘facility time’ and even cutting Annual Conference down to two days. There is a simple solution and that would be to amalgamate the Scottish conference with the Annual Conference at Southport.

Every branch in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales already gather in Southport once a year. It is only a matter of logistics and with a little re-arranging, both National Conferences can easily be accommodated into a full fi ve day agenda (run on similar lines to the Police Federation - constables, sergeants and inspectors).

On the Monday, Conference would convene to hear Rules and Constitution and matters aff ecting the Association in general. On the Tuesday/Wednesday, the National associations would divide into their respective groups to

discuss and vote on motions aff ecting them and on the Thursday/Friday every delegate would re-convene in the main hall, to hear speakers, confer awards and honours on worthy members and fi nish off association business. I believe this would:

1. Reinforce the Association’s need to keep a full fi ve days for Annual Conference and head off the Prison Service before they take away our facility time, and

2. Save the Association money. I would also like to comment on

Motion 18. This motion conferred the highest honour that the POA can award, that of Honorary Life Membership, to Jim Dawson. Jim is retiring in November 2012; his area of expertise was in all things connected with pensions. The huge gap that his retirement leaves this Association will not be

OBSERVATIONS ON CONFERENCE

54-60 postbag.indd 58 12/6/12 10:38:32

POST BAG


easily fi lled, nor will it be fi lled any time soon. My suggestion to the POA is to take Jim on in a pensions ‘consultative’ role until we have a suitably qualifi ed replacement. The precedent was set with David Evans and I am sure Jim would be delighted to serve.

There are tough times ahead. The Prison Service is coming at us from every direction, if they have their way and when the dust has settled, the only job a prison offi cer will be doing will be that of turn-key, how else can they justify paying a top rate of £24k? Every other job we do today will be privatised tomorrow. From what I can gather, there is no ‘fair’ in the Fair and Sustainable document. Let 10 May 2012 serve as a reminder to all.

Name witheld

The experience has been something ofan education.

Indeed, I spoke to a Prison Offi cer a few years ago who put it in a nutshell: “The Prison Service is the ugly duckling of the public sector services. We don’t have any champions. Politicians aren’t really interested”.

True. In the media, all they seem to care about is that off enders are ‘banged up and the key thrown away’.

Irrespective of this, somebody needs to take an interest.

And I don’t mean an academic interest. There seems to be an over-abundance of that. I understand that there have been seven reports in Scotland on prison reform in recent years, while in the UK there have been 10 reports focusing on women off enders alone. They all seem to end up on the shelf gathering dust.

In Scotland, the Commission on Women Off enders published its fi ndings on women in the criminal justice system in April which was debated in the Scottish Parliament later that month.

For a layperson, much of the report’s

WINNING THE DEBATEAs an outsider looking in, I see a Prison Service in crisis. Having worked with the homeless for 10 years, I have met more than my fair share of former, and no doubt future, inmates.

fi ndings and the debate were laudable. Indeed, I found the tone of the language used reminiscent of that used by Winston Churchill on prison reform over 100 years ago.

Will it make a diff erence?No.The executive summary acknowledges the

revolving door of addiction, off ending and imprisonment, but overlooks the social context. Scotland has 400 female prison places, but has 16,000 female addicts.

While not all addicts fund their addiction from acquisitive crime, the large majority do.

This is why we have the revolving door. The phrase “take a ticket and join the queue” comes to mind.

And the worrying thing is that the political analysis and media coverage of the report was favourable. The problem is, it isn’t about winning the debate, it’s about making a diff erence in the real world.

But, political reporters are starting to notice with growing concern that politicians are becoming detached from the real world. Frontline professionals, myself included, do see society from a diff erent perspective.

There is a gulf forming.To give an example, years ago I assisted a

woman with her housing. I asked her where she had lived that she liked the most, she said: “Prison”. She talked of how her life had a routine, there was order, she had a place there and was part of a [prison] community and that her day had a structure to it. She said she felt safe and secure in prison, something she didn’t feel in a council estate. She wasn’t alone.

I’ve had homeless people ask me what non-violent off ence they could commit to get a 12 month sentence so they could go to prison and do a detox/rehab programme, because they couldn’t get on a NHS waiting list.

Indeed, a casual observer may think that prison offi cers are taking over the work of social workers.

I visited HMP Edinburgh a few years ago and what I took away was the commitment

to off ender rehabilitation. Having worked with the homeless I know that many former inmates are hardly the stuff of Hollywood blockbuster type ‘arch villains’, but many could be described as a ‘one person crime wave’ who commit acquisitive crime to fund their addiction.

It may be all they know, but they are not lost causes. Things can be changed.

Rehabilitation and employability must become a greater priority within the Criminal Justice System. Part of the problem, I suspect, is a disconnect between the prisons and a sentencing policy from a bygone era.

I fear politicians have stopped talking to front-line professionals in a meaningful way.

My concerns have reached the point where I have launched www.frontlinepolicy.org.uk as a platform for front-line professionals to bridge this gulf.

Why bother? Well, if nobody does anything, the politicians will read the academic reports, get the headlines, tell everybody: “It’s all good”. And it will be business as usual.

If we want to tackle society’s problems, and I humbly suggest that we do, policy-makers need to see the big picture and they need to understand how the system, how society works.

We need some new thinking, not more of the same.

Frontline professionals need to put their case using language that politicians can understand.

For more background information about the commission on Women Off enders or to view the parliamentary debate visit: www.frontlinepolicy.org.uk/cowo

To be notifi ed of up-coming seminars on prison reform or to become involved visit www.frontlinepolicy.org.uk

Follow @frontlinepolicy on twitter. Mev Brown

(Mev Brown has worked with the homeless in Edinburgh for 10 years and founded frontline policy in April.)

54-60 postbag.indd 59 7/6/12 13:18:04

POST BAG


DEAR COLLEAGUESI write this letter with reference to the recent ‘day of protest’ - or in simple terms STRIKE.

I am going to keep my establishment and identity anonymous for the fact that I believe if I revealed my identity then I would come under judgement from what appears to be fast becoming an autocratic Union.

On Thursday 11th May 2012 I crossed the picket line because it was my opinion that the action being taken was too extreme. A kneejerk reaction to what was happening with regard to our pensions. Now, I do not agree with what is happening with our pensions, but we need to be a bit smarter than just striking.

How many people protested on the 11th May have completed overtime in the past few months as this pensions debate gathered pace? People do overtime to earn extra cash, but the prisons are not off ering us the overtime to give us extra cash. They are off ering the overtime to MAKE THIS REGIME WORK! For every 32 hours overtime you complete that is one offi cer which could be in post.

How many people protesting on 11th May are temporarily promoted, acting up or whatever term you wish to use? Carrying out roles which are not in your substantive remit!

I was heckled crossing the picket line, but I do not do overtime, I do not act up, I just didn’t want to break the law without exhausting all other avenues fi rst.

I call upon colleagues to think a bit more about what is happening. For me, industrial action (or protest) should not be the fi rst course of action. A period of time of working to rule, drawing your keys at the start time, not completing overtime, not acting up would bring some establishments to their knees and the powers that be would fi nd that much harder to manage than a day’s strike. What happened on Thursday is no diff erent to managing a major incident for them.

I’m not naive enough to think that this will change anything, overtime will continue to be full and bed watches staff ed, 1 know that those looking for promotion will also look to take temporary experience, but think twice before the next protest and ask yourself: “Have I done everything I can in my power to make the Government understand that the more they take from this Service the more my colleagues will get injured?” - Then, if you are happy in your answer think twice before heckling someone who might not have the same conscience.

Be safe.

Editor’s noteIn publishing the above letter, I felt it appropriate to respond to the points raised.

• All workers have a right to voice their opinion• The POA was not on strike, we held protest meetings at the vast majority of

prisons. We provided minimum cover arrangements in all prisons as a responsible Trade Union

• The protest meetings were on 10 May, not 11 May as stated• The POA has previously asked all members to work to their contractual obligations

and I will take this opportunity to remind people to consider their actions as we fi ght for fairness

• We will always have to break anti-trade union laws until we have our trade union rights restored.

Glyn TravisAssistant Secretary & Editor of Gatelodge

Thank you

Thank you for your contribution to the purchase of an electric powered wheelchair.

We are most grateful for your care and support which is greatly appreciated by all concerned.

Thank you

Name and address supplied

Dear Mr Chapple

I would like to take this opportunity to thank yourself and the POA Welfare Fund for the very kind donation.

As you are aware, I have had a very diffi cult time of late and this donation has helped prevent further diffi culties.

Many thanks again.

Name and address supplied

Thank you POA Welfare Committee On behalf of the Branch Committee at HMP & YOI New Hall, I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to the POA Welfare Committee for the prompt way in which they awarded a payment to one of our members in their hour of need. It is heartening in these troubled times that as a Union we show support to our membership in this way.

Once again, thank you.

Yours sincerely Rob Bowman Branch Secretary

54-60 postbag.indd 60 12/6/12 10:39:28


POA, THE UNION OF CHOICE FOR PCOSThe Private Sector Committee has recently been recruiting members and potential branch committee offi cials at HMP Ashfi eld.

Staff at the establishment are joining the POA in preference to any other union due to the

depth of knowledge and expertise that joining the POA brings with it.

The membership at Ashfi eld is growing steadily and it is hoped that a full committee will soon be in place, trained and ready to assist the membership.

As private companies engaged within the prison estate move towards reducing their costs in order to maintain shareholder dividends, the POA is steadily gaining membership from across private prison establishments.

Advice on worker’s rights is always a top issue for POA members within the private sector and we are very pleased that our national legal advisors, Thompsons, are able to provide prompt responses to their concerns.

POA, THE UNION OF

members and potential branch committee offi cials at HMP Ashfi eld. We believe that the POA is the only choice for

those employed within private prisons and our growing membership within this sector shows that our view is correct.

Best wishesTom RobsonChairman of the Private Sector Committee

New CommitteeDuncan Keys SecretaryTom Robson ChairmanTony Merricks NECSteve Lewis Research Offi cerWilliam Carle ScotlandIan Welsh Scotland

STRICTLY PRIVATE


61 Strictly Private.indd 61 7/6/12 12:54:05

Calls by the POA for the prison estate to be made smoke free have so far been met with an

inadequate response. The Union is prepared to take its campaign to the next level with your help.

The dangers of exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) have been established beyond doubt for many years. �Passive smoking can cause disease, disability and death.

The scientifi cally proven health risks of inhaling someone else’s smoke were behind the introduction of smoke free laws in workplaces and many public places across the UK by the end of 2007.

The POA wrote to the Prisons Minister, Crispin Blunt, the National Off ender Management Service (NOMS) and prison governors pledging that unless active and prompt steps were taken to end smoking in prisons then the Prison Service was opening itself to legal action by members made ill by exposure to SHS.

Despite the overwhelming weight of undivided medical opinion, smoking by inmates in prisons continues to be allowed. As the POA said in its letter to the Minister; “our members are exposed to second-hand smoke on a daily basis, in direct contrast to the right to a smoke-free working environment enjoyed by every other civil servant and employee.”

SMOKE FREE PRISONS

THOMPSONS

undivided medical opinion, smoking by inmates in prisons continues to be allowed. As the POA said in its letter to the Minister; “our members

basis, in direct contrast to the right to a smoke-


Ian McFall of Thompsons explains the action being taken by the POA to demand smoke free prisons.

Pressure from POA in this campaign has led the NOMS sub committee on Health & Safety to recommend to the NOMS Executive Committee that a pilot project into the operation of an adult tobacco free prison. The Union can pursue political and legal arguments but to keep the pressure on we need the help of members to demonstrate that exposure to SHS is an ongoing and unacceptable problem.

How YOU can helpBranches and activists must ensure that members routinely report to their occupational health (OH) departments every time they are exposed to the cigarette smoke of inmates. Recording every incident will enable the POA to build up a dossier of evidence that workplace standards of health and safety are not being applied by the Prison Service. The dossier will strengthen both any potential legal challenge to the government and the union’s hand in persuading the HSE to investigate complaints about the eff ects on members’ health of SHS.

Members may fi nd that OH seek to patronise them, asking why they are reporting the incident and lecturing them about how low the risks are. Don’t be put off . The employer owes you a duty of care and you are entitled to report your concerns.

While the PSI refers to the desirability of attaining a 100 percent smoke free prison estate, and a recommendation is to be considered by NOMS to undertake a pilot project, there has been little real progress. The POA does not accept that the current policy provides suffi cient safeguards. Requiring governors to risk assess how the health and safety of employees, visitors and prisoners can best be protected is not good enough.

Proving that prison offi cers continue to be exposed daily to, and endure the harmful eff ects of SHS is the key to the success of this campaign and depends on members following the procedure for reporting exposure.

Ian McFall of Thompsons

Getting the full pictureA number of Parliamentary questions have also been put down by MPs aimed at getting a fuller picture of the problem and what, if anything, the Government is doing about it.The Minister has been asked to confi rm:1. How many prisoners smoke2. How many smoke in each prison institution3. What national instructions have been given

by prison management about venting of cells to manage the risk of SHS exposure; and

4. Whether any air quality monitoring assessments have been carried out since September 2007 across the prison estateCrispin Blunt responded to the POA that

a review was underway of Prison Service Instruction (PSI) 09/2007 which implements the smoke free legislation in prisons in England (there is a separate version PSI for Wales and diff erent rules in Scotland and Northern Ireland).

He wrote: “In fi nding a way to protect everyone from the harmful eff ects of tobacco smoke it is necessary to take into account cessation strategies and the costs and benefi ts of all possible ways of dealing with addiction.”

Further scientifi c research would not constitute value for moneyWe drew the Minister’s attention to a 2009 report by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) which concluded that protocols intended to control exposure, such as prohibiting prisoners from smoking prior to cell door opening and cell ventilation procedures, were unworkable. It found that the PSI was not an acceptable means of the Prison Service complying with its statutory duties. Like the Royal College of Physicians four years before, the CIEH called for a smoke free prison policy (such as now exists in prisons on the Isle of Man).

Reporting on the conclusions of the PSI 09/2007 review, NOMS confi rmed that further scientifi c research would not constitute value for money because “there is no dispute that exposure to tobacco smoke in any amount is harmful to health and wellbeing”.

62 Thompsons.indd 62 12/6/12 10:45:07

��

� ��

��

��

��

��

��

��

� ��

��

� � ��

Tel: 0333 321 3220

www.insurance4unions.co.uk

Peace of mind for you and your family

Authorised and Regulatedby the FSA No. 307635

For your Insurance needs

advert.indd 1 3/11/10 10:59:46

p63_gatejun12.indd 1 6/6/12 16:24:44

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

30 levy and mc.indd 30 8/6/10 11:47:47

48 Levy.indd 1 24/9/10 16:15:29

poa gatelodge june 2012

Documents

poa hq

free legal advice

workrelatedmatters free

poa member youre

conference motions

tp400 poa umbrella ad

anynonwork issues

minutes free telephone