Straw seeks prison officers strike ban
Tuesday, 8 January 2008 12:00 AM
The government is to reintroduce a ban on prison officer strikes, two years after repealing similar legislation.
Jack Straw told MPs last night the government plans to introduce legislation that would prohibit prison officers striking after a voluntary no-strike agreement appeared to break down last summer.
In August the Prison Officers Association (POA) launched a wildcat strike which saw its 30,000-strong membership walk out at nearly 130 prisons in protests at the government's decision to stagger a 2.5 per cent pay award.
This action caused "significant disruption", the justice secretary told MPs yesterday, including £220,000 worth of damages at Lancashire Farms young offenders institution after "very serious disturbances".
Accordingly a statutory ban on strikes is necessary to maintain public safety and protect prisoners' welfare, Mr Straw argued.
The ban will be introduced via an amendment to the criminal justice and immigration bill, currently going through parliament. The justice secretary believes it is "judge proof" and will not fall foul of European human rights law.
Mr Straw said he would "much prefer" the measures are not used and they will instead be kept in reserve.
Further, he said the ban would be subject to an independent review within two years if a "suitable trades union recognition agreement" can be reached with POA.
The currently voluntary "no strike" agreement was reached between the government and prison officers in 2005 after then home secretary David Blunkett repealed a legal ban introduced by Michael Howard in 1994.
Last night, the former Tory home secretary said the government had been forced into "the most humiliating U-turn".
Mr Howard reminded Mr Straw he had campaigned for prison officers' votes in 1997 on the back of a promise to repeal the ban.
POA chairman Colin Moses last night said his association felt "betrayed" by the Labour government.
Brian Caton, general secretary of the POA, added that the claims about cost of damage were "absolute rubbish".
He said: "The government has previously announced that it made a profit of £64,000 during the strike because of the wages saved, so it's a bit rich to mention this now.
"We are not prepared to be bullied or intimidated by murderers and terrorists so we will certainly not be bullied or intimidated by politicians."
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