Prison officers 'could strike again'
Updated on 31 August 2007
As the Prison Officers' Association holds pay talks with the Government, a warder tells Channel 4 News there could be another strike.
The POA called a 24-hour strike on Wednesday in a protest over the officers' staggered pay increase and conditions.
Jim Shaw, a union official at Wandsworth Prison, claims conditions are at the worst he has known in 15 years.
He told us prisoners attacked one of his colleagues with excrement from their cell, just days ago.
He believes another strike could be called.
He said: "They haven't got anything to lose any more.
"We learnt some lessons on Wednesday, as our management team did, I'm sure.
"A few of them got out of their offices and started to get involved with prisoners."
Wednesday's strike was called off after less than 13 hours after a court injunction ruled the surprise industrial action unlawful.
A senior union has claimed the Government is threatening to seize £500,000 of union funds and could take individual members to court.
POA chairman Colin Moses said: "Let's stop the silly threats. We certainly have not shot ourselves in the foot."
The union is demanding a 2.5 per cent pay increase but say they are willing to compromise.
