Prison officers call off strike
Updated on 29 August 2007
Prison officers have returned to work after calling off a wildcat strike.
The Prison Officers' Association said 20,000 of its members took part when the strike was called at 7am, but they agreed to return to work 12 hours later when the Government offered fresh talks in a bitter row over pay.
The union's executive said fresh talks will be held on Friday.
The Ministry of Justice obtained an injunction in the High Court against the POA earlier, which it expected would lead to a return to work.
But most prison officers remained on strike for several hours after the court move.
Steve Gough, vice-chairman of the POA, said Justice Secretary Jack Straw, had offered "full and meaningful" talks.
He said: "The response from our members today was overwhelming."
Mr Straw said: "I am glad that the POA has issued this instruction to return to work."
A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said Mr Straw arranged to meet the union's leadership on Friday before he knew about the strikes.
The strike was held in protest at the Government's controversial decision to pay a recommended 2.5 per cent wage rise in two stages, reducing the value of the award to 1.9 per cent.
"The executive has decided in the light of the offer of meaningful discussions on Friday regarding the staging of pay, to lead our members back to work."
An independent pay review body recommended the 2.5 per cent pay rise but ministers decided this should be made in two stages of 1.5 per cent in April and 1.0 per cent in October.
The strike was solidly supported at 131 prisons across England and Wales leading to chaotic scenes with inmates being locked up in cells for long periods of the day, court cases cancelled and visitors told to stay away.
Prison governors were called in to help keep control but inmates in Liverpool managed to climb onto a roof during the strike before being persuaded to return to their cells.
POA chairman, Colin Moses, said: "The executive has decided in the light of the offer of meaningful discussions on Friday regarding the staging of pay, to lead our members back to work, irrespective of the threat of an injunction."
Mr Moses said the morale of prison staff had been at "rock bottom" and the decision to stage the pay award was the last straw.
General Secretary, Brian Caton, said: "This Government has failed to deliver promise after promise to our union and today it is reaping all that it has sown.
"It is unforgivable that a Labour Government should treat public services and workers with such disdain."
The union said prisons were becoming more dangerous and violent with assaults on staff increasing to an average of eight every day.
