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| Prison plans spark safety fears | Prison plans spark safety fears |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Public safety will be jeopardised by plans to change working practices in state-run prisons, the Prison Officers Association has warned. | Public safety will be jeopardised by plans to change working practices in state-run prisons, the Prison Officers Association has warned. |
| The Ministry of Justice wants to give low-ranking staff more responsibility as part of a £1bn efficiency drive affecting prisons in England and Wales. | The Ministry of Justice wants to give low-ranking staff more responsibility as part of a £1bn efficiency drive affecting prisons in England and Wales. |
| The union's executive has urged members to vote against the proposals in a ballot which closes this week. | The union's executive has urged members to vote against the proposals in a ballot which closes this week. |
| However, ministers insist safety will not be compromised. | However, ministers insist safety will not be compromised. |
| They say prison staff are being offered an "attractive" three-year pay deal, amounting to almost 5%. | They say prison staff are being offered an "attractive" three-year pay deal, amounting to almost 5%. |
| The Prison Officers Association (POA) is concerned that safety would be put at risk because lower-ranking staff, to be known as "operations officers", would be given greater responsibility. They are trying to bribe us into very dangerous conditions Brian CatonGeneral Secretary, Prison Officers Association | The Prison Officers Association (POA) is concerned that safety would be put at risk because lower-ranking staff, to be known as "operations officers", would be given greater responsibility. They are trying to bribe us into very dangerous conditions Brian CatonGeneral Secretary, Prison Officers Association |
| It is also unhappy that officers will have to undergo tests to prove they are fit enough for the job. | It is also unhappy that officers will have to undergo tests to prove they are fit enough for the job. |
| General Secretary Brian Caton told the BBC's Today programme that the proposed pay rises were being offered in exchange for "de-skilling and downgrading". | General Secretary Brian Caton told the BBC's Today programme that the proposed pay rises were being offered in exchange for "de-skilling and downgrading". |
| He added that staff were being asked to "work in increasingly difficult, more populated prisons, without adequate trained staff, and to do it for what was not exactly a huge pay rise. | He added that staff were being asked to "work in increasingly difficult, more populated prisons, without adequate trained staff, and to do it for what was not exactly a huge pay rise. |
| "So they are trying to bribe us into very dangerous conditions," he claimed. | |
| The Prison Governors Association is due to recommend whether or not its members should accept the deal and leaders have expressed reservations about the plans. FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/default.stm">More from Today programme | |
| Its president, Paul Tidball, had previously warned of a "serious risk" of disturbances in jails because of a shortage of resources. | Its president, Paul Tidball, had previously warned of a "serious risk" of disturbances in jails because of a shortage of resources. |
| He said efficiency measures would not be agreed unless they passed "safety and decency" thresholds. | He said efficiency measures would not be agreed unless they passed "safety and decency" thresholds. |
| Juliet Lyon of the Prison Reform Trust said she wanted the POA to show a bit more flexibility. | Juliet Lyon of the Prison Reform Trust said she wanted the POA to show a bit more flexibility. |
| She said: "What we'd ask is that what's on the table is considered seriously, that there's a proper discussion around a table, and that this isn't the time for taking a stand or a High Noon stance. | She said: "What we'd ask is that what's on the table is considered seriously, that there's a proper discussion around a table, and that this isn't the time for taking a stand or a High Noon stance. |
| "It's important to look at the proposals that are on the table: is that going to be the outcome, or is there going to be an opportunity here to modernise the service." | "It's important to look at the proposals that are on the table: is that going to be the outcome, or is there going to be an opportunity here to modernise the service." |
| BBC correspondent Danny Shaw said: "The dispute is likely to become increasingly bitter in the next few days if, as expected, unions reject the plans." | BBC correspondent Danny Shaw said: "The dispute is likely to become increasingly bitter in the next few days if, as expected, unions reject the plans." |