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'No new deal' for prison officers 'No new deal' for prison officers
(30 minutes later)
Ministers have insisted prison officers will not get a new pay settlement this year, following "constructive" talks with union officials on Friday. Ministers have insisted prison officers will not get a new pay award this year, after talks with union officials.
The talks, which followed a surprise strike by thousands of prison staff in England and Wales on Wednesday, will continue in two weeks' time. Thousands of prison staff walked out on Wednesday over a decision to pay their 2.5% pay award in two stages.
The Prison Officers' Association has said there will be no more industrial action for now. Both sides said talks had been "constructive", but union leaders said they would not rule out more strikes.
Staff are angry that a 2.5% pay rise is being phased in, in two stages. Prison Officers' Association head Brian Caton said Gordon Brown should prepare for a "rough time" from unions, if he continued to give pay awards in stages.
The POA has admitted breaking a "no-strike" deal but said it was a desperate move by demoralised staff in overcrowded jails. The prime minister has said staging public sector pay is an essential part of controlling inflation.
The justice secretary, Jack Straw, emphasised to the POA that there can be no change in this year's pay settlement Joint statement class="" href="/1/hi/uk/6972154.stm">'Too few cells' in prison plan class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/6970292.stm">Public sector flashpoints Resolution sought
Entering the talks, union leaders said they expected some frank exchanges in the meeting with Justice Secretary Jack Straw.
In a joint statement, the government and the union said: "We have had some hours of constructive discussions. We will be meeting again in two weeks' time.In a joint statement, the government and the union said: "We have had some hours of constructive discussions. We will be meeting again in two weeks' time.
"The justice secretary, Jack Straw, emphasised to the POA that there can be no change in this year's pay settlement."The justice secretary, Jack Straw, emphasised to the POA that there can be no change in this year's pay settlement.
We're not going to let this go Brian CatonPrison Officers' Association 'Too few cells' in prison plan Public sector flashpoints
"The POA told him that they had no intention of further industrial action at this time, but would continue to seek a resolution to this current dispute.""The POA told him that they had no intention of further industrial action at this time, but would continue to seek a resolution to this current dispute."
Ministers were taken by surprise by Wednesday's walkout by about 20,000 staff and the government was in court within hours seeking an injunction to stop the strike. However POA chairman Colin Moses said later: "We're counting nothing in and nothing out in regards to our future actions. What we are saying is that we don't believe this dispute is over."
An independent pay review body recommended a 2.5% pay rise, but the government staged that rise, awarding 1.5% in April and the remaining 1% from November, a decision made by the prime minister when he was still chancellor. And the union's general secretary, Brian Caton, added: "We will continue to press for no more and no less than what we should have been given by an independent pay review body appointed and selected by the government.
The Prison Officers' Association (POA) said it effectively amounted to a second year of below-inflation pay awards and has not ruled out further strikes. Surprise strike
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the staging of pay awards was an "essential part" of controlling inflation, keeping interest rates low and creating more jobs. "And if the government continue to want to stage pay across the public services, then they'd better get ready for a rough time at the TUC, and at the Labour Party conference because we're not going to let this go."
"We will do nothing, nothing, to put that at risk. It is an essential element of maintaining discipline in the economy," he said. The talks followed a surprise strike by about 20,000 prison staff in England and Wales on Wednesday.
As the talks got under way the Ministry of Justice published fresh predictions for the prison population over the next seven years, suggesting that the government's massive building plan for new cells will not ease the current overcrowding crisis. The government was in court within hours seeking an injunction to stop the strike - the POA has admitted breaking a "no-strike" deal but said it was a desperate move by demoralised staff in overcrowded jails.
An independent pay review body had recommended a 2.5% pay rise, but the government staged that rise, awarding 1.5% in April and the remaining 1% from November, a decision made by the prime minister when he was still chancellor.
The union argues it reduces its value to 1.9% and effectively amounts to a second year of below-inflation pay awards.
Mr Brown said the staging of pay awards was an "essential part" of controlling inflation, keeping interest rates low and creating more jobs.
On Friday the Ministry of Justice published new predictions for the prison population over the next seven years, which suggested that the government's massive building plan for new cells will not ease the current overcrowding crisis.
Prisoner numbers reached a record 81,000 in June, prompting ministers to sanction an early release on licence scheme - as of 31 July, 3,832 prisoners had been released under licence, mostly people serving sentences of six months or less.
Of those, 126 were later recalled to prison - 41 for committing crimes.