Prison staff strike threat halted

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An injunction stopping prison officers from taking industrial action has been continued by a high court judge.

The order against the POA (formerly the Prison Officers' Association) was brought by the Ministry of Justice.

An injunction was initially imposed by the High Court in 2007 to halt an illegal wildcat walkout by thousands of prison officers.

The current decision will remain in force until 8 May 2008.

The injunction was imposed to prevent the POA from inducing, authorising or supporting any form of industrial action which would disrupt the operation of the Prison Service in England and Wales.

Thousands of prison staff in England and Wales walked out in August 2007 over the government's decision to give public sector workers a 2.5% pay rise in two separate stages.

Public interest

The judge, Mr Justice Wyn Williams, said it was important to regard the impact of the August strike and any future industrial action.

"Thirty prisons failed to produce prisoners who should have attended court," he said.

"Approximately 525 prisoners who were sentenced or remanded into custody on August 29, 2007 remained locked out of prisons.

"There were a number of incidents of prisoner unrest."

He said it was "inevitable" that the situation may be similar if there was another strike.

"In those circumstances, in my judgment, there is a very strong public interest in providing a remedy to the claimant (Ministry of Justice) to restrain a breach of contract by the defendant."

At the time of the August 2007 strike the government said the POA had reneged on a voluntary ban on industrial action within the service and Justice Secretary Jack Straw said he was "actively considering" banning strikes.

The POA has contested the latest injunction move.