Prison workers in industrial action

12 April 2012

Hundreds of workers in the Prison Service are due to start a campaign of industrial action in a row over pay.

Around 400 professional and technical staff, including farm and catering managers, medical officers and psychologists based in prisons across England and Wales, will refuse to work overtime and will hold lunchtime union meetings.

Their trade union Prospect said the dispute had been caused by a lack of funds to finance an equal pay settlement covering the staff.

Union official Emily Boase said the Prison Service had failed to obtain enough money from the Treasury to finance a settlement this year.

"Our members work face-to-face with prisoners to prevent re-offending yet their expertise is being treated with derision," she said.

The union said pay rates among its members were already low compared with other services such as the NHS.

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