The POA

16/01/2025

This week in the House of Lords Lord Woodley raised the same concerns about the use of drones that the POA has been raising for the last five years. The government must act urgently and invest to prevent drones being used to deliver drugs, phones and weapons into prisons.

16/01/2025

This week in the House of Lords Baroness Hamwee raised issues relating to the POA's view that the recruitment process for Prison Officers being 'not fit for purpose'. The Government must act to ensure the system of recruiting new officers is robust and credible. The Minister's reply does not reflect reality.

15/01/2025

Watch National Chair, Mark Fairhurst give evidence at the Justice and Home Affairs Committee, Tuesday 14 January 2025

14/01/2025

PR 262: RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION CRISIS IS PUTTING STAFF AND PRISONERS AT RISK UNION LEADER TELLS LORDS COMMITTEE

In a blistering evidence session to the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee Mark Fairhurst, National Chair of the Prison Officers Association told the committee that a major crisis in recruitment and retention is destabilising prisons and endangering staff and prisoners.

In a blistering evidence session to the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee Mark Fairhurst, National Chair of the Prison Officers Association told the committee that a major crisis in recruitment and retention is destabilising prisons and endangering staff and prisoners.

14/01/2025

PR 261: RESPONDING TO THE UNANNOUNCED INSPECTION REPORT OF HMP MANCHESTER THAT TOOK PLACE BETWEEN 17TH SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER 3RD 2024.

“This is a shocking report that exposes widespread organised criminal activity, serious violence and rampant drugs misuse as commonplace in this Prison.

14/01/2025

PR 260: RESPONDING TO THE UNANNOUNCED INSPECTION REPORT OF LONG LARTIN THAT TOOK PLACE IN OCTOBER 2024

“This Inspection Report is further evidence of the crisis in the UK’s prisons. The use of drones to deliver drugs and phones into the jail, low morale amongst staff, rising levels of violence, poor and unsanitary conditions and high levels of sickness absence were all identified by inspectors wh...

14/01/2025

PR 259: PRISON OFFICERS DID NOT SIGN-UP TO BE ‘PUNCHBAGS’ UNION TELLS MPs

The Chair of the trade union that represents the UK’s 32,000 Prison Officers told MPs of the intolerable pressures faced by staff working in the country’s prisons and the impact it is having on prisoner rehabilitation.

The Chair of the trade union that represents the UK’s 32,000 Prison Officers told MPs of the intolerable pressures faced by staff working in the country’s prisons and the impact it is having on prisoner rehabilitation.

10/01/2025

Listen now to episode 56 of the POA Podcast - New Year message from National Chair.

In this new year message, national chair Mark Fairhurst looks forward to 2025 being the year when POA members are heard with increasing clarity on a range of issues including pay, changes to the Open estate regime, and the in-sourcing of contracted-out building maintenance work, alongside long-running campaigns on “68 is too late”, the right to strike and creating a safer working environment. Keep up to date at poauk.org.uk and to support the insourcing campaign.

23/12/2024

A Christmas message from the National Chair

20/12/2024

In case you missed it, listen now to episode 55 of the POA Podcast - We want our trade union rights back! General

Secretary Steve Gillan introduces speakers at an event in Parliament held last month to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the removal of prison officers’ right to take industrial action and to urge support for the union’s ongoing campaign for this right to be restored throughout the UK, as it has already been in Scotland.

Those participating include National Chair Mark Fairhurst, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak, Mick Whelan from Aslef, Mick Lynch from the RMT, Martin Kavanagh of PCS, and Jo Grady of the University and Colleges Union.

Parliamentarians who supported and spoke at the event were members of the Justice team such as Lord John Atlee and former POA branch chair-now-MP Sally Jameson, Parliamentary Justice Union’s chair Liz Saville Roberts MP, Jeremy Corbyn MP and Justice Select Committee Chair Andy Slaughter MP. Clare Mellor from leading trade union law firm Thompsons also contributed.

A strong show of support from the union’s many friends and allies both inside and outside Westminster. More information at poauk.org.uk.

General Secretary Steve Gillan introduces speakers at an event in Parliament held last month to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the removal of prison off...

17/12/2024

POA NEC member, Phil Hannant spoke to BBC Newcastle about the failing infrastructure Prison Officers have to deal with, highlighting concerns about HMP Frankland in particular.

13/12/2024

Coinciding with a feature article in the winter 2024 edition of Gatelodge, NEC member Jackie Marshall, former National Chair John Boddington MBE and Paul Evans from Bradford City Council talk about the origins and enduring importance of this much-loved annual event, which keeps memories alive of those lost and injured in the tragic fire at Bradford City FC in May 1985. More information in Gatelodge magazine.

12/12/2024

I am pleased to announce that the POA and MTC Manston have negotiated a voluntary recognition agreement and signed it off today. I look forward to a constructive relationship on behalf of our members. Steve Gillan Gen Sec.

03/12/2024

Listen now to episode 53 of the POA Podcast - The POA and Justice for Columbia

The POA, like 33 other unions in the UK and Ireland, is affiliated to ⁠Justice For Columbia⁠. In this episode, we explore what that relationship means in practice, the vital difference it makes to the POA's counterparts in Colombia, and why the struggles faced in the UK and Colombia are much closer to each other than people may think. All information correct as of September 2024.

26/11/2024

See POA General Secretary Steve Gillan on BBC Breakfast discussing the dangers posed by the increasing numbers of drones being used to smuggle drugs, phones and other illicit items into prisons.

11/11/2024

POA Parliamentary Reception - Trade Unions Rights !

06/11/2024

Read the General Secretary's article - "TRIBUTE TO DAVID EVANS – POA GENERAL SECRETARY 1981-2000" in this Autumns POA Gatelodge

POA Gatelodge Autumn 2024

01/11/2024

Listen now to episode 52 of the POA Podcast - The POA and the Prison Service Pay Review Body

Following the removal, in 1994, of the right to strike in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Prison Service Pay Awards have been recommended to government by a Pay Review Body. In this episode GS Steve Gillan and AGS Andy Baxter look at whether this so-called "compensatory mechanism" is a fair alternative, how the POA interacts with it to try and get the best for members, and the union's continuing campaign for the restoration of the right to take industrial action as and when necessary. More information at ⁠poauk.org.uk