Prison staff urge strike action

Prison officers held wildcat strikes last summer

Prison officers are pressing for industrial action in protest at government moves to ban them from striking, a union has said.

Prison Officers Association chairman Colin Moses said more than 60 union branches had called for a campaign.

He added that there was "massive pressure" for action, as discontent over this year's pay settlement grows.

Justice Minister Jack Straw told Parliament on Monday that he wanted to outlaw strikes in jails.

'Betrayal'

This followed a wildcat pay strike last year by members of the POA in protest at a government decision to phase a 2.5% pay award, reducing the value of the increase.

Mr Moses claimed the union had been "knocked flat" by Mr Straw's plan, saying: "We are under massive pressure to take action.

"There is a feeling of total betrayal from this government and a view that the Labour Party has abandoned its promises on trades union rights, so why should we uphold the rules?"

The POA accused the government of behaving in the same way as the Conservative government of the early 1990s, which originally imposed a ban on prison officers taking industrial action.

The union's executive is due to meet later on Tuesday to discuss its response to the ban.

There is widespread anger among public sector workers over the government's decision to phase the 2.5% pay rise.

Unions say this means the increase will effectively be 1.9%, but ministers say this is necessary to curb inflation.

Chancellor Alistair Darling has said public sector workers could have their salaries set for three years rather than 12 months.

But the TUC said any three-year deals would depend on the terms offered.