![[ image: width=150]](/olmedia/50000/images/_52961_adams150.jpg)
![image: [ Prison officers say they will do 'whatever is necessary' to protect themselves ]](/olmedia/50000/images/_52961_prison300.jpg)
Labour opposed the former Conservative government in 1994, when the right to strike was withdrawn, but now the Home Secretary Jack Straw has said there is no place for industrial action in jails.
The Vice Chairman of the Prison Officers' Association, Ron Adams, said prison officers felt betrayed by the Labour government, which he accused of being a "party of broken promises".
"We have a stark warning for Jack Straw and the government, anything at all that threatens the health and safety of our officers we will do whatever is necessary to protect them," he said.
Mr Adams said that prison officers' lives were being put at risk every day by "ridiculous decisions" by prison governors and the government.
"Recently two officers were bound-hooded and had darts thrown at them them had because of a lack of staff in a young offenders prison. We can't allow this to continue, we have to protect our members," he said.
The Prison Officers' Association is not concerned about being able to strike, but wants the right to negotiate, according to Mr Adams.
"We don't have a problem with not having the right to strike and we've made that abundantly clear to Jack Straw. We haven't struck as a trade union for the last 50 years but what we do require is our right to take lawful industrial action, our rights to withdraw from dangerous situations and to challenge ludicrous decisions by prison service managers."
Jack Straw has offered the Prison Officers' Association the right to go to industrial tribunals and to have independent arbitration. However, Mr Adams said the government was "shirking" from the reality of the situation.
"The real issue is a cash-starved service where the government and director general has lost control over his governors in the field. There are decisions being made that are endangering our lives everyday.
"We need ability to take action straight away not wait until we go through an arbitration process that could take weeks," he said.
The union is to hold an emergency conference to discuss its response.
Prison siege ends as officer released
(21 Nov 97 | UK)
Home Office
Her Majesty's Prison Service
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