Prison Guards on Strike Due To Safety Concerns

Thousands of prison guards will stop working today in a protest over health and safety concerns, their union has announced.

The Prison Officers Association (POA) has directed all of its members to take part in a day of protest after negotiations with the government broke down.

Steve Gillan, the POA's general secretary said as many as 10,000 prison workers would take part in what is effectively a strike, providing only emergency cover.

The protest comes after a string of high-profile incidents at prisons, including an alleged murder, a riot, and two inmates escaping from Pentonville prison in north London.

But the Ministry of Justice has claimed the industrial action is unjustified and "unlawful."

A union spokesman said:

"The POA has consistently raised the volatile and dangerous state of prisons, as chronic staff shortages and impoverished regimes has resulted in staff no longer being safe, a lack of discipline and prisoners taking control of areas.

"The continued surge in violence and unprecedented levels of suicide and acts of self-harm, coupled with the recent (alleged) murder and escapes, demonstrate that the service is in meltdown."

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