PRIVATE prison companies would have been called in to take the place
of Scottish prison officers had tomorrow's threatened jail strike gone
ahead.
As the threat of wildcat strike action by some prison officers receded
yesterday, a highly-placed source revealed to The Herald that plans had
been under preparation for many months to bring in the uniformed
security men.
The same source pointed out that, had the private companies proved
efficient and cheaper, there would have seemed to have been little point
in the Scottish Prison Service going back to the old system. The same
might have applied to private companies brought in to provide other
services, such as catering.
This information would explain why the leaders of the Scottish Prison
Service agency were so reluctant in the last crisis-strewn week to
explain the nature of their contingency plans. They appeared content to
allow the assumption to become public that police officers would be
called in to man the prison halls, while soldiers took charge of
perimeter security.
However, it became apparent as the threat of a strike grew, that
neither Army nor police forces had been placed on alert to man the
jails. At the height of the crisis, an Army spokesperson told The Herald
that the force had not been contacted.
In Strathclyde, where the police force would have had to supply
officers to deal with Barlinnie, Scotland's largest jail; Shotts, the
most volatile prison; Greenock Prison; Dungavel open prison; Low Moss
Prison at Bishopbriggs; and Longriggend Remand Institution for
juveniles, the enormous staff commitment would have stripped the force
bare of cover at a time when every resource has been dedicated, with
considerable success, to fighting crime.
Other forces, including Tayside, with Perth Prison, Friarton, Castle
Huntly, and Noranside within its boundary, would also have lost a
disproportionate number of officers from real policing duties.
The executive of the Scottish Prison Officers' Association voted last
week for strike action after a ballot of the 4000 membership produced a
majority of nine on a low vote.
Prison officers face a staffing structure review which would bring
radical change to their jobs, with a two-tier structure on the lines of
contact and non-contact jobs -- the latter at lower salary rates,
performance-related pay to replace annual increments, and a regrading of
all posts to replace the existing promotion structure.
The prison service management has said that this would free resources
for a pay rise worth 5% over two years, with the savings, more
importantly, meaning that the market testing for privatisation demanded
by the Government could be postponed for four years.
Scottish Office Ministers had agreed to this. At the end of last week,
it looked as though a deal had been reached which involved Scottish
Secretary Ian Lang clarifying to the SPOA the market-testing guarantee.
Compulsory redundancy for over 55s would also have been shelved but
then came the threat of wildcat action. The association has called a
special delegate meeting for September 30 to ratify the deal.
Officers in many of the prisons, aware that they lose the right to
strike in November under new legislation, met yesterday at branch level.
There was reported widespread anger but also a general acceptance of
advice from industrial relations experts that wildcat action would be
illegal.
Striking officers would have no protection from their union and would
simply face dismissal. The officers were faced with making a realistic
assessment of the risks, most opting to vent their anger at the
September 30 conference.
Mr Derek Turner, general secretary elect of the SPOA, stated that the
possibility that private companies might be called in to augment
managers and non-striking staff in the event of industrial action was
something which did not surprise him. It had been rumoured for months.
After a seven-hour meeting yesterday, Mr Turner said: ''We are saying
to all our members to stop and think and go forward constitutionally.
They have 14 days in which to mandate their delegates. We are asking
them to stay within the rules. We are talking here about the future of
their association and of the service.''
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