Prison officers have been taking industrial action since Monday, working strictly to their contracts, in a row about pay and conditions.
One aspect of the industrial action is an overtime ban, which has forced prison management to keep inmates in their cells longer each day, but that has not stopped prisoners indicating their support for the officers.
‘Many prisoners have written letters and signed petitions expressing their support for prison officers, acknowledging the professionalism, fairness and commitment shown by staff,’ said Unite’s regional officer Laura Bichard late yesterday.
‘This support underlines the positive relationships that officers build within prisons, despite the increasingly difficult conditions in which they work.’
Sources inside the prison spoke yesterday of an increasingly tense atmosphere as prisoners were being forced to spend more than 15 hours each day in their cells.
The Home Affairs Committee confirmed that cells were currently locked between 4.50pm and 8.10am each weekday, whereas they were previously locked between 7pm and 8am, although the earlier lock-up time was normally used on weekends. Unite said that prison officers felt as if they had become the ‘forgotten service’ of the public sector after years of dispute over pay, staff retention and recruitment and workload.
‘Prison officers have shown extraordinary professionalism and dedication for many years while facing increasing pressures, staff shortages and expanding responsibilities. Their goodwill has kept the service operating, but that goodwill has now been exhausted,’ said Ms Bichard.
Unite wrote last Wednesday to the Policy & Resources Committee, which is responsible for employment issues, setting out the grounds of the dispute.
‘Prison officers are asking the employer to demonstrate, through meaningful action rather than words alone, that it has listened to their concerns and is committed to supporting them,’ said Ms Bichard.
‘They are asking for nothing more than the ability to carry out their duties safely, with appropriate staffing and resources, and to be fairly rewarded for the dedication, professionalism and willingness to go above and beyond which they have demonstrated over many years. Prison officers want to be in a position where they can provide prisoners with the resources, access to facilities and rehabilitation opportunities they deserve. They are committed to delivering the highest standard of care and support, but this has not been possible for a considerable time due to persistently low staffing levels.’
Unite also claimed yesterday that a recruitment agency had approached prison officers outside the island and invited applications for fixed-term roles in Guernsey, allegedly offering enhanced pay and benefits unavailable to existing officers.
‘This sends entirely the wrong message to a workforce that has remained loyal to the service during some of its most challenging years,’ said Ms Bichard.
‘If enhanced terms are necessary to recruit and retain staff, they should equally be used to retain those officers who have already demonstrated their commitment and professionalism.’
Les Nicolles has been under increased scrutiny this year following the deaths of two prisoners, which are still under investigation, and governor John De Carteret stepping aside from his duties while investigations were carried out into allegations against him and the prison. Home Affairs said recently that it would organise an independent review of the prison within the next year.
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