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PRISON OFFICERS WILL begin a work to rule on 26 March as talks on safety stalled.
Over 90% of members of the Prison Officers’ Association voted to accept a ballot for industrial action today, saying that the move came because of “a series of unilateral decisions made by the Irish Prison Service” that have made prisons less safe for staff.
Last year, over 160 attacks on staff were recorded on staff.
This year, two prison officers were stabbed by a violent criminal and another two were injured in separate incidents at the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise on Sunday.
Additionally, there have been another five attacks on prison officers in the last three weeks.
The Prison Officers’ Association says that they had a “positive engagement” with Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald where there were commitments given to practical measures to ensure the safety of prison officers.
However, there was no concrete reolution on the issues and Jim Mitchell, Deputy General Secretary of the association says that staff will begin “withdrawing goodwill” as of 26 March.
He says that practical issues such as the removal of patrol dogs had made prisons less safe for officers, adding that if there is no solution, the action will escalate.
“We only take it one step at a time and that starts with a rolling work to rule.
“That will escalate if there is not a solution.”
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Can we just ignore that eejit please, I would like to see what the general public think about this issue. Being a PO, I would like to know if the public support our action on what is a health and safety issue, for both the Officer and the prisoner. ie; the officer responding to an incident and assisting a prisoner in difficulty or the officer themselves coming under arrack.
More power to you guys. It’s sad to think a work-to-rule is considered an industrial action.
I don’t think most people know, or want to know, the real situation behind bars. It’s a dangerous job and if we don’t protect the guards then we’ll lose the good ones. The government wouldn’t care if it was Laurel and Hardy doing the job as long as it’s not on their doorstep.
As a quick response 2 ur question Neil I totally and utterly support ur position and believe d vast majority of d public do also.
Sammy why comment when you clearly haven’t a clue what the issues and problems are with the IPS. Very silly comment, presume boredom has u putting up silly comments.
Not everyone is always going to have the same opinion as you Mark.
Sammy the troll
All prison officers should be issued with pepper spray.
What the general public need to understand is that this dispute is not about pay or changing employment conditions. It is about the Government through the Irish Prison Service not doing what is required of every employer in the state. To ensure that its employees (in this case Prison Officers) have the safest working conditions that are physically possible for the nature of our Employment.
Every Officer knows that being Assaulted is a very real risk in our job. All we as Prison Officers are asking/looking for is that our Employer the Irish Prison Service and through them the Irish Government give us the Equipment and working conditions that minimise the damage those assaults cause.
As I have already said if a Private Company were to behave in a manner that the Government through the Irish Prison Service have towards it’s employees the Government through the Health and Safety Authority would have them in Court for being Dangerously Negligent to the safety of it’s employees. Yet the Government through the IPS are under the impression that they themselves are above those same laws.
I left the job 10 years ago. Back then the attitude of ips was dreadful. Working in the female prison we were not allowed to handcuff a prisoner unless she got violent or tried to escape. Sounds laughable doesn’t it we had to wait to be assaulted before restraining her.
We were not allowed to search a prisoner or their ‘room’ without express permission from a chief. One evening I Remember seeing 2 prisoners Shooting up and when we went in and removed the syringes we were giving out to.
The prison officers had and still do have a dreadfully tough job. To get any kind of ppe or new sop implemented is a battle and the previous comments are correct if the ips was a private company they would be convicted and fined a million times over for not doing everything they can to ensure the safety of their employees.
Colette. If anything the attitude of senior management in IPS has gotten worse in those 10 years since you have been in the Job. Prison Officers are viewed by them as a necessary but undesirable evil.
Colette ,it seems to me a no win situation for prison officers.
Has there not been an acceptance of continued drug use in prisons for many years now, because the alternative-dealing with drug addicts in withdrawal- is too horrendous for staff to consider.?
Thing is Mick, as catastrophic as it was, d recent attacks have brought attention 2 d subject even though it’s been going on 4 years. Hopefully this attention will put adequate pressure on d powers that be 2 address it. D action will have strong support and slim as it is there is a chance things will improve 4 ye.
Sean. Not by Staff on the Floor. Everyday Staff try their damndest to prevent drugs coming into the Prisons and finding those that do get in. The Staff on the floor are more than willing to suppress any problems or revolt by prisoners suffering withdrawals from drugs. Can the same be said for senior management? That is for them to answer. But I would suspect that financial implications play a big part in their thinking.
Sammy obviously everyone has their opinion, but my point is why comment and have an opinion on something you know nothing about. Journal were very fague on the real problems in the Prison Service. But u found enough in it to form and opinion and share it. As I said silly.
You really don’t like the reply button do you? My opinion is as valid as any.
Safety? They chose the job. It’s like being a racecar driver and complaining that the cars go too fast.
Asking for a stab vest is like a race car driver asking for a helmet or a seat belt. Does that make it easier for you to understand
No it’s not like that at all Sammy.
Not sure what your point is, they already have helmets and seat belts.
Sammy you have the IQ of a donkey , prison officers accept the dangers , all they are asking for is Stab vests , and for management to stop acting like mother Teresa to prisoners who keep causing trouble .
Really sammy ? You don’t think men/ women have a right to be safe ? Yes we chose the job knowing full well how dangerous it is but why not try make it a safer work environment ? The job I joined had plenty of staff employed in it and if sh.t kicked off you knew you had back up. Which also benifited prisoners if they were been attacked. You obliviously are entitled to your opinion but my guess would be you know very little of prisons.
OK. Sammy let us look at your analogy. Race car divers are extremely concerned about safety and do everything possible to make their cars as safe as possible.
Prison Officers take their safety just as seriously. But our employers the IPS (for the sake of saving a few quid in the short term) are refusing to supply us with equipment and procedures to ensure that our working conditions are as safe as can possibly be considering the nature of our employment.
Now we are not living in the 17th Century where employee safety was of little or no concern to employers. This is the 21st Century where the Government would fine a private company for not doing everything in it’s power to ensure that the companies employees were able to work in a safe environment. But yet deems itself above such standards.
What about nurses been abused by drunks in A&E’s sammy ? Did they choose there jobs? Shopkeepers who get held up at gun point did they choose ? Because a lot of jobs have dangers, I just think it make sense to try have a safe working environment for honest hard working people.
sound Mick.
its time now we walked out the door. full stop. and no emergency cover provided. work to rule me bollocks.. leave the scabs in..
*attack
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