Officers' action averted at Cloverhill

The threat of industrial action at Cloverhill Prison receded today after the Prison Officers' Association (POA) said management…

The threat of industrial action at Cloverhill Prison receded today after the Prison Officers' Association (POA) said management had addressed their concerns about officer safety.

The POA executive met today consider its options after members voted almost unanimously in favour of industrial action.

Members were angry that its proposal for a change to procedures for moving prisoners had not been accepted by management despite serious threats to officers by inmates.

But after last-ditch correspondence with the Prison Service today, the POA executive decided to recommend acceptance of a written proposal from management on safety of staff.

READ MORE

Eugene Dennehy, deputy general secretary of the POA, said: "This issue should not have reached the crisis point it did"

"[We] are disappointed that it was not possible to resolve this crucial staff safety matter at local level, especially as the solution proposed by the POA involved no extra costs," Mr Dennehy said.