The Government has won a High Court injunction against industrial action being taken by prison officers after thousands stopped work in protest amid claims jails are "in meltdown".
On Tuesday afternoon Mr Justice Kerr heard an urgent application for an injunction to “restrain” the Prison Officers Association (POA) from “inducing any form of industrial action”.
The Ministry of Justice took the step after the union directed members to protest after talks over health and safety concerns broke down.
Up to 10,000 prison officers stopped work, causing widespread disruption in court business with defendants not being produced for hearings.
Jail guards are technically banned from going on strike and the action by the POA was described as “unnecessary and unlawful” by Justice Secretary Liz Truss.
Daniel Stilitz QC, for the Ministry of Justice, told the judge that "injunctive relief" was being sought against the POA, which was "liable as a trade union for its unlawful inducement".
Stuart Brittenden, counsel for the union, said: "The POA's position is that the Secretary of State is in breach of their contract in failing to provide a safe place and a system of work, and as such, any instruction to them to continue working in those conditions in this environment is an unlawful one."
The order will have immediate effect with prison officers expected to return to work "forthwith".
The judge said that "on the face of it we have a grave situation" and said the situation was "very concerning indeed".
He added that it was a "very urgent" application with evidence of up to 80% of staff taking some sort of action in the majority of prisons.
0 comments: