Omnishambles Update 41

Yesterday saw another email from Napo HQ sent to all members:-

Dear All

Legal Challenges: As you know, Napo has been in constant dialogue with lawyers about the legalities and rationale (or lack thereof) of TR. As already outlined, the challenge has to have a chance of success and we cannot risk the reputational and financial cost of a hasty or ill-judged challenge. It is frustrating but a trade union’s predictions of chaos and risk (however accurate) does not go far enough because the government will deny it and the challenge is over- that assertion is based on all the advice received so far. There needs to be documentary proof. As TR is rolled out, members may feel it is a bit late in the day but this is exactly the right time to challenge because concrete evidence comes into existence. We met yesterday again with lawyers and members will understand why we do not disclose all of the details of those meetings- this email is certain to get into the hands of the MoJ. As a trade union, we are obliged to raise these issues with government at the earliest opportunity and we have done this in good faith. But, as you know, the government has consistently ignored and misrepresented the concerns of Napo and our sister unions and is pressing ahead with its risky project.

We have provided some of the evidence (and we will be concentrating on this over the next 10 days) but the key evidence has to come from members. We have attached a questionnaire for you to fill out to give concrete and specific examples of issues. This cannot be purely anecdotal because, however real the issue might be, we need hard evidence. This will be used either in a legal challenge or as part of awareness raising in Parliament and the media. Issues of increased bureaucracy, IT, equality, risk, service provision and more all need to be gathered so we can evidence our case.

Questionnaire

Please return your questionnaire to campaigns@napo.org.uk

Justice Select Committee: In the last 10 minutes of the Justice Select Committee, Minister Jeremy Wright was pressed to give answers about a letter provided to the Committee by the Secretary of State. The letter contained untruths about the nature of our dispute with the government and a nonsensical, confused and wholly deficient reference to the TR timetable which is all over the place. The Committee Chair said the timetable was completely confused. It was an embarrassing time for the government. TR is not a done deal. Not by a long way. We’ll be able to provide a more detailed write up tomorrow along with some updated information about Pensions.

Industrial Action: As with legal action, industrial action is ongoing, subject to members agreement. We are part of a wide movement across the justice sector. The tweet of the day comes from Sam Parham, Barrister at Garden Court Chambers, “Prison book ban, legal profession walk out, probation on strike, private prisons in chaos: Grayling’s out of control- his time at MoJ is up.” Napo members are holding rallies and forming picket lines to say, with as loud a voice as possible, we are not going down without a fight. For an uplifting sense of solidarity, click on the link below to see why determined and passionate Napo members in all different branches are taking action.

http://naponewsonline.org/2014/03/26/why-im-striking-by-napo-members/

A big thank you to all those who sent in messages of solidarity. Napo’s Officers and Officials will be joining members on picket lines and at rallies up and down the country.

TOM RENDON   IAN LAWRENCE

National Chair    General Secretary

Once more we have a statement from the Napo top table that obfuscates on the legal position, and I just don't buy all this guff about 'not letting the MoJ know' what we're up to:-

Legal Challenges: As you know, Napo has been in constant dialogue with lawyers about the legalities and rationale (or lack thereof) of TR. As already outlined, the challenge has to have a chance of success and we cannot risk the reputational and financial cost of a hasty or ill-judged challenge. It is frustrating but a trade union’s predictions of chaos and risk (however accurate) does not go far enough because the government will deny it and the challenge is over- that assertion is based on all the advice received so far. There needs to be documentary proof. As TR is rolled out, members may feel it is a bit late in the day but this is exactly the right time to challenge because concrete evidence comes into existence. We met yesterday again with lawyers and members will understand why we do not disclose all of the details of those meetings- this email is certain to get into the hands of the MoJ.

There is a bit of a theme developing here as the cost of going for Judicial Review is mentioned yet again. I don't like knocking Napo when we're in a fight for survival, but this blog is not going to drop this issue until we get a clear and unambiguous statement on the issue of Judicial Review of the 2007 Act, especially in the light of a recent unsolicited offer of legal assistance. 

I notice that yesterdays Prisons Special highlighted yet another appalling aspect of the TR omnishambles that we haven't covered in much detail so far, that of the relationship between client and officer and it's heartbreaking:-

Yesterday, the mother of a lifer (murder) rang me and cried when I told her I would no longer be working with her son. She told me how much he liked and trusted me and asked if she could still stay in touch. Later the same day, I had to tell an IPP licence client that I'd seen through oral hearings etc that I wouldn't be working with him anymore and I didn't know who would. He cried and thanked me for all my help. Today a visited a young man in prison who I've managed to secure an AP bed for. He was so delighted, shook my hand and asked me if I would go to the pub and have a game of pool with him when he came out. I was supposed to tell him I was transferring him. I couldn't bring myself to do it.

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It's soul destroying. I told one of my clients he was being reallocated and all he could say is 'why are you leaving me'? I didn't even know what to say. This process is so destabilising for the people we supervise and they seem to be the last people that the government have considered in all this.

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I've been supervising a client on and off for around 3 years. It would be fair to say that our relationship at times has been 'strained', however, we do have an understanding that I am more understanding of his FTA' than I am of his re-offending. He's been offence AND drug free for about 4 months, a big achievement, but has just been given a Curfew for a minor offence but one that occurred with a peer he has offended with and used drugs with in the past. I recommended a 'split' curfew, both during the day and all night. He was not happy about the mid afternoon one but said that he understood why I had done this and recognised that I was only trying to keep him away from said peer.

He did say that boredom was an issue as his parents both worked during the day and at night he just stayed in his bedroom as his relationship with his parents is still strained and he identified arguing/stress as a trigger to his drug use. I went, and out of my own money, purchased him a game for his Playstation as this is something he enjoyed doing and identified as a protective factor. The game was second hand, only a few ££'s and IMO not a big deal. The effect it had on him when I dropped it off was massive and he was close to tears when I explained why I had done this for him. Things like this make a difference to how people respond to us. I have no idea if he will remain offence/drug free, what I do know is that we now have a better working relationship and it's less likely that he is going to call me a 'fucking arsehole' and 'I want a new Probation Officer'.

It's these little things that make a difference and which will be missing come June :( It actually makes me quite upset to think about it.

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I gave a young, vulnerable female client a Freddo when she came for an appointment on her birthday. It cost me nothing, another colleague had given it to me but it's monetary value was 10p. Her face lit up and she was delighted, she said she loved chocolate but couldn't afford it. She was a poor attender, after the Freddo, she wasn't. A little bit of kindness goes a very long way.

Finally, having been put through the agonies of the split, the NPS has starting advertising jobs:-

Applications are invited for a range of job vacancies in the new National Probation Service (NPS). 

Over 160 roles are available across the seven NPS divisions and at headquarters, following the allocation of existing Trust staff to new roles in January. They include a variety of roles in grades ranging from administrators to managers. 

Applications are being requested from existing probation staff – regardless of whether they have been assigned to the NPS or a Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC). 

The roles are initially being competed to probation staff only. If any vacancies remain unfilled, a wider recruitment campaign will take place. 

The posts were advertised on EPIC on 25^th March 2014 and applications will be made via CV and a letter outlining how you meet the person specification. A range of ICT roles will be advertised in early April. 

Those successful will transition into the NPS on June 1st as part of the staff transfer scheme and will become Civil Servants but remain on probation terms and conditions. Probation continuous service will be retained. 

Roles vary between the divisional teams and headquarters. Posts have been job evaluated and are on a range of probation bands from Band 2 to Band B. 

NOMS Director of Probation, Colin Allars, said: 

“There are a wide variety of exciting opportunities to work in the National Probation Service currently. 

“The new roles will play an important part in establishing the brand new NPS organisation during the critical first few months and years. They are open to staff regardless of their previous experience in that kind of role. 

“I would urge any member of staff who is interested in a change of role or in working in the new NPS to register their interest with their regional recruitment lead. There is no obligation in doing so.” 

Any staff interested in finding out more about the available roles or who would be interested in applying, should contact: