Friday 17 April 2015

Unions Threaten Strike

Napo website this afternoon:-

Probation unions threaten strikes over job cuts

On 16th April, the Probation trade unions, Napo, Unison and GMB warned the permanent secretary Ursula Brennan that members may be forced to ballot for strike action if she did not intervene over plans by the French multinational Sodexo to axe up to 46% of its staff in the 6 Community Rehabilitation Companies it took over on the 1st February 2015. Sodexo announced recently that 500+ jobs are at risk across its contract as it plans to replace highly skilled staff with biometric machines and mass call centres to supervise offenders in the community.

The unions, who strongly oppose the massive job cuts have also warned the permanent secretary that unless Enhanced Voluntary Redundancy agreements reached with Ministers last year were honoured in full, their members would be looking to ballot for strike action. Napo said that the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and Ursula Brennan in particular had an obligation to intervene after they “signed off” the deal to privatise the probation service despite strong opposition and expert opinion which said it would not be safe to do so.

Ian Lawrence, General Secretary for Napo said “We warned the Permanent Secretary not to sign off the CRC contracts as we had real fears that Transforming Rehabilitation and the outsourcing programme were not fit for purpose. Sodexo’s operating model of replacing highly skilled staff with machines and call centres to supervise offenders is dangerous and will put the public at risk.”

All three unions have asked for the Permanent Secretary to clarify if the MOJ knew about the redundancies when Sodexo submitted their contract bid, or if Sodexo has sought approval from the Secretary of State for the job cuts since the contracts were signed.

They have made a direct appeal to Ms Brennan to instruct Sodexo to halt the planned job cuts until the public and staff can be assured that Sodexo’s plans have been fully scrutinised from both a staffing and a public safety point of view.

49 comments:

  1. Just a bit of advertising if you don't mind Jim (I have a feeling more people read your blog than they do their Napo e-mails):

    The Four Shires NAPO Branch Meeting Tuesday 21st April 2015 @ 1300 Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire

    Anyone in BeNCH CRC comes under The Four Shires. Hope to see you all there.

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  2. It felt like a breath of fresh air: the unions' threat to ballot for strike action. It's the only language the MoJ and the predators understand. They always prefer to 'consult', but they respect a threat. A threat: a capacity to do something and the means to carry it out. The membership of the unions could tick both these boxes.

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  3. will this just be CRC staff striking or NPS too? Last strike in our area, those who had been sifted to NPS decided "they were alright Jack" and didn't support the strike action of CRC staff!

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    1. That can not be true as the sift simply had not happened at the time of the last strike.
      a PO (shafted into NPS after our last strike action)

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    2. CRC only and each would need to be balloted separately as they are different employers

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    3. Are you sure of that? Be good to get a definitive answer on this.

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    4. the split may not have happened by the last strike but the sifting letters were out in Jan '14. It was on this basis that a number of now NPS colleagues made their decision to desert their CRC office mates. A stronger united response may have changed our fate.

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    5. nope did not happen that early in most areas was defo after the strike

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    6. My office it was mainly NPS on the line and CRC looking at us like we were fools

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  4. To anon 17.59 at a guess I'd say only the CRC in areas where Sodexo won bids who can ballot on this if the Unions stick to similar wording as above as the issues are linked to Sodexo but nothing to stop NPS taking leave to support CRC action

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    1. It's early days but there is potential here for probation staff nationally to support probation staff in local difficulties. I am thinking here of strike funds, tactical support to colleagues who are fighting on a particular front. The biggest worry for any striker is financial hardship and the more this can be militated the more those affected can focus on fighting their corner. The vanguard supported by national solidarity - and financial support. Because: but for the grace of God go I. Whatever, the threat of a ballot for strike action is a welcome step towards facing up to Sodexo.

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  5. It should be all union members. If we had stuck together in the first place we would not be in this mess now! The union is only as strong as it's members so now is the time to stop moaning and support each other and our union. Napo exec in my area are working hard and I am impressed by their commitment....it's my colleagues that disappointed me previously but I hope not this time. Anyone with the I'm ok attitude needs to seriously look at the nps holding tank they are sitting in. If they think they are safe well hohoho!!!

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    1. I am frustrated by today's joint statement. Unison all of a sudden are waking up and threatening strike action. They did this before and bottled it. NOW is the time for NAPO, UNISON and any other involved UNION to really stand shoulder to should. This time co-ordinate your ballots, co-ordinatte your action and deliver together - if UNISON had taken strike action with NAPO before the sell off - I rremain convinced this have been a total different situation. UNISON failed its members - don't fail them now

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  6. On behalf of a third party:-

    "In response to 17:59 above I can only talk for myself at this stage. I am in NPS and would stand and be counted in support of my colleagues in the CRC - we must remain united. I would vote to strike. Netnipper is right, the only language these people understand is direct action. As I see it none of us is "sitting pretty" far from it we are ALL in the target range. I went out on strike, lobbied parliament, walked the streets and distributed leaflets to the public in our area on the day of the strikes. It would make me personally feel a whole lot better to get up and do something about this. Be strong colleagues and stand together on this one - otherwise the future will be bleaker than we can imagine."

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    1. third party - thank you - you did us proud before and you continue to do so.

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  7. I will do what it takes as I have always tried to by being active in my union and striking......I remain absolutely disgusted by colleagues who now moan and failed to stand up and be counted.

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    1. Hopefully those colleagues now understand why strike action was called and regret their decision not in the short term did not stand up - I supported the strike action - and will do again - the cost to me was not without consequence but it will do it again if required - I will do it even for staff who did not do so previously but currently face the savage cuts of Sodexo profiteers - why - it it be me next, it could be you next - it could be any one of us CRC / NPS - if you don't do this now. No one wins other than profiteers - not you, not offenders - not victims - not taxpayers - not public safety. If you have a conscience - now is the time to use it.

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    2. Sad to hear in our area that some staff who claimed they had "good reason" not to strike before & landed in NPS are not prepared to consider strike action this time either. So, whilst unity is strength, we have to accept there are some Union members who have paid up & enjoyed the benefits of membership, but who don't see the value or purpose of industrial action - or who aren't prepared to make the personal sacrifice that comes with such action.

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  8. Strike and stay out until we win, if we do not strike we are lost in our jobs. At least we go down with a fight

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  9. NPS could not strike but they CAN support a striking union by not crossing a picket line

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    1. How would that work? I don't know much about these things. Would NPS not go into the office?

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    2. NPS staff would be dismissed under civil service code but could JOIN the picket line in lunch hour, before/after working day

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  10. If this does not include all CRCs we are on a hiding to nothing. While Sodexo are the only ones to have come out and announced these job losses - there is time for other providers to do so. Some areas may not have threatened job cuts but perhaps because staff are being spread so thinly, the overall same public safety concerns exist. What worries me is more and more staff are becoming subservient, and won't fight against what is not just morally wrong but dangerous.

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  11. You will only be allowed to strike if it is your CRC as NPS and other CRCS are run by different companies /organisations. You may not agree but that is the law.

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    1. Golden share is owned by MOJ and therefore technically still employed by MOJ and only managed by private sector provider. We should have right to strike against the job losses proposed and EVEN IF WE DON'T we should anyway. As NAPO and/or UNISON Members - WE SHOULD STAND TOGETHER.

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  12. I will pay financial support if I am not allowed to strike as am NPS I suggest sharing the pain by donating half a days pay to a CRC colleague that way we are equal again both striker and the person unable to strike loses half a day pay. It could be done!
    A PO

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    1. I'm NPS and up for that.

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    2. I commend you Anon 20:50 and hope other NPS colleagues like 22:43 will take a similar stance - well done, I applaud you both.x

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  13. FROM TWITTER: -

    " Steve owens @Steveowens58

    Anyone know why #Addaction have pulled out of #PurpleFutures. #transformingrehabilitation #FailingGrayling #Probation


    https://twitter.com/Steveowens58/status/589078153253023745 "

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    1. "Anyhow, man down the pub is on fine form again, he says Addaction can't play nicely with Purple Futures anymore and have gone home to sulk ....falling out over the money....NOMS not too happy and putting a brave face on things but when Sec State made a BIG deal over "partnerships" I bet he was thinking longer term than months."

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    2. 15.04.15 Transforming Rehabilitation Update

      Addaction, a UK charity leading in the provision of specialist services which help people and communities overcome the effects of drug and alcohol misuse, today announces its decision to withdraw from its membership of Purple Futures LLP.

      The Purple Futures Partnership, led by Interserve plc, was set up to deliver five community rehabilitation contracts under the Ministry of Justice's ‘Transforming Rehabilitation’ initiative. Addaction has reluctantly decided to withdraw from the Partnership due to a failure to agree the detail of subcontracting arrangements.

      Addaction wishes the Partnership every success for the future.

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    3. hopefully there's a Domino effect

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    4. https://twitter.com/purplefutures?original_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fpurplefutures.sites.interserve.com%2Ftwitter-stream%2F&profile_id=2986012941&tw_i=581398811446288384&tw_p=embeddedtimeline&tw_w=563353466392051713

      Here purple futures twitter if anyone would like to have a look. hmm no mention of addaction leaving.

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    5. Addaction leaving the Purple Futures is a long way from those headdy days in October when Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said:

      "This announcement brings together the best of the public, private and voluntary sectors to set up our battle against reoffending, and to bring innovative new ways of working with offenders. In particular, I am really pleased that we will be deploying the skills of some of Britain’s best rehabilitation charities to help these offenders turn their lives around."

      As predicted hollow words from the former ( hopefully) Lord Chancellor

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    6. and hollow words from profiteers. I have been involved with seeing first hand commissioning from MOJ (previous home office) of OLASS and EU Funded Projects within Probation. I have seen on countless occasions, so many contracts awarded to good Bid Writers - but in practice delivery has been absolutely pants. A4E was one particular organisation that stands out for me. The old LSCs were commissioned to manage OLASS in communities and prisons in the past. What a shambles. Why in the past (and indeed currently) give the bulk of funding to Offender Learning and Sills to Prisons - they have a captive audience for sure but most now don't have prison staff to facilitate attendance. The funding was always flawed - offenders in community are deemed to be able to access community provisions - GOVERNMENT has never, ever, ever understood our client group - how education in the past for whatever the reason mainly failed them and the barriers they face to get them into maintain education and training is much greater than recognised. It can also be said that the way LSCs run contracted provision was also flawed with every contracted provider required to do a basic skills screening - to receive payment - regardless of it had recently been done before. Community OLASS providers in my area were funded to delivery Level 1/2 Literacy / Numeracy Quals. They would be paid on quals achieved - even when targetting those with equal or higher quals. I reported evidence of individuals with A levels doing Level 1 quals - justification - because of their offending they had become distanced from early quals achieved - lack of confidence due to offending, drug use etc, etc etc. NO sorry. Government have failed repeated, across parties to get a grip - failed to have joined up working - every contracted service working in silo. Grayling's thinking is not so off the wall (and this is a man I despise more than any Government Minister I have come across). It is however the way he has gone about his business - which has now set back the Probation System decades. Instead of multiagency working across all social sectors, it has now further fragmented this because the only interest of private sector is PROFIT. Damage cause will not be mended in my lifetime and progress previously made will take decades to get back.

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    7. My 'olass' is in a nursing home. When will they ever stop these appalling acronyms?

      Remember Community Rehabilitation and Punishment Orders? They were 'CRaP' Orders weren't they?

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  14. I have been on this forum before and stated publicly ( as possible been Anon) that I would pay money NAPO legal fund to fight TR.
    I will now repeat this and state that I will pay money - up front - into a hardship fund or similar to assist my colleagues in Sodexo CRCs.
    We must stand together whether we can strike ( as NOMS/NPS) or not.
    The unions need to act stronger than they have ever done and stand up together NOW.

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    1. I will support a hardship fund and strike action - if we fail to do this now - those of us who see the writing on the wall - may as well walk away now

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  15. strike, strike strike

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  16. CRC MANCHESTER AND CHESHIRE17 April 2015 at 21:39

    Only a question of time before the whole shit i.e. TR collapses.

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    1. Really? Its a complete mess but contracts worth hundreds of millions are in place. There will be casualties along the way, smaller partnerships and not to mention staff, but the big companies will stick with it regardless, unless the MOJ/NOMS start shifting the goalposts. It will be a car crash of course but will be claimed as a success by whichever unfortunate happens to be secretary of state at the time. Plus the way it is structured is that all the daily hassle and pain is borne by the CRC staff, day to day involvement from the 'parent' organisations is minimal to nonexistent at the point of delivery. People have been saying over and again throughout the whole thing that it won't happen, there'll be no bidders, that it will all fall down but we are here and it has happened and it will carry on happening. All the while the CRC's and the NPS grow ever distant from each other. Its crap but we all knew that...

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  17. I really think the rot is setting in for TR - Hurray!!!!!

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  18. http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/apr/17/man-died-death-dovegate-prison-wrongly-psychiatric-mental-health-inquest?CMP=share_btn_tw

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    1. An inmate took his own life by throwing himself head first from his bed days after being wrongly recalled to prison from a psychiatric unit, a jury has found.

      The verdict at the inquest into the death of Mark Groombridge at Dovegate prison criticised the probation services, the NHS and the prison for the way they handled a man who had serious mental health problems and a history of self-harm.

      Groombridge was being held voluntarily in a secure ward in hospital after taking an overdose while out on licence. He was wrongly removed from the ward by the probation service and returned to prison, where he died.

      The court found: “On the balance of probabilities it is felt that the execution of the recall process contributed to the death of Mark Groombridge.”

      Groombridge, 52, from Uttoxeter, died at Dovegate prison, which is operated by Serco, in Staffordshire on 27 December 2013. The inquest, at Stafford coroner’s court, heard that he had been released on licence from a 12-year sentence imposed for attempted murder in January 2013. In December 2013, three weeks before his death, Groombridge took a life-threatening drug overdose and lapsed into a coma. He recovered and was admitted as a voluntary patient to an acute admission secure ward at St George’s hospital in Stafford. The hospital made it clear to Groombridge that should he attempt to leave without staff approval, he would be sectioned under the Mental Heath Act.

      Adele Montgomery, a probation officer who dealt with Groombridge’s case, told the jury she had been advised to provide a recall notice, which would see him returned to prison if he left the ward, to be left on Groombridge’s file. But Marlon Haytread, from the National Offender Management Service, told the inquest the paperwork he received marked Groombridge’s case as an emergency, and the police were informed.

      On 12 December, a senior psychiatrist at St George’s decided a full assessment of Groombridge’s mental state was required because he was showing signs of severe depression and psychosis. But on 14 December, armed police removed Groombridge from hospital and returned him to prison before the assessment could take place.

      A hospital investigation found that, on the day Groombridge was taken from St George’s, junior staff on duty failed to get a medical assessment of his fitness to be removed. They tried to contact the on-call consultant psychiatrist, but found he was on sick leave.

      Shropshire and South Staffordshire Hospital Trust has apologised to Groombridge’s family for the failings on the day. The hospital has since conducted a review of the practice and says it has put in place new measures that include “training staff in how to respond in the event of police wishing to remove or arrest a patient, a duty to ensure patients are medically fit to be discharged and a system put in place for covering unexpected absences of on-call consultant psychiatrists”.

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    2. The jury, who delivered their finding on Thursday, heard that Groombridge had inflicted deep lacerations to his hand while in Dovegate in the week before he died, and told staff he wanted to die. He was placed on suicide watch, but the officer charged with observing him had no training or experience of such supervision. Groombridge was not seen by a psychiatrist at Dovegate. He died after throwing himself from his bed head first, fracturing his skull.

      Figures obtained from the Ministry of Justice, the Department of Health and other sources, show 10% of men and 30% of women in prison have had a previous psychiatric admission before they entered prison.

      In a review of mental health in prisons in 2013, Nick Hardwick, then chief inspector of prisons, said prison had become, “to far too large an extent, the default setting for those suffering from a wide range of mental and emotional disorders”.

      The jury concluded that prison was an environment less conducive to Groombridge’s wellbeing and that he was less able to undertake psychiatric assessment and continue the treatment he had received at St George’s.

      Speaking after the verdict, Ruth Bundy, who represented the family, said when Groombridge’s wife, Jackie, realised he was ill, she told the relevant authorities and did all she could to ensure he got help. “While the NHS trust has apologised from the beginning for their failings when armed police attended the psychiatric unit, this is in stark contrast to the local probation unit, who have provided contradictory accounts in self-justification.”

      She said the last straw was the failure of “constant supervision” at Dovegate prison. “There was an untrained officer, separated from Mark by a locked door, viewing him through a hatch, unable to prevent his final act,” she said.

      Deborah Coles, co-director of the charity Inquest, said it was a scandal that Groombridge, who clearly had serious mental health problems, was put in prison in the first place. “If someone with physical health problems was dragged to prison halfway through his treatment there would be an outcry; why should it be different for someone having a severe mental health crisis?

      “The findings of his inquest should send a strong message to the authorities that prisons are no place for people with mental health problems,” she said.

      South Staffordshire coroner Andrew Haigh said he would submit a report to the secretary of state for justice about the recall process when a person is in hospital, and seek confirmation that staff understood the process so there could not be further misunderstandings.

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    3. So even a court of law holding such an important inquest hearing can't understand the distinction between probation & noms. This is a fundamental issue that has eaten away at me since those bastards moved in... They constantly grabbed the reputational goodies we provided, but stained our reputation with their crass behaviour, then blamed us. They are prison/civil service; we are probation. The arguments, emails & fall-outs I've had with "case managers" in noms are numerous, and all because they had no understanding of the nuances that are inherent to probation, as opposed to the jfdi of noms/civil service. The individuals are usually great people, its the organisation that's fucked. And they've since fucked us up too. Thanks, noms.

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  19. Veiled threats from Seetec about losing jobs if targets not met. Lots of new staff in the crcs who would not strike and will be enough to keep offices ticking over whilst people lose money. I m not against striking but I think we lost our chance and are now even more split.

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  20. I don't get all of this. If any individual, team, manager, senior manager does not perform then there will be consequences in any company whatever it's business / trade. It's just business. I cannot see what striking will achieve and it's time we all accept this is the new world in which we work in?

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    1. Acceptance of a corrupted system is collusion. Watch the exodus.

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