More Uncomfortable Reading

Without wishing to disrespect Jim, who has made a massive contribution to the Probation cause throughout this battle, his perspectives on NAPO are his own and he is entitled to his views. Nevertheless, his anti-Chivalry Road pieces can be emotive and provoke the worst kind of prejudicial responses. Terms like 'divvying up' (no idea how to spell it) are unnecessarily provocative. I don't know the full story here but I can also see when others don't either. People are seeing things they want to see given their personal proclivities.

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"I don't know the full story here but I can also see when others don't either. People are seeing things they want to see given their personal proclivities."

People are drawing their own conclusions and responses as a consequence of not being given any information. What else can you do when you can't reference your thinking to any knowledge of what those representing are actually doing? If people had more information, there would be a more unified understanding and collective thinking. Sharing information is the key to stopping people drawing their own conclusions.

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We are entitled to describe things as we see them. There will always be differences in language and that may reflect different values and worldly truths. Some say the 'bedroom tax', some say 'bedroom subsidy'; some say 'cuts', some say 'savings', some say 'zero hours', some say 'flexible hours'. Some are saying 'divvied up'. Now if some want to say 'recognition and reward', or something else, let them say it.

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It's really interesting to read these comments in relation to NAPO. I've been reading this blog for several months now and one thing has been very clear: there is a lot of bitching going on about TR and all the changes that have occurred as a result. But what is equally as obvious is that those doing the bitching do not seem to be the same people standing up to the MoJ through strike action. Has nothing been learned from the past?

Change only occurs when people let it happen. Change for the better requires active participation. Change for the worse happens when people do nothing and fail to unite and stand up for themselves. NAPO may be partially to blame for what has happened as it seems to be a completely dysfunctional organisation that ignores its membership and does whatever the hell it wants to do, but the membership is also partially to blame for letting NAPO become what it has become. You created the monster, now you have to live with it!

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You underestimate the ability of a few to manipulate the majority in the form of contrived and limited reporting. The foolish and polite way many NEC colleagues have let go important details and the controlling group stall out the time until lunch or tea. The NEC break for biscuits and forget what the issues were. I have been afraid to show any dissent to the way things are reported in the past and dealt with. The NEC is not fit for purpose given the way we should operate. There is too much voting power for some of the branches whose reps are not as appreciative of the bigger long term issues as they ought to be. It has cost us now yet in time with the split the voting numbers will have to re organised and I hope it balances the over inflated.

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What I need from a union is:-

1. A good standard of representation should I need it
2. To act in my best interests and that of my profession
3. To be accessible, accountable and democratic
4. To be united in common purpose

Now, the list for others may differ but I have thought long and hard about this, having withdrawn as a NAPO activist because well, it became just too difficult to go on. Now I am considering leaving NAPO altogether and am really sad to feel this way.

I first became disillusioned two years ago but soldiered on thinking things would get better. They have deteriorated. Tipping point for me was trying to get a response to an email I sent to Chivalry Road and chasing it, then feeling so let down because I was ignored and felt I did not support our members well. I do not know many of the top bods well and began to feel that those who did had a better means of getting service from them, even the regional liaison people. I know others had the same experience, they told me so.

There was an overwhelming sense that people were just too busy with the looming TR "battle" to sweat the small stuff and I believe support for the reps (and therefore individual members) just was not adequate. I would add that once National Reps were made available, good standards were resumed for those cases.

I then started asking regionally could liaison and support be improved and I can remember one particular meeting when I caught the rolling of eyes between the regional rep and another national bod that made me realise they were the 'ins' and I was definitely an 'out'. I once mentioned this blog and could not believe the negative response I got, shouldn't NAPO be learning from the blog? Oops, that was a mistake! You see the union had become so detached from its members that it only wanted to listen to matters it had originated.

Now I feel my future lies with PCS and actually the more I think about it I really believe NAPO should be talking to them. Yes, it creates problems because of the TR split but no, I do not think them to be insurmountable. This has reached critical mass and NAPO needs to merge with a sister union before all is lost. Or am I just feeling very negative tonight?

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This post could have been written by me as I have had the same experience! I left Napo with a heavy heart and at much personal cost after 10 years of hard work promoting and supporting Napo. I have joined PCS and am hoping to go forward helping to help its membership grow in the NPS.

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This sums it up for me. My experience of Napo has been up and down over the years. I've benefited from very good representation on occasion and good advice from Napo Reps and Chivalry Rd. There's been times it's been like banging my head against a brick wall. There's been times either myself or others from teams I've been with have personally had to campaign against probation trusts and Napo only acted on our behalf at the last minute. There's been times when myself and others have been mistreated by probation trusts, and again Napo have given little support. I've once had an unfair disciplinary decision against me as have colleagues I know, but Napo have refused to take it further citing financial costs. I've also seen staff battle unfair treatment from Napo staff/reps too, locally and nationally, with Napo then closing ranks to protect their own.

I recall when the Jonathan Ledger issue broke and Napo were more interested in telling members to be quiet rather than addressing that fact that a huge sum of members money had been given away to a disgraced General Secretary. Then we had TR and Napo did absolutely nothing for months on end until it was far too late to fight TR. Even before all of this probation sold off community service, introduced reporting kiosks, contracted out DRR's and employment advisors, restricted/suspended probation officer training, employed non qualified staff in positions ranging up to operational ACO's, the list goes on - and where was Napo?

I've been active in Napo over the years and more recently wanted to train as a rep too. Now I'm not interested in any of this as it's not a credible organisation to be part of, and I won't be striking as I've no idea what it's about or why our own pay offer has been rejected. At the moment I'm paying Napo subscriptions up until Sep 2015 just in case and then I'll probably be going elsewhere for union support if I remain in probation.

Do I get a good standard of representation should I need it? Sometimes.
Does Napo act in my best interests and that of my profession? Not always.
Is Napo accessible, accountable and democratic? No.
Is Napo united in common purpose? I'm not sure what Napo's purpose actually is.

The problem with all of this is that Napo HQ are living well off our money while we suffer. We pay them all this money every month to protect and support us but they have already failed, and we continue to pay them! Napo can't even use Twitter properly and its member forum is so mismanaged the only person that uses it is 'Tolkny'. Even still I read comments demanding we give Napo a chance, so I ask how bloody long are we to wait? We're not asking for miracles from Napo but only for the level of service we've already paid for. It is a sorry state of affairs that members of an organisation have to complain online on a blog as there is no other way to be heard. What's worse is that Napo ignores it!

I suspect that by the end of next year Napo membership will be at an all time low as a result of existing staff leaving Napo and new staff not bothering to join. By then it probably would have been conned out of the Probation Journal by the Probation Institute, forced to sell off Chivalry Rd to the highest bidder, and then 'divvied-up' the financial balance to 'top up' exec redundancy payments prior to being absorbed into one of the larger Unions.

I think its safe to say that Ian Lawrence is reading this (widely read) blog and if there is no response to members in the coming days then he's either a total moron or he's Sepp Blatter in disguise.

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Having read about this, I really want to quit. There are a few people who have encouraged me to stay. From what I gather and what I am in fear of is that Napo is toying with the National Reps. If we were to lose these few key brilliant people, Napo can offer ALL. SOD ALL!

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I still read the blog avidly. In spite of all the mind-numbing pessimism, it champions the reality. NAPO is frankly toothless and inevitably useless. In a previous professional incarnation I belonged to a union which effectively was a closed shop and who on numerous occasions held the government to ransom. NAPO is denied that luxury, a situation which isn't helped by some spectacular own goals (the Ledger affair, the doomed TR challenge and an executive high on rhetoric but low on delivery). Come on, join UNISON. (Not quite a closed shop, but much stronger collectively.) The water's lovely.

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I would think carefully about joining Unison. Look at how it failed to ballot its members when NAPO took strike action and both unions together could have achieved more. My experience is that its main interest is the NHS and it has no understanding of probation whatsoever.

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Fair enough, but the elected Chair Mr Rendon as well as others in the running made a commitment to get the sister union Unison on board for all Napo joint actions. It was an empty promise from him!

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Napo has made numerous catastrophic mistakes over the last two or three years - one or more will prove fatal. The PI has assumed the mantle of 'professional issues' without any challenge; the belated & bewildered JR was doomed because it was late & thus toothless; not having an eye on the ball whilst the unmentionable GS was playing the fool. What Napo did best has been given away or lost.

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An agreeable assessment, but if the current General Secretary had any courage he would acknowledge the situation, make his apologies for the failings and resign. Napo might have a better chance of surviving without his like and style. Reform, regroup and rediscover integrity over bluster.

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C'mon, Napo, admit it - the world is NOT flat after all. Get out of the flat-earth closet. Acknowledge this blog exists. Acknowledge what members, lost members and non-members are saying. You've nowt to lose coz you've already lost everything Napo stood for, and by refusing to acknowledge your mistakes you're making yersens look even more stupid.

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Who here has the minerals to oust Lawrence? Who is actually going to challenge Lawrence and start a due process motion to oust him? Talk is cheap. If it's really time for change, who has the minerals to make this happen?

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Napo is in difficulty with Ian Lawrence. He's an accidental GS, based on circumstances. What we really need is to rebuild the union. Take it to a direction with integrity, something which the current GS doesn't appear to have.

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Tough one that. POs will only vote for a PO and Napo hardly represents PSOs if ever properly so it may as well be anyone as long as they really start to tell members the truth. We are fed up with the Lawrence grandstanding delivering nothing. All hard talk as his default position. It generates a moment of applause and gives false hope. He is not sincere.

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Opportunity? For what? Divided service, fractured comrades in different interest groups within a splintered union. Napo has little money, low integrity with deep perceptions by many of a lack of honesty. Coupled to that, the abysmal tactical failings leading to this mess.

Who could offer the top table anything that could lead to a change in direction? Anyone joining this group will have to be incredibly strong and able to put up with the damage to reputation and relevance in the workplace after Ian Lawrence failing GS stint. Lets hope the candidates read the blog, are aware of the wider views and capable to challenge.

Followed closely by the current officers group who yet again are completely unable to manage or direct the union business properly. Membership is in decline, revenue to function is on the floor and yet they think we can't see that? In branches where members are waiting for check off to end their membership, Napo have another wall to come the end. Yet despite all this I heard the union is unable to fund its national reps panel. Without that group anyone in difficulty in either the CRC or NPS it will be a walk in the park for management to destroy what is left of the career structure. Bleak future indeed does not begin to cast a shadow. This is going to be a very long dark period.

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There is no sign that Napo has reviewed its TR campaign and learnt any lessons, never mind looked at governance, which would be a very delicate subject, no doubt, as it would ultimately touch on issues of decision-making, and structures of power and authority.

I was interested to read that Pat Waterman says because of quoracy issues they will move to a regional model in London. This will apparently 'make the branch more responsive to local needs and concerns'. I have no idea what this will amount to in practice or in how it will affect the balance of constitutional power in what is meant to be a member-led union.

The current governance model is not working and I am not sure it ever has. It has certainly relied heavily on grassroots activism to run branches and deal with all the representational work and local consultations and negotiations. Branch work can be extremely stressful and demanding and some cases run on for months and months, and sometimes years. The pathways between branches and Napo nationally were not well-signposted and a branch could easily feel like a silo that had been Made in Dagenham!

There is a need to rethink the structures. Quoracy is a problem not just in London, despite its large workforce, as it's clear that many branches struggle to stretch their resources to meet demands. There needs to be a stronger connect between branches, regions and the leadership in Chivalry Road who need to demonstrate through their productivity that they are really joined-up and share responsibility in an operational sense for the issues on the ground. Napo officials making royal visits to local branches for set-piece speeches is not what's needed. Rather, there needs to be a sense that the leadership is shoulder-to-shoulder, is listening and, through their activities, exemplifying to the membership that they are value for money.

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I do think, however, that some people need to learn that 'listening to the membership' is not the same as 'doing what the membership says'. A lot of people have screamed for protracted strike action for weeks, for example. Chiv. Rd knows that this would never happen given the membership's response to previous strike calls. Some of the strategy requires knowledge of context etc and many of the barrack room lawyers on here lack that insight. It's chess, not arm wrestling.

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I am not aware of many who have screamed for protracted strike action. But this straw argument nicely introduces the trope about barrack room lawyers, chess and wrestling. Leave it to the experts and grand masters at Chivalry Road, and others inducted into the inner circle.

This is the old elitist argument about those at the top knowing best. You have to believe they have a strategy and know what they are doing and that whatever they are doing is in the best interests of the membership – whether how TR was fought, whether there was an indecent delay with the JR, whether the lack of coordination on strike action with Unison mattered, whether internecine struggles at Chivalry Road made one iota of difference, whether jettisoning Harry Fletcher, the only experienced media performer, was motivated by sound arguments or malice - all this is the stuff of those barrack room lawyers and wrestlers who lack the insights and qualifications to comment. In essence the membership is to be seen and not heard, not speak out of turn and show respect to their enlightened leaders – and, oh yes, nearly forgot, pay their subscriptions without linking them to performance.

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Thanks, this is exactly it. Decisions are being made based on what a few at the top think instead of consulting with members to find out what they want. The leaders should be there to represent the members' views but so far they're not asking what those views are. If this continues it's likely to be the downfall of Napo.

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S'funny really innit? The hounds (of hell) are amongst us and the full ravages of TR and the socially bankrupt narcissism of our new government is only just beginning to flower - and still we allow ourselves to trust in the old institutions. Unison are striking for pay next week, NAPO might/could/would/should do something. Neither are worth a fart in the wind. The current situation is so bad and so awe-inspiringly terrifying to those that actually understand Probation and our clients that I honestly believe the only way forward is the taking on of individual responsibility.

There is no point in whinging and blaming the Government, your Senior Management, your Managers, your Colleagues or the last remaining human in HR for the sh*t we are in - our current reality is fact and we, as intelligent people who do this job because we believe in rehabilitation (not f***ing transforming it) are the last line of defence.

We have to take on personal responsibility and start to challenge the situation on an individual level. For a service that was built on developing trust and behaving pro-socially, challenging that which is wrong and providing solutions, it is unbelievable that we are we not doing the same for ourselves. Are we sheep just awaiting the cull, battery farm chickens or people who actually give a sh*t?

If you can see what is going wrong - challenge it, share, and document your challenge. If you have ideas on how to make things better then share them. Spend time thinking about how we can fix things and not who to blame (the blame will be dealt with anyway as history shows (however it would be good to get any investigative journalist anyone knows to start asking Freedom of Information questions around the increase in SFOs in the last year!)

We all know how bad it is - the question is how do we as individuals and teams start to work to make it better?

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I'm starting to see movement in suggestions for doing something. I largely blame members for doing nothing - hence no quoracy at branch meetings hence poor show in previous strikes, locally members except few activists doing. So Jim and other bloggers instead of being critical of those who are easy to criticise, how can you help members to realise the importance of showing interest in their union, the union that they pay subs for?

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It is the activists in Napo who are fed up with being deceived. Most members have no problem turning off because they have little investment other than subs as insurance for the worst. It is the activists that have been betrayed two fold. Worse to come, they are disbanding the national reps and then that insurance money wont be worth paying at all.

--oo000oo--

As if things were bad enough, I understand that takeup for the PSO conference next month is so low that the registration fee has been reduced from £30 to £10 and is open to Case Administrators:-

Dear Colleague,

Further to my previous email regarding the forthcoming PSO Conference on 3rd July 2015 in Birmingham, I am writing to let you know that the registration fee has been reduced to £10.00. We are hoping that this will enable Branches to fund more delegates to attend. The closing date has been extended to Friday 12th July 2015.

The Conference is aimed at members of Napo working in Probation, either in the National Probation Service (NPS) or a Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC), working as a PSO, in Approved Premises/Hostels, Unpaid Work Supervisors and Case Administrators.

PLEASE NOTE: IF BRANCHES HAVE ALREADY PAID THE FULL £30.00 REGISTRATION FEE FOR ANYONE, I WILL CONTACT YOU SEPARATELY.

PSO CONFERENCE 2015 - "Maintaining Good Practice in a Changing Climate"

Friday 3rd July 2015 - The Priory Rooms, Birmingham

Napo's PSO Conference has quickly established itself as a Conference not to be missed.

In the morning session you will hear from keynote speakers, talking about key probation issues and have an opportunity to ask questions to a panel of invited guests. In the afternoon session you will be able to participate in workshops and group sessions, where members will be able to discuss issues in greater depth and develop their knowledge further.

Speakers on the day include:
Keir Starmer, Former Director of Public Prosecutions
Savas Hadjipavlou, Director and Chief Executive, Probation Institute
Dean Rogers, Assistant General Secretary, Napo

--oo000oo--

Finally, I see that the Government have so pissed off the legal profession that there are moves afoot to get unionised. This from Twitter and Facebook:-

The legal sector is in crisis. The coalition government’s legal aid cuts have decimated entire swathes of once vibrant legal areas, including employment, immigration, and prison law.

We aim to:
1) Improve the working conditions in the legal sector;
(2) Unite the profession;
(3) Protect workers/ members from the structural changes that may occur in firms post two-tier reorganisation of criminal defence (if introduced)
(4) Prevent further cuts to legal aid.

Join us at this public meeting to discuss the future of unionising the profession, fighting for a fair and just legal sector. 15th June 18:30 128 Theobald's Road, Holborn, London WC1X 8TN