Strikes, Turmoil and Silver Linings - Could Covid Change Prisons

1. Strikes, Turmoil and Silver Linings - Could Covid Change Prisons? Last month, prison staff in the North East chose to strike as Covid health and safety concerns reached a tipping point. In the North East, six strikes occurred at the following institutions: HMP Northumberland, HMP Deerbolt, HMP Holme House, HMP Young Offender Institution (YOI), Low Newton, HMP Durham and HMP Kirklevington. Other prisons across the country also took part, bringing the total number of institutions on strike to 49. It was estimated that around 600 prison staff of the UCU (University and College Union) took part in the strikes. This marked the fourth time in two months that UCU representatives decided to strike over increasing frustrations that their employer Novus failed to meet their concerns with meaningful action. Novus is the UK’s largest employer of prison education, providing education, training and employment opportunities to young people and adults in UK prisons. However, according to the UCU, Novus managers have refused to communicate, and there have been “repeated attempts by management to intimidate staff”. In January this year, the union wrote to every prison education employer in England requesting that changes be made to keep colleagues safe. All providers responded positively and agreed to take action, except Novus. Since the initial concerns over health and safety were first raised, UCU received reports that staff were sent onto wings without appropriate PPE or protective training. In addition, staff have been asked to visit multiple residential units, interfering with the requirement to maintain workplace bubbles. Stories like these remind us that at the height of covid, some institutions simply didn’t care about their workers. For some employers, the disregard and lack of moral consciousness they demonstrated was simply stunning. Covid has impacted prison workers and inmates in significant ways. From health and safety concerns and high death rates amongst prisoners to fears of mental health, for a while, things looked bleak. However, there is hope. According to a North East official from the Prison Officers Association (POA), a prison officers union, Covid has provided a ‘once in a

2. lifetime’ opportunity to change prisons for the better. Ian Carson, a POA official, said that the isolation rules bought to protect prisons from Covid actually played a role in reducing crime rates and gang violence inside prisons. It’s true - Covid really has provided a once in a lifetime opportunity for reform. However, statements like these may be illusory. According to the House of Commons Committees report, the prison system was “already in a state of crisis” pre-covid, and these pressures have now been exacerbated. Although more isolation time reduced violence, it increased levels of self-harm in women’s prisons, and Dame Anne Owers, the former chief inspector of prisons, said it’s essential we learn the “right lessons” from this experience. There’s a real opportunity for reform, but it has to be approached carefully, not under false pretences. READ MORE Community trade union 465c Caledonian Road London UK N7 9GX editor@community-tu.org 0800 389 6332 https://community-tu.org/