Striking prison officers ordered back to work

LONDON, Aug 29 (Reuters) Striking prison officers, who staged a surprise walkout today, were told to return to work by the government after ministers won a court order ordering staff to end their unprecedented action.

Thousands of prison officers began an unexpected 24-hour strike at 7 am local time in a pay dispute, their first ever national stoppage and one which the government said was illegal.

The Prison Officers' Association said the action had affected all the 140-odd jails in England and Wales, which are almost at capacity with around 80,000 inmates.

TV pictures showed large groups of officers, in uniform, gathered outside prisons.

The Ministry of Justice, which said the strike had come without warning, later won an injunction against the POA demanding it end the stoppage.

''The injunction prevents the POA from inducing, authorising or supporting any form of industrial action which would disrupt the operation of the Prison Service in England and Wales,'' a ministry spokeswoman said.

''We expect prison officers to return to work with immediate effect.'' There was no immediate reaction from the POA to the court order.

It has warned it could hold further strikes if talks with the government proved fruitless.

Following the walkout, prisoners were confined to their cells but the government said it had contingency measures in place to ensure security was maintained and said it would ensure prisoners received meals.

''Prison officers have never called a national strike before but it just shows how morale has slumped in the last few years,'' said Steve Gillan, POA national executive committee member.

''We are not being recognised or valued for the job we do.'' The POA said it had balloted its 24,000 members in England and Wales and that an overwhelming majority rejected the government's decision to award a 2.5 per cent pay rise in stages.

It said this meant officers had only received a 1.9 per cent rise.

Britain's jail numbers have reached record levels in recent years, leading to problems of overcrowding. Gillan said more than eight officers were being assaulted every day.

The POA is not included under trade union legislation and has previously adhered to a no-strike agreement, which it said it had now pulled out of.

''The strike action by the Prison Officers' Association is deeply regrettable and wholly unjustifiable,'' said Justice Secretary Jack Straw in a statement.

He said the government had been trying to engage in talks with the POA.

Charles Bushell, general secretary of the Prison Governors' Association, said they had become aware of the strike only about an hour before it started.

REUTERS SS RN1923