Prison teachers take strike action over health and safety concerns

Teachers at three prisons in our region will strike as part of a long running dispute over health and safety concerns.

University College Union members at HMP Durham, Northumberland and Holme House in Stockton will walk out for the fourth time in two months.

In total, 600 staff at 49 prisons across the country have taken action over the Covid safety dispute.

It is argued there is a failure to address health and safety concerns raised by prison educators, a failure to meaningfully engage with UCU on the part of Novus, and repeated attempts by management to intimidate staff who had raised health and safety issues.

Novus is the biggest prison education employer in the UK and is owned by parent company LTE Group - they say it remains 'open to discussions to resolve the situation to a satisfactory conclusion'. 

What are workers claiming?

"At the height of the Covid second wave in January, UCU wrote to all English prison education employers requesting changes to education delivery to keep staff and learners safe. Every employer apart from Novus responded positively to the union's requests. Other prison education employers confirmed with UCU that they had put in place new safety measures in response to the second wave, including skeleton staffing, strict workplace bubble rotas, and limiting in-person teaching. They continue to work with UCU to ensure the continued health and safety of staff is a priority."

UCU said it has a mandate for further industrial action and Novus will face further disruption if it refuses to drop its spurious investigations or address serious safety concerns raised by staff."

Novus employee and safety representative Brian Hamilton said:

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'For Novus to end this dispute all it needs to do is take staff safety concerns seriously and withdraw the unfair and spurious investigations it has launched against our health and safety representatives.'

Full list of prisons and young offender institutes where staff are on strike:

Her Majesty's Prison (HMP) Altcourse

HMP Birmingham

HMP Brinsford

HMP Brixton

HMP Buckley Hall

HMP Deerbolt Bowes

HMP Doncaster

HMP Durham

HMP Featherstone

HMP Hatfield/Lakes

HMP Haverigg

HMP Hewell

HMP High Down

HMP Holme House

HMP Hull

HMP Humber

HMP Kirkham

HMP Kirklevington

HMP Lancaster Farms

HMP Leeds

HMP Lindholme

HMP Liverpool

HMP Northumberland

HMP Oakwood

HMP Onley

HMP Pentonville

HMP Preston

HMP Risley

HMP Rye Hill

HMP Stafford

HMP Swinfen Hall

HMP Thameside

HMP Wandsworth

HMP Wealstun

HMP Wormwood Scrubs

HMP Wymott

HMP/Young Offender Institution (YOI) Low Newton

HMP/YOI Moorland/Lakes

HMP/YOI Styal

Her Majesty's Young Offender Institution (HMYOI) Askham Grange

HMYOI Cookham Wood

HMYOI Feltham

HMYOI Hindley

HMYOI Isis

HMYOI New Hall

HMYOI Stoke Heath

HMYOI Thorn Cross

HMYOI Werrington

HMYOI Wetherby